• UAI News

  April (2023) Member Spotlight: Cara Gilad (Exelon)

  Posted by Kevin Praet (Adm) on April 4, 2023 at 10:00 am

  @Cara is an active UAI member and provides outstanding influence and contributions to the UAI community through any of our multiple channels, including, but not limited to engagement on UAI Connect, volunteering with UAI, involvement and/or leadership in monthly Community Conversations, and/or speaking at UAI events, plus so much.  As thanks, we are featuring her in the UAI Member Spotlight. Cara is a Sr Data Scientist on the Safety & Infrastructure Analytics team at Exelon, currently focusing on models for predictive maintenance, asset failure prediction, employee safety, and safe driving.

   

  Kevin: How did you get into the utility analytics industry?

  Cara: I got into analytics during the tail end of Web 2.0. I was managing web video distribution for a traditional broadcaster, and we were invited to be beta testers of the YouTube Analytics API.  I found out how exciting working with data can be and was inspired to go for my Masters in Data Science at DePaul University. When I graduated I had an opportunity to join Exelon. As a child of civil servants, the utility industry really appealed to me because I work for a company that provides every member of my community with something they need. And I have found that sense of purpose I was looking for, applying data science to improve grid reliability and resiliency, and to reduce safety risks for the people who keep the lights on.

   

  Kevin: What project have you enjoyed working on most in your career?

  Cara: The Exelon Analytics team worked with a T&S engineer at PECO to develop a model that optimizes maintenance schedules for substation transformers. I loved the energy between our teams, the knowledge sharing – I learned a ton about asset health, about maintenance work, and about data science in the real world. I also loved the feeling of building something very new in an ‘old’ space — One of our PECO SMEs, approaching 50 years of tenure, shared that tasting the oil was once a common method for checking a transformer’s health. It felt really significant to have his support and interest as we built a ML model for the same purpose. Through this and other projects, I have learned that in utility analytics, the relationships you build can be as important as your data.

   

  Kevin: What has been your biggest professional challenge and how did you work through it?

  Cara: Being a working mom can be a real challenge, in both a role and an industry where we are not the norm. The pandemic started just a few weeks after I returned from maternity leave for my second child. I work through it with the amazing support and guidance of my manager and director, who are awesome allies, and by knowing that Exelon is working every day towards increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace – so we all feel seen and heard. I might have to worry about whether my code will finish running before I leave for pickup, but I don’t have to worry about the visibility of my contributions or about opportunities to do impactful work.

   

  Kevin: If you could go back in time and give yourself one piece of advice before entering the utility analytics industry, what would it be?

  Cara: Take a couple electrical engineering courses in grad school!

   

  Kevin: What would you like to talk to fellow colleagues and members about in UAI Connect? Or, what issues or topics would you like to see more discussions on in UAI Connect?

  Cara: I want to hear about how other utilities are applying analytics to the issues of energy equity and energy justice.

   

  Kevin: Thank you so much for sharing with us and for being a highly engaged member of UAI!

  Do you have any final thoughts, ideas, or comments you would like to share with your fellow UAI members?

  Cara: If you see a presentation or a message board post that overlaps with something you’re working on, reach out! I have had some great exchanges through knowledge shares with other utilities.

   

   

  ——————————
  Kevin Praet
  Membership Coordinator
  Utility Analytics Institute (UAI)
  Boulder CO
  315-440-3033
  ——————————

  Kevin Praet (Adm) replied 1 year, 7 months ago 1 Member · 0 Replies
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