4–7 May 2026 • Chicago, IL
Produced By
Hosted By
Produced By
Hosted By
The 2026 IEEE PES T&D Conference & Exposition is proud to support the next generation of energy professionals through our Collegiate and Young Professionals (CYP) Program.
Designed for students and early-career professionals in the power, energy, and utilities industry, this program offers career-focused workshops, interactive panels, a technical tour, and exclusive networking events with today’s industry leaders. Gain practical skills, explore emerging technologies, and connect with peers shaping the future of transmission and distribution.
Get ready to launch your energy career with three days of skill-building workshops, real-world insights, and exclusive networking opportunities—all designed to help you grow, connect, and thrive in the evolving power and energy landscape.
From professional development workshops to networking receptions and student panels, the CYP Program is your gateway to learning, connection, and opportunity.
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM • Panel
This session equips students with practical strategies to confidently navigate their first professional experience, make a positive impression, and lay the groundwork for long-term career growth. Panelists will share insights on preparation, workplace etiquette, and building strong relationships. Attendees will learn how to thrive in their first 90 days, stand out without overstepping, and avoid common early career pitfalls. Actionable tips and audience Q&A ensure students leave ready to succeed.
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM • Panel
This session guides students in leveraging LinkedIn to build a compelling online brand, expand their network, and secure job opportunities. Experts provide step-by-step advice on profile optimization, networking strategies, and effective job search techniques. A recruiter offers a live demo of candidate searches and shares insider tips on what makes a profile stand out. Attendees will leave with clear action items and best practices for using LinkedIn to advance their careers.
7:00 – 8:00 AM
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM • Panel
As the energy sector navigates rapid innovation, climate imperatives, and global disruptions, regulation must evolve to meet new demands. This panel explores how energy policies can drive sustainability, resilience, and innovation in uncertain times. Aimed at students pursuing careers in energy, the session will highlight key regulatory trends, the integration of renewables, and the role of policy in shaping the future energy workforce.
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM • Panel
As technology accelerates and industries transform, the traditional engineering career path is being redefined. This panel explores the dynamic future of engineering careers—from emerging roles in AI, smart infrastructure, and sustainability to the evolving expectations around leadership, adaptability, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Experts will share insights on how engineers can future-proof their careers, embrace innovation, and thrive in a landscape shaped by digital transformation, climate imperatives, and global connectivity. This session will offer strategic guidance and inspiration for navigating the next era of engineering.
Anahita Bahrami is a consulting engineer at Danovo Energy Solutions specializing in power system reliability, resilience, and distribution planning. She holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology, where her research focused on advanced analytics and data driven approaches to power system performance. Her work centers on improving grid reliability under both everyday operating conditions and extreme weather events.
Professor Alex Flueck has been a faculty member at Illinois Tech for 30 years. He is an expert in power and energy system stability. He has dedicated his career to helping the industry prevent blackouts while improving sustainability.
His research interests include solving the root causes of grid instability, investigating transient impacts of inverter based resources, and modeling unbalanced transient behavior of distributed energy resources. His favorite tools are programming, high performance computing, and artificial intelligence.
His teaching interests include large-scale power systems, fault-tolerant systems, AI machine learning, experiential learning, mindfulness, and innovation leadership.
As an executive coach and consultant, he helps senior leaders build teams that drive innovation.
Lea Maurer is Business Development Director at S&C Electric Company. In her roles of Field Engineer through Application Director, she has more than 20 years of experience helping utilities improve reliability through distribution feeder automation, smart device deployment, system protection, SCADA, and communications. Lea earned her bachelor’s degree in engineering from Northwestern University.
Laura Randle-Smith is the Vice President of Infrastructure at Exelon, the nation’s largest utility company, serving more than 10 million customers through six fully regulated transmission and distribution utilities — Atlantic City Electric (ACE), Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE), Commonwealth Edison (ComEd), Delmarva Power & Light (DPL), PECO Energy Company (PECO), and Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco). In this role, she leads and controls the processes for best practice identification, implementation and standardization across the engineering, electric operations, gas operations, and DER functions for Exelon.
Laura also leads and directs the corporate analytics team in developing and executing strategies to support fostering a data driven culture and has governance and oversight responsibilities to ensure enterprise-wide operational platforms remain aligned and standardized post deployment. She also has responsibilities to ensure enterprise operational platforms remain aligned and standardized post-deployment.
Joseph E. Svachula is a recently retired, widely respected utility executive with nearly 40 years of experience in the energy industry. As the former Senior Vice President of Transmission & Compliance at Exelon Utilities, he was instrumental in formulating and executing Exelon’s transmission strategy and supporting policies.
He led the company’s participation in PJM and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC), serving as Exelon’s Chief NERC Compliance Officer. Svachula oversaw the planning and ensured the safe and reliable operation of Exelon’s bulk power transmission system across its operating companies: Atlantic City Electric, BGE, ComEd, Delmarva Power, PECO, and Pepco—collectively serving approximately 10 million electric and gas customers across six states and the District of Columbia.
5:00 – 7:00 PM
7:00 AM – 8:00 AM
9:00 AM – 12:15 PM • Student Technical Tour
Join us for an engaging and educational tour designed specifically for students at the Maywood Tech Center Labs, where you’ll have the opportunity to explore cutting-edge technology and innovative research. This tour includes visits to the Smart Grid GrIT and MOAT labs, the AMI Smart Cities Lab, and the Material Forensics lab. This is a unique opportunity to connect classroom learning with real-world innovation.
Restrictions/Requirements for tour: Close toed shoes
Is security check required : Yes
Maximum Capacity: 25
Cost: free of charge
Take advantage of special IEEE Student Member rates:
*PES student registration includes access to exclusive student meals, sessions, exhibit hall tours, and receptions.
PES membership required.
Join us for an engaging and educational tour designed specifically for students at the Maywood Tech Center Labs, where you’ll have the opportunity to explore cutting-edge technology and innovative research. This tour includes visits to the Smart Grid GrIT and MOAT labs, the AMI Smart Cities Lab, and the Material Forensics lab. This is a unique opportunity to connect classroom learning with real-world innovation.
Tour Maximum Capacity: 25
Restrictions/Requirements for tour: Closed-toe shoes
Security Check: Yes (bring photo I.D.)
Pick-Up/Drop-Off Location: McCormick Place
Event registration is required to participate in the tour. Secure your spot when you register for 2026 IEEE PES T&D.
Contact us to learn more about the Collegiate & Young Professionals Program at 2026 IEEE PES T&D.
Explore how the rise of hyperscale and edge data centers is influencing grid planning, energy infrastructure, and sustainable load management.