Statement

Studies in Energy Sources and Systems at Rensselaer

Dr. Kim L. Boyer
Professor and Head of Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering

23 October 2008

For electrical, computer, and systems engineers, the 21st century will be a time of significant challenge, as well as a time of significant opportunity. In particular, we will be summoned to address key problems in the delivery and use of energy. Energy sources and systems of the future will be diversified, heterogeneous, distributed, and intelligent. It is impossible to say exactly what these systems will become over the next 10-30 years, but it is clear that they will differ from what we have today. Their design, implementation, and operation will require expertise in devices, circuits, control, computation, and communications – in addition to aspects of “traditional” electric power engineering.

The ECSE Department at Rensselaer is working to confront these challenges. As we capitalize on our unique, historical strengths in electric power engineering, we are pivoting to confront a rapidly changing landscape in the acquisition, generation, harvesting, control, delivery, and consumption of energy. We shall educate coming generations of electrical, computer, and systems engineers to be intellectually flexible, working from a broad base of fundamentals. Clearly, those who design energy systems of the future will require the intellectual breadth provided in a fully featured electrical engineering program. Similarly, electrical, computer, and systems engineers working in other areas must be familiar with aspects of power engineering, as we anticipate energy systems penetrating individual circuits and devices, even to the nanoscale.

While the electric power engineering program has been gradually evolving in response to these external forces, more definitive action is now required. Pending administration approval, ECSE will restructure its program offerings to unify electric power engineering and electrical engineering under a common degree program. We are currently evaluating how best to accomplish this restructuring. It is the Department’s plan to make Energy Sources and Systems a focal point, as an integral part of our Electrical, Computer, and Systems Engineering research and academic programs, exposing courses and opportunities in this area to a broader range of students. This objective, and the preparation of 21st century-ready engineers in energy and power, cannot effectively be realized under the current program structure in which electric power stands apart from the rest of the program. Therefore, once unification occurs, the current BS program in Electric Power Engineering will be eliminated.

We strongly recommend that incoming undergraduate students with an interest in electric power pursue the BSEE, with an emphasis in power and energy courses, to achieve both the grounding and flexibility needed for a successful career in what will undoubtedly prove to be a highly dynamic environment for the 21st century engineer.