Our Future

May 2, 2012

2 min read

Have you given much thought to our future engineers and technicians? Our PES sure has. I have talked with Pat Ryan the IEEE PES executive director and Tommy Mayne the executive director T&D North America and they are very passionate about the subject. Pat and Tommy are up to their necks in the student program. I just don't know how they do it with all the other responsibilities they have.

Take a look at the student activities that are planned for the T&D Expo. They have mixers, sessions, breakfasts, networking, career guidance, the Collegiate?GOLD/Industry luncheon, and many more activities scheduled. Tommy told me that PES started a program to bring high schoolers to the Expo in New Orleans and had a great response. They didn't what to let that pass, so they are doing it again in Orlando. At the last count, over 50 students were signed up! Those are high school students (in addition to all the college students). Pat and Tommy believe it really pays to get these kids started as early as possible.

Stop by the IEEE PES booth on teh exhibit floor and ask one of the folks there about these programs and the others PES is sponsoring to counter the brain-drain the industry is experiencing.

About the Author

Gene Wolf Blog

Technical Writer

Gene Wolf has been designing and building substations and other high technology facilities for over 32 years. He received his BSEE from Wichita State University. He received his MSEE from New Mexico State University. He is a registered professional engineer in the states of California and New Mexico. He started his career as a substation engineer for Kansas Gas and Electric, retired as the Principal Engineer of Stations for Public Service Company of New Mexico recently, and founded Lone Wolf Engineering, LLC an engineering consulting company.

Gene is widely recognized as a technical leader in the electric power industry. Gene is a fellow of the IEEE. He is the former Chairman of the IEEE PES T&D Committee. He has held the position of the Chairman of the HVDC & FACTS Subcommittee and membership in many T&D working groups. Gene is also active in renewable energy. He sponsored the formation of the “Integration of Renewable Energy into the Transmission & Distribution Grids” subcommittee and the “Intelligent Grid Transmission and Distribution” subcommittee within the Transmission and Distribution committee.