Beyond Equations: Building a Career That Shapes the Future of Energy*

Nenad Uzelac is the Director of Innovation at G&W Electric, a US-based leader in transmission and distribution equipment. With more than two decades of experience developing advanced T&D technologies, he operates at the intersection of engineering, strategy, and global industry collaboration, helping shape how modern power grids evolve. In this talk, he will illustrate how massive global energy trends — digitalization, decarbonization, decentralization, resilience, and surging electricity demand — are transforming the profession of engineering.

He will also share a real example from developing a first-of-its-kind technology, explaining what it truly takes to bring a new product to life when no standards exist, no roadmap is given, and the risks are high. Through these examples, he will show that technical knowledge may start the journey - but communication, resilience, leadership, negotiation, and collaboration are what make breakthrough innovation possible. His message to students and young engineers is clear: if you want to build something that has never existed before, you must develop not only your hard skills, but the soft skills that turn ideas into reality.