As the nation transforms its energy infrastructure, CU Denver electrical engineering students are gaining the experience, industry connections and research opportunities to help design the electric grid of tomorrow.

When people think about energy independence, they often picture wind turbines stretching across the plains or rows of solar panels capturing sunlight. But the future of clean energy depends on more than wind turbines and solar panels. It depends on what happens after that electricity is generated.

Every time someone plugs in an electric vehicle, installs rooftop solar panels or powers an AI data center, they place new demands on America’s electric grid. As renewable energy becomes a larger part of the nation’s power supply, ensuring electricity remains reliable, stable and available has become one of engineering’s greatest challenges and it’s creating unprecedented demand for electrical engineers equipped to solve it.

 At CU Denver’s College of Engineering, Design and Computing, students aren’t waiting until after graduation to tackle those challenges. They’re working alongside faculty researchers and industry partners to develop technologies that will modernize the nation’s electric grid, integrate renewable energy and strengthen the resilience of the systems millions of people depend on every day.

That work is led in part by Fernando Mancilla-David, PhD, professor of electrical engineering, whose research focuses on one of the most essential technologies driving the clean energy transition: power electronics.

“Power electronics is an enabling technology for the energy transition,” said Mancilla-David. “My research focuses on developing advanced power electronic systems together with control and optimization strategies that facilitate the reliable integration of renewable energy resources into modern power systems. By making it possible for diverse energy sources to operate seamlessly with the electric grid, this work helps build energy systems that are cleaner, more reliable, and better equipped to meet the growing demand for sustainable electricity.”

Power electronics rarely makes headlines, yet it underpins nearly every aspect of the modern energy economy. Before electricity generated by renewable sources can flow onto the utility grid, it must be converted into power that meets rigorous standards for voltage, frequency, stability and power quality.

As utilities integrate battery storage, distributed energy resources, electric vehicles and increasingly energy-intensive technologies such as artificial intelligence and large-scale data centers, that challenge becomes even more complex.

Electrical engineers play a fundamental role in building that future power grid. They design, operate and continually improve the electric power systems that power homes, hospitals, businesses, manufacturers and critical public infrastructure.

“Electrical engineers are at the forefront of designing the grid of the future,” Mancilla-David said. “The energy transition isn’t simply about generating cleaner electricity. It’s about ensuring that cleaner electricity is every bit as reliable, affordable and available as the energy systems we depend on today.”

Learning by solving tomorrow’s problems today

Renewable energy technologies are becoming far more than sources of electricity. Advances in power electronics, intelligent controls and optimization are transforming solar panels, wind turbines and battery storage into intelligent grid assets that actively support the electric grid. Rather than simply delivering power, these systems can stabilize the grid, improve efficiency and respond dynamically to changing conditions.

That transformation is redefining how electricity is generated, managed and delivered, and with it, creating opportunities for the next generation of electrical engineers. At CU Denver, students work alongside faculty researchers and industry partners to develop advanced power electronics, intelligent control systems and AI-driven technologies that are helping build a cleaner, smarter and more resilient electric grid.

From senior capstone projects to graduate research, CU Denver electrical engineering students work alongside faculty, utilities and industry partners to solve problems facing today’s power sector. They gain experience using the same modeling software, simulation tools and optimization techniques employed by electric utilities, research organizations and technology companies.

Located in the heart of Colorado’s growing energy ecosystem, CU Denver provides students with direct access to organizations shaping the future of electricity. The department has collaborated with Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, PSCAD/RTDS Technologies and the National Laboratory of the Rockies expose students to emerging technologies while building professional relationships that extend well beyond graduation.

Many students continue that work in Mancilla-David’s Grid Integration of Renewable Energy course, where project-based assignments address real industry challenges. Several class projects have evolved into conference papers and scholarly publications, giving students the opportunity to contribute to the research community before they earn their degrees.

“My goal is for students to graduate not only with a strong theoretical foundation, but also with practical experience solving the kinds of complex engineering problems they will encounter in their careers,” Mancilla-David said.

Research with real-world impact

That philosophy extends directly into federally funded research.

One example is a National Science Foundation Strengthening American Infrastructure project exploring vehicle-grid integration, or VGI. As electric vehicle adoption accelerates, researchers are investigating how EVs can become active participants in the electric grid; providing backup power during outages, charging when electricity demand is lower and helping utilities integrate renewable energy more efficiently.

The project brings together experts in engineering, economics and behavioral science to solve not only the technical challenges of vehicle-grid integration, but also the economic and human factors that will determine how these technologies are adopted.

“Students are an integral part of this effort,” says Mancilla-Davi. “Both undergraduate and graduate students contribute to the research by developing models, designing control and optimization algorithms, analyzing data, and evaluating real-world implementation strategies. Through their involvement, they gain hands-on experience with cutting-edge technologies while contributing to solutions that can strengthen our nation’s energy infrastructure and accelerate the transition to a cleaner, smarter, and more sustainable electric grid.”

An investment in a career—and the future of energy

The global transition to renewable energy, widespread electrification, artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing and intelligent infrastructure is creating extraordinary demand for engineers who understand modern power systems. Utilities are rebuilding aging infrastructure, technology companies are expanding data centers and transportation is rapidly becoming electric.

Graduates who can design intelligent, resilient and sustainable energy systems will be among the engineers shaping how communities generate, distribute and use electricity for decades to come.

At CU Denver’s College of Engineering, Design and Computing, students prepare for that future through hands-on research, real-world engineering projects and collaborations with industry. They graduate with the technical expertise, practical experience and professional network to help modernize the electric grid, advance renewable energy and build the resilient infrastructure that will power the next generation.

“What excites me most is that these engineers will help shape the technologies that power our society for decades to come,” Mancilla-David said. “They will not simply adapt to the future—they will help design it.”

As the world races toward cleaner, smarter and more resilient energy systems, CU Denver students won’t simply witness that transformation. They’ll help engineer it.

Help power what’s next.

The engineers who will modernize the electric grid, advance renewable energy and build resilient infrastructure are preparing today. At CU Denver, you’ll gain the knowledge, experience and industry connections to become one of them.

Explore CU Denver’s Electrical Engineering Department and start building the future of energy.