PNM Chair in Utility Management
PNM Chair in Utility Management
The PNM Chair for Utility Management was established in 2001 to support the nationally recognized Electric Utility Management Program (EUMP) in the Klipsch School. EUMP was established in 1967 by Professor William Kersting and has graduated over 220 students with MSEE degrees tailored for the needs of electric utilities across the country. The major sponsors for the chair were the Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM), the PNM Foundation and the State of New Mexico. The current occupant of the chair is Professor William Kersting. Professor Kersting is also the Director of EUMP.
Purpose
The purpose is to
Promote and stimulate technical and managerial growth in the design, operation and management of electric, gas, and water utility systems through research and educational programs, such as the Electric Utility management Program;
Promote public awareness and greater understanding of the issues in utility management and regulation, as well as related areas through education, research, and professional service.
Goals
The chair will work to enhance the technological and business areas relevant to EUMP, the power program and NMSU and the utility industry. The goals of the Chair are as follows:
To graduate BS, MS and PhD students with knowledge to understand, develop, design, and manage utility systems.
To provide a unique graduate program in utility management, as well as known or as yet unknown related areas, that is available to students and practicing engineers.
To attract and retain high-quality faculty in the area of utility management in order to ensure that strong academic and research programs are maintained.
To simulate interaction between students and faculty with engineers and managers in the utility industry and to assist the utility industry in recruiting graduates who have a strong background in utility management, as well as other related areas.
To obtain, utilize, and disseminate relevant R&D and public policy results. To develop short courses and seminars to facilitate this activity.
To provide unique undergraduate and graduate programs in the design, operation and management of utility systems.
To obtain external research and development, laboratory equipment, and scholarship/fellowship funds to support the utility management program and students.
To obtain additional endowment funds for the CHAIR to assure viability in perpetuity.
About Professor William Kersting
Professor Kersting obtained his BSEE from New Mexico State University (then NM A&M) in 1959. He received his MSEE from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1965. He began his teaching career at NMSU in 1962 after having worked at El Paso Electric from 1959 – 1962. In 1967 Prof. Kersting founded the nationally renowned Electric Utility Management Program which has provided over 220 professionals for the electric utility industry. Several of these former students have gone on to become CEO's of major utilities. Prof. Kersting retired from NMSU in 2002, but still continues to serve NMSU as the PNM Chair and Director of EUMP. Prof. Kersting is a Fellow of the IEEE and a member of the Eta Kappa Nu electrical engineering honor society and the Tau Beta Pi engineering honor society. He received the Westhafer award for Excellence in Teaching from NMSU in 1976, the EEI Engineering Educator Award in 1979, and the IEEE Millennium Medal. He has authored numerous articles in the areas of engineering education, power engineering, and electric utility management.
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