Retirements

Fernando Alvarado (22K JPG)

Fernando Alvarado loves nothing more than to prove something possible after hearing 'You can't do that." After nearly 30 years as an ECE professor, he is trying to apply that principle to golf.

Alvarado's early work on large-scale computation and sparse matrices provided the foundation for his career. His work put him in contact with many well-known mathematicians and engineers and ultimately helped him make lasting contributions to the power system community. He became an IEEE fellow in recognition of his research.

Alvarado helped author several innovative software packages such as SOLVER-Q. He also helped develop the Engineering Equation Solver and other widely used specialized programs.

Alvarado has been active in addressing a number of national energy policy matters. He was recently appointed chair of the IEEE-USA Energy Policy Committee and continues to serve as vice-chair.

Alvarado grew up in Lima, Peru where he attended the National University of Engineering, graduating in 1967. He moved to Potsdam, NY where he obtained his MS degree from Clarkson University, and then to Ann Arbor, MI where he finished his PhD in 1972. After working at the University of Toledo, he and his wife Carla moved to Madison where he joined ECE.

Alvarado enjoys travel and hopes to continue his adventures. He was in Moscow the day Yeltsin stood on top of the tank and on the Inca trail to Macchu Picchu with his daughter two days before a flood buried the Macchu Picchu power station.

Robert Lasseter (17K JPG)

Bob Lasseter grew up in Miami, Florida. He attended North Carolina State University earning a BS in physics. After two years in Army air defense he returned to North Carolina for his MS degree. In 1967 he earned his PhD in Physics from the University of Pennsylvania. His focus was on the electronic structure of dilute impurities in the noble metals and IV-VI semiconductors. After a two-year post doctoral appointment he joined the General Electric Company in Philadelphia. In 1980, Lasseter and his wife, Lucy, moved to Madison where he has spent 23 years as a professor.

Lasseter's research focused on the application of power electronics to electrical utilities. His early work included high voltage direct current transmission systems and static var compensators. He has numerous papers, presentations, and several patents on these systems. This work contributed to his election to the grade of IEEE fellow in 1992. His recent work includes distributed generation, control of power systems through FACTS controllers, use of power electronics in distribution systems, harmonic interactions, simulation methods, power electronic circuits and converter controls.

In 1995 Lasseter worked with his peers at Cornell, Berkeley and Illinois to create the Power Systems Engineering Research Center or PSerc. He was also instrumental in the birth of the Consortium for Electric Reliability Technology Solutions. CERTS focuses on enhancing the reliability of the U.S. electric power system.

For relaxation, Lasseter can be found working with hot glass.