A course on smartgrid networks

Engineering curricula are still designed to give the impression that Power systems, Control theory on the one hand and Computing and Communication Networks on the other, are continuing to evolve in parallel tracks. The myths are that the application space is irrelevant in the study of communication and computer networks, and that controls and power applications can use communications and computations as commodities. Media transmission, cellular communications, web, database servers communications are important applications that permeate networking curricula. Why not considering power delivery as the application of interest instead? We describe here a new course that is aimed at engaging students that are interested in the kind of computer and machine to machine communications that will be found Smart Grid networks. The aim is to develop an new kind of researcher and engineer that has the tools to creatively think about Smart Grid networking solutions. The time is ripe for this change, as an increasing finding technical solutions that will help delivering sustainable energy.