Matt Gardner, Ph.D., is passionate about developing the future generation of technical talent.
Gardner served as the 2023 Executive Engineer in Residence at Virginia Commonwealth University, and holds advisory and advocacy roles at several other academic institutions. Since joining Dominion Energy Virginia in 2008, he has played a crucial role in the company’s Electric Transmission and Substation organization, which owns and operates over 6,700 miles of electric transmission lines and more than 800 substation assets, providing service to the company’s 2.7 million customers.
In his executive role over the Electric Transmission business, Gardner’s responsibilities encompass leadership over strategy, planning, engineering, operations and maintenance functions.
In addition to his work at Dominion Energy, Gardner is actively involved as an industry leader in a number of energy sector trade organizations, including the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), North American Transmission Forum (NATF), IEEE Power and Energy Society and Cigré, a nonprofit dedicated to power system expertise.
He received his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Virginia Tech, where he was a Bradley Fellow, and holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from Virginia Tech. Gardner is a licensed professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
"We are thrilled to have Matt Gardner as our commencement speaker," Azim Eskandarian, DSc, Alice T. and William H. Goodwin Jr. Dean for the College of Engineering, said. "Gardner’s expertise and leadership in the energy industry, combined with his passion for developing the next generation of engineers, make him an inspiring speaker for our graduates."
The College of Engineering's 2024 commencement ceremony will take place on Friday, May 10, 2023 at Altria Theater. The ceremony will recognize the achievements of nearly 375 graduates who have earned their degrees in engineering.
The VCU College of Engineering offers innovative undergraduate and graduate degree programs tailored to meet the demands of the rapidly evolving engineering field. As part of a premier research university, students are given the opportunity to perform real-world research in our state-of-the-art facilities as soon as they enroll. Browse videos and recent news to discover how the College of Engineering at Virginia Commonwealth University prepares the next generation of scientists and engineers for the challenges of the future.