College of

Engineering, Architecture and Technology

The Association of Energy Engineers is a worldwide community dedicated to the energy industry through top-of-the-line certifications, cutting-edge technology and a global network of professionals dedicated to the future of the energy industry.  

 

Dr. Hitesh Vora, a Jim and Lynne Williams Endowed Associate Professor in the School of Materials, Mechatronics and Manufacturing Engineering was recently named the AEE Regional Vice President for Central and South US region.   This region spans 13 states -  Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming -  and overlaps with the area he leads through the Department of Energy- funded Great Plains Center of Excellence project.

 

Vora is also the director of the Industrial Training and Assessment Center funded by DOE, the director of GPCoE and the director of the Rural Energy Assessment Center, funded by the US Department of Agriculture at Oklahoma State University. He also recently was named a faculty fellow at the Hamm Institute of American Energy.

 

Vora serves as an executive board member and student chapter director for the Association of Energy Engineers – Oklahoma Chapter. He is also a faculty advisor for the AEEOK OSU Student Chapter and the Society of Manufacturing Engineers.

 

“I’m truly honored and grateful,” Vora said. “This recognition reflects the dedication of our students, staff, stakeholders, and partners at OSU, as well as the AEE community that has supported my work in energy efficiency, economic, and workforce development. I see this as an opportunity to serve and to amplify the impact we’re already making in the Great Plains region.”

 

As regional VP, Vora will look to support AEE’s professional and student chapters, strengthen the partnership between academia and industry, and advance AEE’s mission through programming, mentorship and certifications. The two-year term runs from January 2026 through December 2027.

 

“I’ll work closely with chapter leaders to grow membership and engagement, coordinate regional activities and events, and act as a liaison to AEE headquarters, especially around priorities like energy security, affordability and workforce development activities,” Vora said.  

 

Vora has been active for many years with AEE as a speaker, panelist and collaborator with member chapters. At OSU, he works with the student members as well as statewide stakeholders and partners.

 

“I’m excited to spotlight student success and to create more on-ramps for practitioners seeking AEE certifications and career development,” Vora said. “In the near term, I look forward to collaborating with our regional chapters and partners to showcase success stories and best practices, expand training opportunities, and support the energy transition with practical, measurable results.” 

 

Vora said that through OSU's ITAC, they have completed more than 1,150 industrial and commercial building assessments across a multi-state region, identified $138M-plus in cost savings and 14+ TBtu in energy savings opportunities, trained hundreds of students (with many earning DOE certificates), and piloted innovative tools such as remote/VR-enabled assessment workflows and career-tech partnerships.  

 

“We are committed to the land-grant mission of OSU by training students through real-world energy assessments, conducting public impact research, ensuring the region achieves significant energy savings, which further boosts regional economic and workforce development mission.”