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A new endowment, established by Dominion Energy, named College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) Associate Professor Liling Huang the Dominion Energy Faculty Fellow in Power and Energy Engineering. In addition to providing lasting and perpetual support for the faculty fellowship, the endowment will enhance the educational experience of CEC students.
“This fellowship will significantly impact my teaching and scholarship activities,” said Huang. “It will enable me to integrate cutting-edge research and sustainable practices into the curriculum and inspire students to excel not only in their technical proficiency but also in understanding their pivotal role in mitigating climate change through responsible and innovative engineering practices.”
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The centerpiece for this program is a new Smart Grid Lab located at the CEC facilities at Mason Square, The lab includes three workstations with a Real-Time Digital Simulator (RTDS) and a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system, among other features. These stations can be linked to imitate the entire grid or used independently to examine subjects. Huang believes this lab will make Mason's power engineering program unique, as few universities offer this kind of immersive educational experience.
"The Van Metre Lab is the precursor to a larger lab capability in Fuse, a net-zero ready facility which will serve as a living laboratory. This lab will enable real-time data collection to facilitate smart cities, innovation, and research to improve quality of life and moderate technology's impact on the environment," said Liza Wilson Durant, associate dean for strategic direction and community engagement.
Huang, who joined the faculty at Mason in 2017, brings extensive industry experience to her position serving as principal consulting engineer for Dominion Energy Virginia and Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative. She is a certified professional electrical engineer and worked for the Taiwan Provincial Government During her industry career, she designed and procured electrical, mechanical, and HVAC systems for large commercial, industrial, residential, and high-rise buildings. She established the BS in electrical engineering, BS in computer engineering, and MS in electrical engineering concentrations in power engineering, and supports renewable energy-related projects at Mason.
“We greatly appreciate this generous gift from Dominion Energy,” said CEC Dean Ken Ball. “The faculty fellowship ensures that we can retain high-quality dedicated faculty for years to come. It is particularly exciting for us as these funds will support the new power engineering courses and related equipment and they will also unlock the matching funds from Virginia’s Tech Talent Investment Program.”