Bhavana Keshavamurthy, PJM Interconnection
Tell us about yourself (e.g. where you work, where you went to school, IEEE member grade, family, hobbies, etc.). I currently work at PJM Interconnection as a senior business solutions engineer in the Applied Solutions department. I have been part of the IEEE community since 2005 as a member. I earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Bangalore University, India, in 2001. I completed my graduate studies working as a research assistant at the Center for Electric Power Engineering (CEPE) Lab under Dr. Chika Nwankpa, and graduated with a master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Drexel University. My areas of interest include electricity markets and emerging technologies.
What professional achievements are you most proud of? I worked on a project at PJM which was challenging from a technical and project management perspective. This was in addition to my regular job and the project itself had a very aggressive timeline. I was able to successfully complete the project, learn the importance of time management and hone my project management skills.
What were your early career goals (first 10 years in industry)? Which have you accomplished? How did you plan/execute these goals? My goals have been fluid and they have evolved based on opportunities as I progressed in my career. I started my career at PJM working in the Markets Division. The first couple of years my focus was to learn about the various markets that PJM administers. During that time, I had opportunities to work on projects which allowed me to develop my project management skills. PJM has a very supportive environment for continued education. I was able to take advantage of the various training opportunities available and get my Certified Project Manager credentials. In the last few years, I have been able to apply my knowledge of electricity markets in my current job in analyzing how best to incorporate emerging technologies into the grid and the current market structures. I was also fortunate to find mentors in the organization who have continually helped me identify areas for development and maintain my focus.
What are you career goals moving forward? One of my primary goals is to continue to study the impact of emerging technologies on the grid and on electricity markets. I am also interested in development of business rules, policy development and implementation.
How are you involved in PES? Do you have any advice for Young Professioanls getting involved in PES? I have presented at PES General Meetings and do try to attend them every year. Presenting at the panel sessions is a good way to develop presentation skills, which are invaluable. I was involved in some of the local organizing committee activities at the 2014 PES General Meeting in Washington, D.C. I would encourage Young Professionals to participate in the local organizing committee if they get the opportunity. It is a great way to serve the organization and is also a good forum for networking.
In your experiences, how important has/is continuing education to career advancement and personal development? I believe continuing education is imperative if you want to grow professionally. Our industry can change very quickly as evidenced in the last decade. Continuing education is one way for us to keep our knowledge and skills up to date and help us be a productive member of the workforce.
What advice do you have for newly graduated power engineers? Mentors can help a lot, especially early in your career. I would encourage new engineers to reach out to someone they admire in their field of interest, either within their organization or in IEEE/PES. Good project management, presentation and programming skills will also go long way in opening up opportunities for career growth.