The Office of Electricity is celebrating it's nominees selected for the prestigious 2019 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.
July 25, 2019
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The Office of Electricity (OE) is celebrating it's nominees selected for the prestigious 2019 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE). Dr. Kevin Schneider of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Dr. Victor Zavala formerly of the Argonne National Laboratory and now with the University of Wisconsin-Madison received their awards at a ceremony today in Washington, D.C.
Since 1996, the PECASE has been the highest honor given by the U.S. Government to outstanding scientists and engineers who are beginning their independent research careers and who show exceptional promise for leadership in science and technology. This year there were 39 awardees from the Department of Energy (DOE).
Dr. Schneider was selected for significant contributions to OE-sponsored modeling of prototypical distribution feeders to enable the analysis of smart grid technologies and the SPIDERS Operational Evaluation, a joint DOE, Department of Defense, and Department of Homeland Security micro grid program. He has provided extraordinary insights in the areas of software architecture, distribution system model development, and cybersecurity. He was instrumental in the development of the concepts behind the Advanced Distribution Management System approach that will transform and simplify distribution monitoring and control across the electric utility system and revolutionize the marketplace for utility control solutions.
Dr. Victor Zavala, formerly of the Argonne National Laboratory and now with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, was selected for significant contributions to the field of computational strategies applied to advanced control of power systems, which was sponsored by OE’s Advanced Grid Modeling Program in conjunction with the Office of Science. He has been instrumental in the formulation of innovative mathematical optimization models for improved control and system design. These modeling capabilities capture the interplay between the economic and the physical behavior of the electric power system, and manage multiple conflicting objectives, multiple spatial and temporal scales, and high levels of uncertainty. This understanding is extremely important as more distributed energy resources, including renewables, are integrated into the broader electrical power network.
The work of these extremely talented scientists is significant to OE’s efforts to research and develop innovative technologies to improve U.S. energy security and resilience. To learn more about the work being done by our office, please visit, /oe/office-electricity.
Gilbert Bindewald III
Gil Bindewald currently serves as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Electricity within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). He leads activities to help transform the system that powers our homes and businesses, and increasingly, even fuels our cars. His responsibilities include oversight of the Department's long-term strategic and foundational R&D efforts related to the resilience and reliability of our Nation’s electricity delivery system. He is co-chair of the Grid Modernization Initiative, and has been involved in several broader Departmental efforts, including the Quadrennial Technology Review and the “Grid Tech Team,” working to improve coordination and communication on the grid topic across DOE's programs.
Immediately prior to this assignment, Gil was Deputy Assistant Secretary for Grid Communications and Controls. This division manages applied research advancements in mathematics, computational science, and modeling to enhance operations and planning capabilities across the transmission and distribution system, including development of sensors, data analytics, and software tools. He previously led activities in Power Electronics, Renewables Integration, and Workforce Development.
In support of resilience, he initiated a multi-domain, model-based analytical platform to assess risks to the energy sector from climate change, extreme weather, and other emerging threats. He has supported the Department's response/recovery efforts for multiple reliability events, including Hurricane Katrina/Rita where he provided daily briefing materials to the White House and Departmental leadership on electricity restoration progress, field deployment, and coordination.
Gil has served as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Permitting, Siting, and Analysis, providing on a national-level, unbiased technical assistance and analysis to facilitate electricity infrastructure investment needed to deliver clean, affordable, and reliable electricity to customers. He has also served as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for Electricity R&D, which included oversight of research on grid systems and components such as energy storage, transformers, and cables/conductors.
Gil has worked for DOE for over 20 years. Before coming to DOE, he worked as an engineer at General Electric Company and Westinghouse Electric Corporation, was on the technical staff of Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Lincoln Laboratory and spent time in the Czech Republic and Bangladesh. He is a registered Professional Engineer (New York); he received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Union College (Schenectady, NY), and an M.P.A. in International Development (Economics) from Harvard University.