Lane Electric Cooperative > Inside Ruralite > Get to Know Lane Electric’s Board of Directors: Dean Livelybrooks, Central District

Get to Know Lane Electric’s Board of Directors: Dean Livelybrooks, Central District

March 1, 2024
Dean Livelybrooks will use his background as a geoscientist to learn about the cooperative and contribute to the board. Photo courtesy of Dean Livelybrooks.

Appointed in January 2024, Dean Livelybrooks lives near Crow and is a fan of the services provided by Lane Electric Cooperative.

He is an emeritus physics faculty member at the University of Oregon and attributes his commitment to service to his factory worker father.

Get to know Dean:

What Are You Looking Forward to as a New Board Member?

As a curious scientist, I look forward to developing an understanding of how electrical power is delivered to members’ homes. This includes understanding how power is provided by and bought from the Bonneville Power Administration via our membership in the Pacific Northwest Generating Cooperative, how that power is transmitted to Lane Electric substations, and how it is distributed to homes.

There is also a lot to learn about how Lane Electric maintains infrastructure, works—with the help of a large Federal Emergency Management Agency grant—to improve resilience against wildfires, and plans to roll out a new generation of smart metering that will improve service.

What Do You See as the Big Issues Facing Lane Electric and/or the Central District Specifically?

Beyond resilience against wildfires and securing, installing, and then benefiting from newer smart meters, I see another issue around meeting increased electricity demand as member households move toward adopting electric vehicles and installing energy-efficient heat pump systems.

Can You Share Your Background and How That Will Help in This Role?

I am a geoscientist specializing in using methods involving electricity and magnetism to understand the Earth’s crust and deeper interior. Thus, I’m knowledgeable about how electromagnetism works and hope this helps me develop a better understanding of electrical power systems.

I have a long background of service on school boards and University of Oregon committees. I hope to contribute effectively to the Lane Electric Cooperative board’s decision-making.

I have also taught physics for 27 years and still get excited about science education. I’ve worked throughout my career to help K-12 grade levels through graduate students find their way into challenging and prosperous science and engineering careers that benefit society.