Wayne E. Knabach was an important figure whose legacy includes hundreds of South Dakota State University electrical engineering graduates working in the power industry.
About Wayne Knabach
He received his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from South Dakota State University in 1949 and his M.S. in engineering from the university in 1961. Joining SDSU in 1957, the same year that Crothers Engineering Hall opened, Knabach taught for 38 years, retiring as Professor Emeritus of Electrical Engineering in 1995.
Before joining SDSU, Knabach worked for Northwestern Public Service Company in Yankton and Huron from 1949 to 1957, which provided him numerous practical applications to share with his students.
Knabach was honored by members of the Center for Power Systems Studies in 2009, receiving the first Center for Power Systems Studies Lifetime Achievement Award. Mike Sydow of NorthWestern Energy, one of Knabach’s students, presented the award.
After several years battling cancer, Knabach died on Aug. 5, 2014.
Because of his extensive work in the power industry, the Center for Power Systems Studies annually presents the Wayne E. Knabach Award for Excellence in Power to an engineer and/or company who has had a great impact in the power community.
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