qi Automation invites electric utilities and industry partners to participate as sponsors in a decision-focused, multi-year, peer-benchmarked applied research initiative. Sponsorship provides the opportunity to engage with a University of Pittsburgh DBA practicum focused on developing decision-ready digital modernization frameworks and business-case analytics for electric utility environments, with particular emphasis on lifecycle cost optimization, capital sequencing, governance, and cyber-resilient design.

Industry Research Sponsorship

Sponsors receive periodic executive-level briefing decks at key academic milestones designed to inform capital planning, governance discussions, and enterprise risk framing. Sponsors also receive full access to the final DBA practicum research report upon completion of the three-year practicum.

Practicum Topics

Illustrative Research Examples

• Nuclear I&C modernization roadmaps
• Cyber-resilient OT architecture design
• ROI and lifecycle cost modeling for digital upgrades
• Governance frameworks for digital transformation
• Human-system interface modernization impacts
• Regulatory alignment strategies

Final topics are refined collaboratively with sponsors and faculty oversight.