Dr. Mladen Kezunovic, Eugene E. Webb, Regents and University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Texas A&M University, has been honored with the 2025 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Power and Energy Society (PES) Pete Sauer Award for Excellence in Power Engineering Education – Graduate Level, one of the most distinguished recognitions in the field of power and energy systems education.
The award, named in memory of Dr. Pete Sauer from the University of Illinois, acknowledges exceptional contributions to graduate education in power engineering. For Kezunovic, a close friend and longtime collaborator of Sauer, the recognition carries deep personal meaning.
“It's very nice to receive this award in the name of Pete Sauer, who was a true educator and a good friend,” Kezunovic said. “I feel it belongs to my students, not just to me. In this job, you get motivated by the students. They’re getting advanced degrees, pushing boundaries, and moving me forward as much as I move them.”
Kezunovic has significantly improved protective relaying education, a subfield crucial to power system reliability and safety. The award considers comprehensive contributions to graduate education, including advising students, publishing research, and developing laboratories. Over the years, Kezunovic has advised more than 60 graduate students and authored numerous publications that have advanced the discipline.
A leader in the power engineering community, Kezunovic has been a member of 28 IEEE Power Systems Relaying Committee working groups since 1990. He also serves as a site director for the Power Systems Engineering Research Center (PSERC), a consortium of 13 universities and 25 companies. Kezunovic and Sauer developed their decades-long friendship and professional partnership through PSERC.
To commemorate Sauer’s legacy, the award was renamed and split into two categories — undergraduate and graduate. Kezunovic is this year’s graduate-level recipient. The award will be formally presented at the IEEE PES General Meeting in Austin, Texas, on July 29.
“I also thank my family,” Kezunovic said. “Because nothing in my career development comes without their sacrifice.”