Dean Valla Sorensen

Dean Valla Sorensen serves as an Adjunct Lecturer in the Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), teaching graduate power systems protection courses since 2011 while concurrently working as Principal Engineer in National Grid's Protection Policy and Support group. With 35+ years of industry experience spanning transmission, distribution, and generation systems, he specializes in power system protection, controls, and power quality challenges.

His academic credentials include:

• B.S. Electrical Engineering with distinction (1984), Worcester Polytechnic Institute
• M.S. Power Systems Management (2002), Worcester Polytechnic Institute

He maintains active IEEE membership and serves on the Power System Relay Committee (PSRC), holding Massachusetts Professional Engineer licensure.

Sorensen's research addresses critical grid reliability issues through practical applications of protection systems. His work examines load encroachment phenomena in complex scenarios involving undersea cables and wind farms, nuisance tripping mechanisms in adjacent faulted lines, and voltage distortion from nonlinear loads. This focus bridges theoretical protection principles with real-world operational challenges in modern grids integrating renewable resources.

His scholarly output demonstrates consistent industry relevance, with recent conference presentations analyzing actual grid events at Georgia Tech's Fault and Disturbance Analysis Conference (2019, 2017) and PSRC reports (2016). These works highlight evolving protection challenges in grids with increasing renewable penetration and complex topologies.

As an adjunct faculty member, Sorensen provides graduate students with direct industry insights through case-based teaching. His National Grid role offers exposure to current protection policy development and real grid data analysis, though formal research advising or grant-funded projects aren't documented in available materials. This practitioner-academic duality creates unique learning opportunities focused on immediate industry applicability.