Great instructors do great things, and Dr. Gregory Reed is one teacher who has had a hand in shaping the future of U.S. energy. He was a major contributor to the drafts and proposals of U.S. energy policy legislation, including written language that is now part of the U.S. Energy Policy Act of 2005.

Reed is senior vice president of the Power Systems Technical Services group at KEMA, Inc. and is a “recognized worldwide authority and industry leader for the development and application of advanced power electronics systems and power transmission and distribution, generation, and industrial systems technologies,” according to KEMA.

Reed will present the Basics of Power Electronics for T&D Applications course at T&D University in the fall. The course will cover the fundamentals of power electronics system designs and equipment, as well as examples of transmission and distribution system applications. A treatment of power electronics system operations, control methodologies, and system integration will be provided, along with basic theory of semiconductor technologies that are applied in power electronics circuits.

Reed provides more than instruction at the professional level, he is also an adjunct professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at the University of Pittsburgh, where he teaches courses in electric power engineering. His courses include Power System Engineering & Analysis I; Electric Machinery; Power Generation, Operation, & Control; Power Systems Transients; and Power Electronics: Devices, Circuits, and Applications.

He also serves on the ECE Department’s Industrial Board of Visitors and has provided major contributions to the development of a renewed Power & Energy Initiative within the University of Pittsburgh’s Swanson School of Engineering, which includes education and research components in the areas of electric power, nuclear, and mining engineering.

Reed’s current role at KEMA involves the strategic leadership and management of the technical power systems practice in North America, focusing on client issues related to transmission and distribution system planning, asset management, system protection and reliability, system control and automation, advanced technology applications, sustainable and renewable energy integration, power electronics and energy conversion, and future power systems. So he has many great responsibilities.

“There are many priorities with customers, students, and service commitments.,” Reed said. “The electric power and energy industries are at a critical crossroads in dealing with major issues involving the needs of major infrastructure upgrades and expansions; new technology development, research and application; the aging workforce and the need to educate the next generation of power engineers; and various challenges involving energy resources, the environment, and associated societal impacts.”

“Serving in various capacities within industry, academia, government, and the professional societies is always a challenging balance of priorities. However, the power and energy industries need greater levels of collaboration between and among the various organizations involved in these sectors to provide our nation with an energy future that is safe, secure, reliable, economic, and environmentally responsible.” Reed said. “These are enormous tasks, and being in a position to provide collaboration and to help ‘build bridges’ across the various entities is something that I find very rewarding and stimulating – and something that I believe is critical to the continued future advancement of our society and quality of life.”

KEMA is an international company providing power and energy consulting, technology implementation, and market knowledge expertise. The company offers the KEMA Academy, which organizes training courses based on international standards and which provides certification in energy supply.

Reed has gained much international experience over the years from both his industry and academic endeavors. He has worked on extended assignments in Europe (Switzerland) and Asia (Japan), as well as traveled and gained business-related experience throughout Europe, Asia, South America, Australia, and the Middle East.

He began his career in the electric power industry at the Consolidated Edison Co. of New York, Inc. where he served as an engineer in various areas, including electric planning, system operations, engineering and system analysis, and relay protection.

While earning his Ph.D. at the University of Pittsburgh, Reed was employed with the ABB Transmission Technology Institute as a senior engineer, including an engagement with the ABB Corporate Research Center. He also worked as a consulting engineer for the Westinghouse Science & Technology Center in the advanced electro-mechanical systems division.

He then joined Mitsubishi Electric Power Products, Inc., where he served in various roles over a 10 year period.. He was most recently director of business and technology development. He had also served as general manager of the power systems division, focusing on applications of T&D equipment, technologies, and services; including high-voltage substation equipment and power electronics & control technologies, as well as power system engineering services and consulting.

He came to KEMA in January 2007 to continue to develop his experience in supporting and developing advanced power & energy system technologies and services.

Of course, Reed is not only a professor and a senior vice president. His responsibilities also extend to the IEEE Power Engineering Society, where he participates in various committees, task forces, and working groups. He is also a member of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE). He has authored or co-authored over 50 published papers and technical articles in the areas of electric power system analysis and the applications of power systems technologies.

In his spare time, Reed enjoys participating in athletics of all kinds - most especially triathlon (running, cycling, and swimming). He is an active volunteer at his church, and also enjoys reading, cooking, and gardening. Reed is married and has three young children ages 9, 7, and 3. He coaches his children’s soccer teams, and has them involved in triathlon as well.

"It’s a wonderful family sport, and keeps us all active and healthy,” Reed said.