Electrical energy needs are growing globally due to increased dependence on electricity for daily activities in homes and businesses. A larger world population, coupled with development of programs to provide electricity access to 1.3 billion people around the world currently without it, add to this increased demand.
Anil Pahwa, Kansas State University Logan-Fetterhoof chair and professor of electrical and computer engineering, and 2014 Jefferson Science fellow, will address these topics in a special Jefferson Science Fellowship Seminar from 2:30-3:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, in Fiedler Auditorium of the engineering complex.
In his presentation, “Policy Partnership for Electrical Energy Needs of the Growing World Population,” Pahwa will focus on policy partnership efforts worldwide to meet the challenge of electrical energy needs of the people in a sustainable manner. In addition, he will talk about his personal experiences of living in Washington, D.C., and working in the U.S. Department of State the past year.
Following his nomination by April Mason, K-State provost and senior vice president, Pahwa was one of 13 individuals chosen nationwide for the prestigious fellowship. He spent the 2014-2015 school year at the U.S. Department of State, serving as a scientific adviser and helping with national foreign policy.
Tenured academic scientists and engineers from U.S. higher education institutions are eligible for Jefferson Science Fellowships. The program is administered by the National Academies and supported through partnerships with the science, technology and engineering academic community; professional scientific societies; the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID.
Pahwa is the third Kansas State University faculty member selected as a Jefferson Science fellow since the program’s start in 2003. Brett DePaola, professor of physics, was a 2010-2011 fellow, and Richard Marston, university distinguished professor of geography, was a 2011-2012 fellow.
In addition to his studies on the application of advanced computer and communications technology to enhance efficiency, reliability and quality of electricity delivery systems, Pahwa’s research also involves using small renewable energy resources within the grid and off-grid locations.
Pahwa came to the U.S. from India in 1977 to pursue graduate studies in power and energy systems. He came to Kansas State University in 1983.