Workshop: Energy and Power Summer Program to be held at Georgia Tech Global Learning Center in Atlanta, GA on July 8-12, 2011.

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A safe, secure, reliable and affordable supply of electric power is a basic requirement for economic health. The utilities that operate this grid face increasing challenges in meeting the growing demand for electricity in the context of sustainable energy. The grid must evolve to accommodate new energy sources such as renewable energy and support new uses such as plug-in electric vehicles. Utilities need to integrate information and communication technologies into the next-generation grid to deliver electricity more efficiently and effectively. As a result, the next generation of electric power engineers will require knowledge of topics outside the traditional curriculum including communications, sensor integration, policy, software development and security.The Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Heads Association (ECEDHA) and their member departments in the United States and Canada have recognized the need to update and upgrade programs in power engineering. The summer program described in this proposal is an outgrowth of November 2010 ECEDHA workshop which addressed a range of issues including curriculum changes and faculty development. The summer program will prepare university educators to teach an expanded curriculum in electric power engineering.Intellectual Merit:The intellectual merit of the summer program centers on the urgency for ECE educators to update and upgrade university-level power engineering programs to advance fundamental knowledge and prepare the next generation of engineering professionals in this critical field.Broader Impact:The broader impact of the summer program is reflected in the international nature of the electric power grid, and by the impact the summer program will have on recruiting, retaining, and mentoring undergraduate students, graduate students and young faculty, while drawing as much as possible from underrepresented groups in engineering (e.g., minorities and women in engineering).