First Principles: The Foundation of Innovation

Moderator: Dr. Edmund O. Schweitzer, III
President, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories

First principles have been at the foundation of every lasting technological and economic advancement. But what are those first principles? Can we even recognize them anymore through the guise of complexity that surrounds every process, standard, and transaction? Executives from diverse industries will discuss the fundamental principles that guide their decisions every day.

Panel:
Kimberly S. Greene, Southern Company
James L. Mahoney, Koch Industries
Dr. John Tomkowiak, Washington State University
Dr. Noel Schulz, Washington State University
Dave Whitehead, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories

Almost everywhere you look—in protection, control, communications—there is a push to increase performance and accuracy. But there is also a push for simplicity and resiliency. Power systems move energy at the speed of light, but how can we account for today’s quickly changing dynamics and increased sensitivity? With ultra-fast traveling-wave relays and increasingly fast switching, communications, and breakers, how should protection and control change? We will explore new methods for increasing the speed and simplicity of protection and control so that we can get the most out of our power systems.

Panel:
Jonathan Sykes, Pacific Gas and Electric Company
James P. Crane, Exelon Utilities
Dr. Fritz Rettberg, TU Dortmund University
Haroon Inam, Smart Wires
Prakash Moparthi, NextEra Energy

Measuring the Value of Energy

Moderator: Dr. Greg Zweigle 
R&D Engineering Director, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories

Newton’s First Law and Its Application to Developing the Medical School of the Future

Dr. John Tomkowiak M.D., MOL
Founding Dean of the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University