Regents Professor Anjan Bose will give the Distinguished Faculty Address as part of this year’s weeklong Showcase event.
Bose plans to use his time at the lectern to share insights and advice from his 50-year career with the next generation of outstanding research faculty during his address. He’s titled his speech “One Life of Research: Adventures in the Power Grid.”
“The first takeaway I plan on sharing is that research is a lot of fun, and that it has its rewards beyond any sort of recognition or award,” Bose said.
He’ll also dedicate time to talking about the role of fortuitous timing and opportunities, as well as the differences between scientific research broadly and engineering research specifically. The former revolves around developing new knowledge and whereas the latter creates novel technologies, which captivated Bose throughout his career in higher education and industry.
Public speaking is nothing new for Bose, but it’s typically been tailored to power grid researchers and experts in related fields. Because he’ll be addressing a more general audience, Bose opted to go for a broader overview of his career and the lessons he took from it.
Bose will deliver the 2026 Distinguished Faculty Address, “One Life of Research: Adventures in the Power Grid,” at 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, in the Terrell Library Atrium on the Pullman campus.
“While I was honored to chair this committee that had multiple candidates with excellent credentials, it was our honor and privilege to select Prof Anjan Bose for this Distinguished Faculty Address award, given his lifetime research contribution and recognition at the National and international platforms,” said Susmita Bose, a Westinghouse Distinguished Chair Professor with the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering.”
Bose joined WSU in 1993 as the director of the School of Electircal Engineering and Computer Science. Five years later, he stepped into the role of dean of the Voiland College of Engineering and Architecture. Bose’s passion for teaching and research prompted him to step down from his administrative role in 2005. The following year, Bose was named a regents professor for the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.
Bose would go on to serve as a senior advisor to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as well as the Department of Energy. In the latter role, he chaired the Grid Teach Team which coordinates all grid-related activities across DOE offices, and was further appointed to the Electricity Advisory Council by the Secretary of Energy during the Obama administration.
Through it all, he and his family have called Pullman home.
“While we love to visit bigger cities, like Seattle, New York, London, and Paris, it’s always so nice to get back home,” Bose said.
Showcase is a vital opportunity for WSU and its community members to celebrate the vast and diverse research endeavors happening across the university system.
“What distinguishes universities like WSU and the University of Washington is that we don’t just teach knowledge, we actually make knowledge,” Bose said. “Not every university does that, and so it makes us stand out to have that be part of our mission.”
Bose will be honored as part of the Celebrating Excellence Banquet on Friday, March 27. The event begins at 5 p.m. on the main floor of Beasley Coliseum.
More information about this year’s Showcase, including a list of previous Distinguished Faculty Address speakers, is available online.
