IEEE PES Award for Excellence in Power Distribution Engineering

About the Award

The Award for Excellence in Power Distribution Engineering is presented annually to an engineer who has demonstrated one or more of the following:

  • vision to see opportunities to substantially improve the effectiveness and utilization of electric power distribution and the ability to articulate and manage its fulfillment
  • strong impact on the design of distribution system components, circuit configurations, or engineering and operating practices
  • innovation that led to significant increases in reliability or cost reductions in the costs of engineering, installing or operating electric power distribution systems

This work could have involved any field of electric power distribution, including: voltage control, underground, overcurrent protection, metering, surge protection, connections and terminators, cables, switching, system automation, software, and transformers.

View the award chair and committee members.

Chair:

Tom Short

Committee Members:

Heide Caswell
John McDaniel
Tom McDermott

Heidemarie Caswell
2023 Award Recipient

Heidemarie C. Caswell for innovative contributions to distribution reliability analysis, standards development, and energy distribution cost optimization.

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Applications are accepted from 1 October - 31 January

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Nominate a Colleague! Submission Deadline: 31 January

Award Details

Purpose:

To recognize engineering contributions that have enhanced the quality and economy of electric power distribution.

Prize:

$1,000 USD, Plaque and travel subsidy for recipient of $1,000 USD (with review by the PES Executive Director for extenuating circumstances only) to attend the PES award meeting.

Eligibility:

Must have Bachelor’s degree in engineering from an accredited institution, minimum of 15-years’ experience in industry and/or academia, and have been a member of IEEE/PES for a minimum of five (5) years.

Presentation:

One award is given per year. If no suitable candidate is proposed in a given year, the award will not be presented for that year.

IMPORTANT NOTES: Nomination forms must be written in English. One per year. If no suitable candidate is proposed in a given year, the award will not be presented for that year.

PES, being one of IEEE’s Organizational Units, follows IEEE Policy 4.4H:

  • Eligibility and Process Limitations. Individuals serving on any board or committee involved at any stage of the recipient selection or approval process for an award shall be ineligible to receive, or act as a nominator or reference for that award. This conflict of interest limitation shall apply to all awards given by the IEEE or any of its organizational units

Previous Award Recipients

2022 Award Recipient – Mark McGranaghan
2021 Award Recipient – Thomas E. McDermott
2020 Award Recipient – Thomas R. Beckwith
2019 Award Recipient – Charles DeNardo
2018 Award Recipient – Daniel Sabin
2017 Award Recipient – James D. Bouford
2016 Award Recipient – John J. Grainger
View More Past Award Winners

Past Recipients:

1989 – Sidney Rogers Gilligan
1990 – Paul L. Pearson
1991 – Harvey W. Mikulecky
1992 – Jack H. Lawson
1993 – William E. Shula
1994 – John R. Conrad
1995 – Franco Reggiani
1996 – James J. Burke
1998 – Joseph L. Koepfinger
1999 – John G. Anderson
2000 – Daniel J. Ward
2001 – Ronald H. Stillman
2002 – John D. McDonald
2003 – Robert E. Owen
2004 – David R. Smith
2005 – Roger Craig Dugan
2006 – Wayne Beaty
2007 – Cheryl A. Warren
2008 – T.A. Short
2009 – Reigh A. Walling
2010 – Philip P. Barker
2011 – Lee Taylor
2012 – Richard A. Bush
2013 – John McDaniel
2014 – Thomas J. Tobin
2015 – Elisabeth A. Tobin