Qualus Partners with University of Nevada, Reno to Advance Power Engineering Education
Qualus is helping prepare the next generation of power engineering professionals through a new partnership with the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR). The collaboration began when Qualus engineer Noah Calvert connected with faculty members at his alma mater to discuss opportunities to engage with engineering students and share insights about careers in the power industry. Working alongside Dr. Hanif Livani, Calvert and Nathan Sundsted, Qualus Director of Emerging Applied Projects, helped develop a new dual senior/master's-level course grounded in practical industry experience: EE 447/647: Fundamentals of Electrical Substation and Line Design.
The course was created to provide students with practical knowledge and real-world insight into substation and transmission line engineering. Over several months, Calvert and Sundsted collaborated with UNR to help shape the curriculum, contributing industry perspectives, engineering case studies, educational resources, homework assignments, and a semester-long design project.
Students gain exposure to industry-standard practices in substation and transmission engineering, including equipment selection, bus design, grounding systems, structural modeling, and safety requirements. Blending academic theory with practical application, the course prepares undergraduate students to solve complex engineering problems and design effective solutions, while graduate students build advanced research, data analysis, and engineering judgment skills.
To further support student success, Qualus has established a $4,000 scholarship that will cover semester fees for two students participating in the course.
As the program continues to grow, Calvert and Sundsted plan to serve as guest speakers and remain actively involved in future semesters. This collaboration reflects Qualus' ongoing commitment to advancing engineering education, developing future industry leaders, and strengthening the workforce that will help power communities for generations to come.