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.

Registration for the lecture is required via the following link:
https://events.vtools.ieee.org/event/register/541428

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