Luis Carlos Velasquez-Mansilla is a PhD student in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at MIT, where he studies how renewable energy and resilient power-system design can support a more equitable energy transition in small island nations.

His career began in Central America, developing robotics tools for subsistence farmers, before moving into the energy sector and co-founding Power Plant Solutions, which supports power producers across Latin America and the Caribbean. Working directly with utilities and communities continues to shape his interest in research that connects theory, policy, and practice.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Mechatronics Engineering and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. When he’s not thinking about power systems, he can usually be found kitesurfing or fencing, two hobbies that remind him to respect both the wind and gravity.