Vora named AEE 2026 energy Manager of the Year for Central and South U.S.
Friday, October 2, 2026
The Association of Energy Engineers has named Dr. Hitesh D. Vora, Oklahoma State University associate professor at the School of Materials, Mechatronics and Manufacturing Engineering and director of the OSU Industrial Training and Assessment Center, the 2026 Energy Manager of the Year for the Central and South United States region.
Vora received the award during the AEE Regional Awards Ceremony in Orlando, Florida, held in conjunction with the 2026 AEE World Energy Conference & Expo. The honor recognizes leadership and achievement in energy management, efficiency and innovation.
As the Dean’s Endowed Associate Professor for MMME, Vora directs several federally supported programs, including ITAC, GPCOE and the Rural Energy Assessment Center.
Through these initiatives, Vora and his teams connect education, applied research and industry engagement — an approach that reflects OSU’s land-grant mission of putting university knowledge to work for students, businesses and communities.
OSU’s ITAC has completed more than 1,155 assessments and identified more than $140 million in recommended cost savings, while providing students with hands-on experience working directly with industrial facilities.
The work also aligns closely with OSU’s recently launched strategic vision, “Answering the Call: A Strategic Vision for The State’s University,” which emphasizes student success, workforce development, research for the public good, industry partnerships and statewide impact.
“Our students are learning by solving real industry problems,” Vora said. “At the same time, we are helping manufacturers improve performance and strengthening the communities we serve. That is the land-grant mission in action.”
Vora also serves as AEE Regional vice president for the Central and South U.S. His leadership builds on national recognition for OSU ITAC, which was named the U.S. Department of Energy Center of the Year in 2025.
“This award is an honor, but the real measure of success is the impact we create for students, industry and Oklahoma,” Vora said. “That is how we contribute to OSU’s mission as The State’s University.”