NMSU to Lead $14.2M DOE-Funded Hydropower Feasibility Project with the Navajo Nation
New Mexico State University will lead a $14.2 million feasibility study for a pumped-storage hydropower facility proposed on Navajo Nation lands in the Four Corners region. The award includes $7.1 million from the U.S. Department of Energy and $7.1 million in cost share, with support from the State of New Mexico and other partners. The study will assess technical, environmental, transmission, and economic feasibility for a design targeting approximately 1,500 MW of generation and about 70 hours of energy storage.
The project is led by Principal Investigator Dr. Fengyu Wang (NMSU ECE) in close collaboration with the Navajo Nation. The project leadership team also includes Dr. Di Shi and Dr. Patricia Sullivan from the NMSU DigiCARES team.
This effort will enhance the impact of DigiCARES by deepening long-term engagement with the Navajo Nation (one of our priority communities), creating new opportunities for student training and local workforce development, and providing a real-world setting to validate DigiCARES’ digital-twin and AI tools for grid resilience and long-duration energy storage. It also expands partnerships across universities, national laboratories, industry, and government—accelerating the translation of research to practice and amplifying benefits for communities in the region.
August 25, 2025
Zhang and Shi Host Well-Attended Panel on AI-Powered Grids at IEEE PES GM 2025
Dr. Ying Zhang and Dr. Di Shi co-organized a panel titled “AI-Powered Grids: Leveraging LLMs and Cloud to Redefine Intelligence for Power Systems” at the 2025 IEEE Power & Energy Society General Meeting.
The session brought together leading experts from the US, Europe, and Asia to discuss how large language models (LLMs) and cloud-based AI solutions are transforming power system intelligence. The panel drew an audience of nearly 100 attendees, reflecting strong interest in next-generation AI applications for the grid.
July 30, 2025
Anthony Moye Joins DIGICARES as Project Manager
We welcome Anthony Moye, MS, PMP, as the new Project Manager for DIGICARES. Anthony brings extensive experience in project coordination, operations, and government programs, and will support the team in managing day-to-day activities and ensuring smooth execution across the initiative.
His leadership and organizational skills will strengthen project delivery, enhance team communication, and help keep complex, multi-institutional efforts on track.
July 28, 2025
NMSU Partners with Kit Carson on Edge AI for Wildfire Situational Awareness
New Mexico State University has received funding support from Kit Carson Electric Cooperative to develop edge AI–based wildfire situational awareness technology. The project is led by Dr. Di Shi, with Dr. Fengyu Wang and Dr. Patricia Sullivan serving as co-PIs.
This initiative aims to enhance real-time situational awareness for system operators and microgrid controllers, enabling faster and smarter response to wildfire threats. It represents a direct, real-world impact for the community and strongly aligns with the goals of the DIGICARES project.
July 11, 2025
Dr. Xin Han to Chair and Discuss at 2025 APSA Conference Panels
Dr. Xin Han will serve as panel chair and discussant at the 2025 American Political Science Association (APSA) Annual Conference, contributing to sessions on AI governance, institutional innovation, government capacity, and computational social science.
Her participation highlights the interdisciplinary engagement of DIGICARES in advancing policy-relevant applications of AI and complex systems research.
July 10, 2025
Dr. Xin Han to Present Paper on AI and Energy Justice at 2025 APSA Conference
Congratulations to Dr. Xin Han, whose lead-authored paper, “Digital Twinning for Resilience and Reliability: AI-Driven Community Energy Systems,” has been accepted for presentation at the 2025 American Political Science Association (APSA) Annual Conference, to be held September 11–14 in Vancouver, Canada.
The paper explores how AI-powered digital twins can enhance the reliability and resilience of local energy systems, especially in regions with constrained infrastructure—advancing key objectives of the DIGICARES project.
July 01, 2025
OSU Student Zaid Ibn Mahmood Wins 2025 Graduate Research Excellence Award
Congratulations to Zaid Ibn Mahmood, recipient of the 2025 OSU Graduate Research Excellence Award! Zaid is co-advised by Dr. Ying Zhang and Dr. Hantao Cui, and his research continues to make a strong impact in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Oklahoma State University.
This award recognizes Zaid’s outstanding research achievements and scholarly contributions. We’re proud to celebrate this well-deserved honor!
April 30, 2025
Dr. Ying Zhang and Ph.D. Student Sungjoo Chung Honored with OSU CEAT Awards
Dr. Ying Zhang has received the 2025 OSU CEAT Excellent Scholar Award for her outstanding research, mentorship, and scholarly impact.
Ph.D. student Sungjoo Chung was honored with the CEAT Dean’s Outstanding Graduate Student Award—the college’s highest graduate recognition—and the ECE Outstanding Graduate Student Award.
Congratulations to both on their well-earned achievements!
April 16, 2025
MSU Students Receive Crawford Wildlife Habitat Scholarships
Congratulations to Muhammad Qasim Bhatti (Ph.D. student) and Dmitry Bezborodov (M.Sc. student) in Computer Science at Montana State University, both advised by Dr. Dadgostari, for receiving the Crawford Wildlife Habitat Scholarship.
Each student will receive $10,000, funded by the Crawford Endowment, to support their research and academic pursuits during the 2024–2025 academic year. This scholarship recognizes students whose work connects computation and environmental systems.
March 18, 2025
Dr. Di Shi and Dr. Fengyu Wang Awarded Prestigious Endowed Professorships
Congratulations to Dr. Di Shi and Dr. Fengyu Wang of the Klipsch School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at NMSU for receiving distinguished endowed professorships from the College of Engineering.
Dr. Shi was named the Paul W. and Valerie Klipsch Distinguished Professor, and Dr. Wang received the PNM Chair Professorship in Utility Management—both in recognition of their leadership, student mentorship, research excellence, and service to the university and broader community.
Their work on renewable energy integration and AI-driven grid modernization continues to make a meaningful impact on energy affordability and infrastructure resilience in New Mexico.
March 10, 2025
Dr. Patricia Sullivan Appointed to El Paso Electric Board of Directors
Congratulations to Dr. Patricia Sullivan, Co-PI of the DIGICARES project and Associate Dean of Engineering at NMSU, on her appointment to the Board of Directors of El Paso Electric.
Dr. Sullivan brings decades of leadership in energy innovation, workforce development, and sustainability. Her appointment reflects EPE’s commitment to advancing reliable, modern energy systems for the region—strongly aligned with the mission of DIGICARES.
January 21, 2025
Dr. Di Shi Receives 2024 University Research Council Mid-Career Award
Congratulations to Dr. Di Shi, recipient of the 2024 University Research Council Mid-Career Award—presented to one faculty member across NMSU for outstanding research and scholarly contributions.
This award recognizes Dr. Shi’s impactful work in power systems, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. He will be honored at the 2025 Spring Convocation and present his research during Research and Creativity Week in April 2025.
January 15, 2025
Dr. Zhang’s AI for Power Team Wins Runner-Up in DOE’s American-Made Challenges
Congratulations to Dr. Ying Zhang and her AI for Power team at Oklahoma State University for winning Runner-Up in the U.S. Department of Energy’s American-Made Challenges competition. This national contest recognizes cutting-edge solutions to strengthen the country’s energy infrastructure through innovation and collaboration.
Dr. Zhang’s team was honored for their AI-driven approach to enhancing power grid performance and resilience—advancing goals closely aligned with the DIGICARES mission.
December 12, 2024
OSU Team Publishes Paper in IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications
A research paper from the Oklahoma State University team, led by Dr. Ying Zhang, has been accepted by the journal IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications. The paper, titled “Knowledge-Inspired Data-Aided Robust Power Flow in Distribution Networks with ZIP Loads and High DER Penetration,” presents novel methods for improving power flow analysis in complex distribution systems.
Congratulations to Dr. Zhang and the OSU team on this achievement!
October 01, 2024
OSU ECE Miller Research Scholar
Luke Dwayne Cardiel, a undergraduate student at OSU, who is selected from our partnership Oklahoma Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (OK-LSAMP) program to join the DigiCARES project, has been recognized as an ECE Miller Research Scholar, based on his research proposal under Dr. Ying Zhang’s advising. Congrats, Luke!
September 01, 2024
Project Team Engages with Navajo Nation Leadership on Community-Centered Energy Solutions
In August 2024, the DigiCARES project team visited the Navajo Nation for a full day of collaborative meetings with the President, Chief of Staff, and key members of the Nation’s leadership team. Discussions focused on aligning the goals of DigiCARES with the community’s urgent energy needs—especially in the areas of resilience, sustainability, and access.
The team gained critical insights into the unique energy challenges faced by rural and remote communities, highlighting opportunities for partnership on renewable integration, grid modernization, and affordable energy solutions.
This visit laid a strong foundation for ongoing collaboration, with the shared goal of developing energy strategies tailored to the Navajo Nation’s local conditions and long-term priorities.
August 15, 2024
Project Team Collaborates with Kit Carson Electric Cooperative on Wildfire Resilience
In August 2024, the DigiCARES team visited Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (KCEC) to strengthen alignment between project objectives and the cooperative’s energy resilience priorities. The team met with KCEC leadership to discuss strategies for addressing challenges posed by climate variability and wildfire risk.
As part of the visit, the team toured five KCEC service sites historically impacted by wildfires to evaluate locations for deploying edge AI devices that support real-time grid monitoring and faster response during emergencies. These field assessments are key to enhancing both infrastructure protection and community safety in wildfire-prone areas.
August 08, 2024
MSU Ph.D. Student Kiarash Gerailimeykola Awarded Prestigious Benjamin Fellowship
Congratulations to Kiarash Gerailimeykola, Ph.D. student in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Montana State University, for receiving the 2024–2025 Benjamin Ph.D. Fellowship—the most prestigious fellowship awarded by MSU’s Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering.
The fellowship provides $32,000 in total support, including funding from the Benjamin Endowment and his advisor Dr. Dadgostari, along with a full tuition and fee waiver. This award recognizes Kiarash’s academic excellence and research potential as he begins his Ph.D. studies.
August 01, 2024
NSF Invests $77.8M to Build Climate Resilience Across 21 EPSCoR Jurisdictions
The National Science Foundation has announced a $77.8 million investment to strengthen climate resilience across 21 EPSCoR jurisdictions and 50 institutions nationwide. We are proud that the DIGICARES project is among the selected initiatives, representing a major step forward in building research capacity and advancing energy resilience in underserved communities.
July 23, 2024
DIGICARES Awarded $6M NSF Grant to Advance AI-Driven Climate-Resilient Energy Solutions
The DIGICARES project—“Accelerating Community-Centric Energy Transformation through AI-driven Digital Twinning for Climate-Aware Resilience”—has been awarded a $6 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s EPSCoR RII-FEC program.
This collaborative effort involves NMSU, OSU, MSU, UA Huntsville, and NCAR, and focuses on developing AI-powered digital twins to support energy resilience in underserved communities, including Kit Carson, Mora-San Miguel, and the Navajo Nation.
By integrating climate data, energy infrastructure, and community engagement, the project aims to improve energy efficiency, enable renewable integration, and reduce energy burden—while also promoting STEM education and workforce development across the participating states.
July 22, 2024