Electrical Engineering Students' Project Proposal Garners $5,000 Award
Eight innovative Buffalo State electrical engineering technology (EET) students recently received a $5,000 award from the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) for their design project proposal. The institute is an independent nonprofit organization that conducts research and development related to the generation, delivery, and use of electricity for the benefit of the public.
Out of 22 proposals, the institute presented 12 awards to 11 institutions of higher learning. Other recipients included Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a private school in Troy, New York; the University of California, Irvine; West Texas A&M; North Carolina State University; and the Oregon Institute of Technology.
“We had some tremendous company,” said Ilya Grinberg, professor of engineering technology, who presented his senior design class with the challenge to complete a project that analyzes electric power systems or develops new energy system.
“I am very proud of these students,” he said. “They are a true dream team.”
The eight undergraduates—Bashar Ajwed, William Hall, Kris Hammerick, Andrew Ludtka, Kyle Nadolinski, Dean Nelipowitz, Thomas O’Brien, and Lacy Taylor—created the proposal for the project “Testbed for Transactive Energy and its Effects on the Distribution System and Protective Devices Settings.”
The testbed will be developed using the campus’s state-of-the-art Smart Grid laboratory. The students must develop the project over the spring semester, provide biweekly assessments of their progress, and present their findings at professional conferences. The grant money will go toward conference travel and equipment purchase.
“This experience will definitely contribute to the students’ resumes and graduate school applications,” Grinberg said.
Two years ago, the New York Power Authority nominated Buffalo State to become an affiliate university with GridEd, a collaborative educational initiative seeking to develop and train the next generation of power engineers. This affiliation qualified the college for the EPRI award.
“The NYPA recognized Buffalo State’s Smart Grid program as a strong and competitive one,” Grinberg said.
About the Electrical Engineering Technology Program
Buffalo State’s EET program is accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of ABET. It is divided into two tracks: electronics and Smart Grid. Electronics prepares students to design, test, and fabricate solid-state circuits and systems, microwave systems, and control systems. Smart Grid prepares students to design, test, manufacture, and develop applications for electrical machinery, electrical power systems, and control systems. EET program graduates enjoy an almost 100 percent employment rate.