Meet Vu, our Senior Electrical Engineer.
Vu has over ten years of industry experience and brought along his own skill set, knowledge, and a friendly face when he joined Divergent Engineering early last year.
We asked Vu about a recent project he has worked on that he finds exciting and why.
He mentioned Roy Hill's ROM (Run-of-Mine) 4 overland conveyor extension as one that stands out in his mind.
Vu was part of a team that conducted a power system study. Using his expertise, he led his team in conducting a comprehensive earthing study to determine the ground potential rise and protection in the event of an earth fault for two work areas, which has helped clients achieve their safety and reliability objectives. The project involved identifying possible hazards, assessing risks associated with each hazard, determining what could have caused any electrical shock hazards, and recommending appropriate mitigation measures.
Vu noted that this was an excellent example of what makes the project exciting: As the project manager, he had to ensure the deliverables, such as the technical reports, were on time despite any challenges.
One unexpected issue they had with the protection coordination study had increased the complexity of the task. Vu said it was tricky because each protection device has built-in characteristic curves that are not always desirable.
Our team had this problem for this project since the built-in Power Factory model did not align with the product's datasheet. We had to review the protective device data sheet and build the characteristic curve from scratch. As a result, we found the project went much more smoothly, and we could finish ahead of schedule.
The challenges were technical and interpersonal – As the team leader, Vu was also responsible for guiding the team's young engineers and finding ways to keep them engaged. He said:
My leadership skills were tested! It required teamwork and strong communication at all levels, but we worked through those issues while ensuring we worked together toward a common goal.
When asked about his experience leading the team, he said,
I enjoy working with other people who are passionate about their job and are eager to learn new things. I like to see others grow, and I am happy when they can take on new challenges. The most rewarding part of working with young engineers is seeing them grow over time into confident professionals.
We hope you enjoy this week's feature on Vu. It is a great example of how the project provides Vu with opportunities to gauge his strength as an engineer and a team leader and finds enjoyment in doing so. We are thankful for the hard work and dedication of Vu and the team, who have done a great job in meeting and exceeding our client's expectations.