DOE Assistant Secretary Patricia Hoffman to keynote eighth annual Electric Power Industry Conference at Pitt

Evening Networking Keynote will be Eaton's Revathi Advaithi

PITTSBURGH  (September 26, 2013) … "Advancing Grid Technologies: From Micro to Macro" is the theme of the  2013 Electric Power Industry Conference , presented by the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering and its  Center for Energy  on Monday November 11 and Tuesday November 12 at the University Club on Pitt's Oakland Campus. 

This year's opening keynote speaker is  Patricia A. Hoffman , Assistant Secretary of the  U.S. Department of Energy ,  Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability . University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg will deliver the conference welcome address. 

"After a very successful conference last year we're looking forward to ramping up the discussion with industry and government leaders like Assistant Secretary Hoffman," noted  Gregory Reed, PhD , EPIC chair and Director of Pitt's Electric Power Initiative and Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering. "We also feel it's important to expand upon last year's conversations and further explore the importance of developing new grid technologies. As greater strain is placed upon our aging power grid, especially when it's impacted by climate change and natural disasters, as well as rapidly changing generation resource portfolios, we need to invest in a more effective grid at both the large and small scale."

The speaker for the Evening Networking Event will be  Revathi Advaithi , President of the Electrical Sector - Americas Region,  Eaton . 

"Eaton has been one of our conference's long-standing partners, and so we're happy to welcome Revathi as our evening keynote," Dr. Reed added. "The evening event is a great opportunity for our students to learn about her successful career and also network with industry professionals."

The first day of EPIC will feature the keynote as well as afternoon technical program sessions, a graduate student research symposium and poster session, with an evening networking event. The second day will open with a workshop focusing on the new Grid Technologies Collaborative of the Department of Energy National Energy Technology Laboratory Regional University Alliance. The conference concludes with an industry executive panel session to discuss the "Impact of Micro-Grid Developments on Electric Power Transmission & Distribution Planning and Operations."

Early-bird registration is $99 until October 15, and $125 after. Registration is free for University faculty, staff and students with valid ID. The Electric Power Industry Conference is also soliciting partners and sponsors. For more information or to register visit the Conference web site at engineering.pitt.edu/epic. 

About Patricia Hoffman
Patricia A. Hoffman was named Assistant Secretary for the Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability (OE) at the United States Department of Energy (DOE) in June 2010 after serving as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary since November 2007. The focus of her responsibility is to provide leadership on a national level to modernize the electric grid, enhance the security and reliability of the energy infrastructure and facilitate recovery from disruptions to the energy supply both domestically and internationally. This is critical to meeting the Nation's growing demand for reliable electricity by overcoming the challenges of our Nation's aging electricity transmission and distribution system and addressing the vulnerabilities in our energy supply chain.

Prior to her current position, Ms. Hoffman served in a dual capacity as Deputy Assistant Secretary (DAS) for Research and Development (R&D) and Chief Operating Officer (COO) within OE. During her tenure as the DAS for R&D, she developed the long-term research strategy and improved the management portfolio of research programs for modernizing and improving the resiliency of the electric grid. This included developing and implementing sensors and operational tools for wide-area monitoring, energy storage research and demonstration and the development of advanced conductors to increase the capacity and flexibility of the grid. She also initiated a new research effort focused on integrating and distributing renewable energy through the electric grid, such as promoting plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and implementing smart grid technologies to maintain system reliability. As COO, she managed the OE business operations, including human resources, budget development, financial execution, and performance management.

Prior to joining OE, she was the Program Manager for the Federal Energy Management Program within the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy at DOE. This program guides the Federal government to "lead by example" promoting energy efficiency, renewable energy and smart energy management. Complementing her building energy efficiency experience, she also was the Program Manager for the Distributed Energy Program, which conducted research on advanced natural gas power generation and combined heat and power systems. Her accomplishments included the successful completion of the Advanced Turbine System program resulting in a high-efficiency industrial gas turbine power generation product.

Ms. Hoffman holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science in Ceramic Science and Engineering from Pennsylvania State University.

About Revathi Advaithi
Revathi Advaithi was appointed President of the Electrical Sector - Americas of Eaton in April 2012. 

Ms. Advaithi is responsible for the company's Electrical business in North, South and Central America. She oversees manufacturing operations, sales, marketing, technology, and product development for 12 divisions, nearly 18,000 employees, and $4.1 billion in revenues. 

Prior to this role, Ms. Advaithi was the President of the Electrical Sector - Asia Pacific in Shanghai, China. 

Ms. Advaithi joined Eaton in 1995 in the Global Leadership Development Program as a manufacturing supervisor at the Shawnee, Oklahoma hydraulics facility. She held several operational roles before becoming the plant manager for the hydraulics facility in Havant, England. Ms. Advaithi left Eaton in 2002 to join Honeywell where she held several senior roles within the sourcing and supply chain functions before being named vice president and general manager of Honeywell's Field Solutions business in 2006. She rejoined Eaton in 2008 as vice president and general manager of the Electrical Components Division. 

Ms. Advaithi has a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani, India, and an MBA in international business from Thunderbird - Garvin School of International Business in Glendale, Arizona. 

Eaton is a diversified power management company providing energy-efficient solutions that help our customers effectively manage electrical, hydraulic and mechanical power. With 2012 sales of $16.3 billion, Eaton is a global technology leader in electrical products, systems and services for power quality, distribution and control, power transmission, lighting and wiring products; hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton acquired Cooper Industries plc in 2012. Eaton has approximately 103,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 175 countries. For more information, visit www.eaton.com.

###