Board members of IEEE PES Student Chapter of Tecnológico de Costa Rica developed a total of 37 activities during 2018. Most of the activities were technical talks, workshops and technical visits about relevant and actual information, necessary for PES student members and their careers like Electromechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, Electronic and Material Science Engineering. These activities were presented by experts in the field or students cursing degrees:

• Regulation and Control in Power Systems
• Introductory workshop to KNX protocol
• Reliability in Power Systems
• Mechanical behavior of structural elements in the insulating boards of the transformers
• 40 years in the ICE, anecdotes and memoirs
• UL regulations and their relationship with the electric code of CR
• Simulation of photo voltaic systems using Helioscope

Some of the technical tours were:

• Angostura Hydroelectric Plant
• Cachí Hydroelectric Plant
• Miravalle Geothermal Plant

As part of the IEEE PES Day, the chapter counted with a DLP Dr. George Gross from the University of Illinois, with a talk about Reliability of Electric Power Networks and Economic Impacts. Besides, other of the activities to celebrate this day was an Introductory course to photovoltaic solar energy, where assistants had an introduction talk to understand the energy and then put into action what they learned in a workshop with real elements provided by SESLab (solar laboratory at the university). After that, the chapter commemorated the day with some food, drinks, and a cake.

The chapter has had interest in involving kids and youth into power and energy and empower girls and boys, that’s why there were two activities: First activity was in commemoration of Women’s Day, so WiP along WIE had an engineering workshop with girls at Colegio Científico de Cartago and the second activity was at Exposolar Costa Rica, where some members share their knowledge in solar power with kids between 5 and 11 years old.

A few members also took part in activities organized by Section Costa Rica, like National Branch Reunion, and workshops about IEEE tools and treasury. Also the secretary of the chapter participated at the 3rd IEEE PES Student Congress in Brazil. An important volunteering activity of our PES members was their participation in the installation of solar panels in the new 500kW solar plant at Tecnológico de Costa Rica.

Participants at introductory course on photovoltaic solar energy.

PES DAY celebration.

Engineering workshop with girls from Colegio Científico de Cartago.

Sofía Jiménez Monge
Past Chair, PES Student Chapter
Tecnológico de Costa Rica