The IEEE Power Electronics Society for our membership to meet the candidates for the Member-at-Large position. The election will open shortly, but if these members are elected they would serve a 3-year term from 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2027.
To review their responsibilities, please click here for a brief overview of job responsibilities.
If you have any questions about the IEEE Power Electronics Society election process, please contact m.jadrosich-forget@ieee.org or +1 732 465-5888.
Thank you for supporting the future of the society!
Juan Balda
Juan Carlos Balda (IEEE M’78 SM’94 LM’22) received his B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from the Universidad Nacional del Sur (Bahía Blanca, Argentina) in 1979, and his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Natal (Durban, South Africa) in 1986. He was first employed as a researcher and a part-time lecturer at the University of Natal until July 1987. He was then a visiting Assistant Professor at Clemson University, South Carolina, until June 1989 when he moved to the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville (UAF) until his retirement in July 2023 as University Professor and Department Head emeritus. At UAF, he was associate director for applications and founding member of the National Center for Reliable Electric Power Transmission (NCREPT), as well as faculty advisor to the local chapter of the IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS). He continues to be affiliated with UAF through the UA Power Group and teaching online courses in the online MSEE program. His main research interests are Power Electronics, High-Frequency Magnetics, Electric Power Distribution Systems, and Electric Power Quality. He is a life member of IEEE, member of the Power Electronics and Power & Energy Societies, and honor societies Eta Kappa Nu and Tau Beta Pi, as well as chair of IEEE PELS Technical Committee 5 until December 2024.
Statement: If elected to PELS AdCom position for members-at-large, I anticipate supporting the work of PELS leadership through the following activities:
- Supporting PELS efforts towards (1) the energy transition and (2) minimizing electronic waste,
- Supporting efforts to grow PEDG into a larger international symposium,
- Providing opportunities to our members for timely PELS webinars,
- Continuing contributions to the IEEE International Technology Roadmap of Power Electronics for Distributed Energy Resources,
- Supporting efforts to grow the society among students, particularly, those in underdeveloped countries, together with efforts to grow the society membership in Latin America and Africa.
Regarding my IEEE PELS experience, I have been a PELS member for more than two decades serving in different positions: (i) Technical Program chair (2013) and General Chair (2015) for PEDG, (ii) Past chair and member of the PEDG Steering Committee, (c) associate editor of JESTPE, (d) reviewer for IEEE transactions publications, (e) Vice-Chair of TC5 and (f) current TC5 chair.
As TC5 chair for 2021-2022 and 2023-2024 – main leadership activities were:
- Supporting the Power Electronics for Distributed Generation Systems Symposium (PEDG) symposium: PEDG 2021 to PEDG 2024, and identifying candidates for PEDG 2026, 2027 and 2028.
- Co-organizer of special sessions at APEC and ECCE.
- Organized several TC5-sponsored PELS webinars.
- Participated in the International Technology Roadmap on “Power Electronics for Distributed Energy Resources”, leading one working group.
- Supporting TC5 member efforts on special issues of JESTPE and TPEL.
Robert Balog
ROBERT BALOG (S’92–M’96–SM’07) received the B.S. degree (1996) in electrical engineering from Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, NJ, USA, and the M.S. (2002) and Ph.D. (2006) degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA. From 1996 to 1999, he was an Engineer with Lutron Electronics, Coopersburg, PA, USA. From 2005 to 2006, he was a Researcher with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Engineering Research and Development Center, Construction Engineering Research Laboratory, Champaign, IL, USA. From 2006 to 2009, he was a Senior Engineer at SolarBridge Technologies, Champaign, IL, USA. In 2009 he joined Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA, where he is currently a Professor with the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Assistant Director of the Smart Grid Center. He holds a joint appointment with Texas A&M University at Qatar where he was in-residence between 2015 and 2023. He was a Visiting Scholar at the Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey in 2012.
Professor Balog has been a member of IEEE for 33 years; currently he is a senior member. He was the first recipient of the IEEE Joseph J. Suozzi INTELEC Fellowship in Power Electronics in 2001, served as a member-at-large from 2014-2026, and recently served two terms as a PELS Distinguished Lecturer. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in the states of Illinois and Texas. He is a voting member of UL 1742, UL 1699B as well as other standards committees. Dr. Balog holds 22 issued US patents with additional patents pending. He was the recipient of the 2011 Rutgers College of Engineering Distinguished Engineer Award and the 2017 Texas A&M University System Patent Award. He was elected as a senior member of the National Academy of Investors in 2019. His research interests lie in power electronics at the grid edge and include power converters and balance-of-systems for solar photovoltaic energy, power quality compensation, with focus on high reliability / long service life.
Statement: I am passionate about serving the Power Electronics Society and have actively volunteered since 2010. I previously held positions as of Chair of the Graduates of the Last Decade (2010-2012), {GOLD, became Young Professionals}, co-Chair of Membership (2012-2014), elected Member at Large (2015-2017), Technical Program Chair for ECCE 2016, and I am currently the Chair of Mentorship (since 2017). I have attended most PELS administrative committee meetings since 2010 as well as strategic long term planning meetings. In my current volunteer role, I initiated the Mentorship RoundTable, which provides small-group mentoring on life and career topics at major PELS-sponsored conferences. I am passionate about this because I when I joined IEEE as an undergraduate student, I did not fully appreciate the impact that IEEE and PELS could have on my career. I am proud when I help PELS members who are knowledgeable and accomplished connect and mentor members who are at an earlier stage in their career and life. I am deeply appreciative of those who have served as mentors or attended a PELS Mentorship RoundTables event.
If elected I will seek to expand PELS mentorship worldwide. I will also pursue creating additional awards to recognize our mid-career members and encourage them to seek elevation to senior member. I once heard a phrase, “when you get to the top, send the elevator back down.” I’m nowhere near the top, but I give importance to helping those following behind me fulfil their potential, as my mentors have done for me.
Luiz Henrique Silva Colado Barreto
LUIZ HENRIQUE SILVA COLADO BARRETO, received the PhD in Electrical Engineering from the Federal University of Uberlândia in 2003 . He is currently full professor at the Federal University of Ceará , which is the Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering ( DEE – UFC ) . Works in Electrical Engineering with emphasis in power electronic. academic advisor of masters and PhD students in the Graduate Program in Electrical Engineering from UFC since 2003 . He was coordinator of the Graduate Program in Electrical Engineering from the UFC from 2009 to 2011. Acts as reviewer for the journals IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics and IEEE Transactions on Industry application and the journal of SOBRAEP. Was the Chair of 10th IAS/IEEE/INDUSCON held in 2012. In 2015 acted as Vice-Chair of the 1st IEEE/PELS SPEC/COBEP held in Fortaleza, Brazil. He was Brazilian Society of Power Electronics treasurer for two terms (from 2010 to 2011 and from 2021 to 2023). He is now serving as IEEE/PELS Region 9 Membership Chair. Member of the Brazilian Society of Power Electronics (SOBRAEP) and Power Electronics ( IEEE / PELS . His field of research interest are: ZVS and ZCS techniques , structures of DC DC converter control, power factor and harmonics , UPS systems and multilevel converters.
Statement: It’s a true honor to be considered for Member-at-Large of IEEE Power Electronics Society. My career is grounded in power electronics and committed to supporting inclusive and diverse environments, I’ve dedicated much of my professional life to creating spaces where all voices feel valued. My work in IEEE Region 9 has shown me the power of regional engagement and the difference it makes when we actively support members in Latin America.
As a Member-at-Large I intend to build a truly welcoming PELS community where diversity in all its forms is celebrated and where members feel empowered to contribute and grow. My experience has taught me that a “one-size-fits-all” approach doesn’t work. I’m passionate about tailoring our efforts to meet the unique needs of members across different regions, helping everyone find their place in PELS.And mentorship is close to my heart. I’m excited to support students and early-career professionals as they find their footing and make their mark in power electronics.
I look forward to contributing my background and experiences to PELS, championing a society that thrives on inclusion, innovation, and genuine community.
Giovanni De Carne
GIOVANNI DE CARNE (S’14, M’17, SM’21) received the B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in electrical Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Bari, Italy, in 2011 and 2013, respectively, and the Ph.D. degree from the Chair of Power Electronics, Kiel University, Germany, in 2018.
Prof. De Carne is currently W3 (full) professor at the Institute for Technical Physics at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany, where he leads the “Real Time Systems for Energy Technologies” Group and the “Power Hardware In the Loop Lab”. He is currently supervising 15 PhD students, managing academic and industrial projects, and developing multi-MW Power Hardware In the Loop testing infrastructures for power electronics, energy storage and hydrogen-based systems.
He has authored/coauthored more than 100 peer-reviewed scientific papers. His research interests include power electronics integration in power systems, solid state transformers, real time modelling, and power hardware in the loop. He is actually co-chairing the PELS ITRG Roadmap on High-Power Electronics for Decarbonizing Energy Grids, focusing on outreaching of academics and industries.
Prof. De Carne successfully hosted the IEEE eGrid2023 Workshop in Karlsruhe in October 2023 with high participation from industry. He has been technical program committee chair for several IEEE conferences, such as PEDG2022 in Kiel, PEDG2024 in Luxembourg, and eGrid2024 in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He is active in the technical committee of PELS, particularly in TC5 and TC8, and he is associate editor of the IEEE Open Journal of Power Electronics and several other IEEE and IET journals.
Statement: I feel honored to be nominated for the IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS) Member at Large Election by the IEEE PELS Nominations Committee. I have been serving the PELS for several years in different capacities, as organizers of international conferences and webinars, editor of several PELS journals, and recently in coordinating the PELS technology roadmap ITRG.
With over a decade of involvement in PELS, I am grateful for the opportunities that PELS has offered me to grow as researcher and engineer. If elected, I would like to transfer my positive experience in PELS to young researchers and devote myself to develop the following three aspects as a way of giving back to our community:
Open-access teaching methods: forming the next generation of power electronics engineers is strongly dependent on the technical information access. However, this is not always accessible for professionals in remote regions. I will focus on strengthening our current webinar offer with technical courses for PhD and young professional around the world, in order to increase the access of high-level technical content to remote regions.
Increase industry involvement: our job as engineers requires a close collaboration with industry, aiming at technological breakthroughs. I will focus on strengthening the cooperation with industry by actively involving them in the Standards, Technical Committees and Roadmaps activities.
Outreach in Region 8 and Region 10: as a European citizen having strong scientific connection with Asian countries, I will promote actively the PELS activities in Europe and Asia, enhancing the networking and technical activities between the two continents.
Junichi Ito
JUNICHI ITO received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical and electronic systems engineering from Nagaoka University of Technology, Niigata, Japan, in 1996 and 2000, respectively. From 1996 to 2004, he worked at Fuji Electric Corporate Research and Development Ltd., Tokyo, Japan. He joined Nagaoka University of Technology as an Associate Professor and became a Professor in 2017. His research interests include matrix converters, DC/DC converters, power factor correction, energy storage systems, and adjustable-speed drive systems.
He has received multiple awards for his contributions, including the IEEJ Technical Development Award in 2007, the Isao Takahashi Power Electronics Award from IEEJ at IPEC-Sapporo in 2010, the Prizes for Science and Technology (Development Category) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in 2017, and the 4th Nagamori Award in 2018.
In the Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan (IEEJ), Dr. Itoh has held numerous prominent roles. He has been a board member of the IEEJ Industry Applications Society since 2019 and serves as the Chairperson of the Semiconductor Power Conversion Technical Committee (Chair since 2021, Vice-Chair 2016-2021, and member 2007-2016). He was the General Chair of the IEEJ Industry Applications Society Conference from 2018 to 2022. Additionally, he chaired the Power Converter Field (D1) of the Editorial Committee from 2019 to 2020, following his role as an Associate Editor from 2014 to 2019.
Within the IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS), Dr. Itoh has served as an Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics since 2015 and as a Distinguished Lecturer since 2019. He has been an ARC committee member since 2023 and a member of the Asia Power Electronics Coordination Committee since 2021. Additionally, he has served as a Guest Editor for IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion and the Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Power Electronics. Dr. Itoh has contributed actively to PELS technical committees and served as Co-Chair and Chair for ECCE Asia technical program committees in 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2023. He is also the Steering Committee Chair for IPEC2026, ECCE-Asia.
Statement: It is an honor to be a candidate for Member-at-Large in the AdCom of PELS. Throughout my career, I have mentored numerous students and presented over 500 papers in journals and at conferences, primarily at the ECCE series and APEC. Before transitioning to academia, I worked at Fuji Electric, gaining practical experience in addressing industry needs and challenges. Since joining the university, I have led over 300 collaborative projects with industry partners, providing me with a comprehensive understanding of the demands and innovations shaping our field. My contributions extend beyond publishing; I have played a key role in organizing conferences, particularly ECCE-Asia, where I represented IEEJ for many years.
If elected, I will bring a strong commitment to advancing PELS both in Asia and globally.
-With PELS membership rapidly growing in Asia, I am eager to strengthening PELS’s presence in the region by establishing ECCE-Asia as a central platform and linking it with other major international conferences. I also plan to foster partnerships among Asian societies in power electronics to elevate East Asia’s presence within the global power electronics community.
-Additionally, I will advocate for increased travel support, networking opportunities, and local workshops to encourage greater participation from young faculty, industry engineers, and graduate students.
-By building strong networks between young industry engineers and academic members, we can reinforce industry-academia connections across borders.
I believe these efforts will enable PELS to lead the way in technological advancement and provide essential leadership for the future of power electronics.
Lauren Kegley
LAUREN KEGLEY, Ph.D. works with global engineering teams to grow advanced semiconductor adoption with the goal of developing more energy efficient technology; her current focus is on electrified vehicles as the Technical Marketing Manager of Wolfspeed’s Automotive Discrete portfolio. Dr. Kegley’s technical experience spans the fields of reliability modeling, power packaging, root cause / failure analysis, technical roadmap development, and product line management. In her career, Dr. Kegley has worked across multiple different research and product development programs including academic, government, and industry collaboration. She is a three-time alumnus of the University of Arkansas with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, MS in Microelectronics & Photonics focused on wireless communication systems, and a PhD which developed lifetime models for Silicon Carbide packages. As an active ally, advocate, and volunteer for diversity, equity, and inclusion in all fields, she currently serves as the IEEE PELS Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Committee Chair, IEEE PELS Women in Engineering (WiE) Committee Chair, and past chair of the University of Arkansas College of Engineering Dean’s Early Career Advisory Council. Dr. Kegley frequently collaborates with technical societies and academic institutions to offer professional development trainings tailored to support growth in the field of engineering and provide skills in communication, confidence, and leadership. Outside of her professional engagements, Dr. Kegley loves to travel and sample the local cuisines of wherever she is visiting.
Statement: I vividly recall the moment nearly 10 years ago when I received a personal invitation to my first PELS event, after many years in industry without a strong professional network. This initial contact developed into a network of friends and colleagues, which continues to provide numerous opportunities for both my own career growth and to support our diverse membership of engineers. IEEE is the home of my technical community and has become one of my primary philanthropic missions. Ensuring equitable and inclusive access our strong resources for our technical community is a personal passion of mine.
IEEE PELS, with its extensive and intricate structure, attracts a diverse set of members based on its wealth of resources and opportunities. My goal is to make access to these valuable resources and networks more universal and equitable. If elected as a PELS Member at Large, I commit to:
- Enhancing the organization and structure of IEEE PELS by fostering diversity, raising awareness of global issues, and encouraging communication + engagement across IEEE.
- Supporting actions to improve equitable and inclusive access to PELS products, services, and opportunities for our global membership.
- Empowering members and volunteers to achieve their goals through the professional development opportunities offered by IEEE PELS and expanding their networks through cross-functional collaboration.
I look forward to the opportunity to support PELS as a Member at Large. Together, we can ensure IEEE PELS remains the premier network for power electronics professionals worldwide.
Alireza Khaligh
ALIREZA KHALIGH is a Professor and the Director of the Maryland Power Electronics Laboratory (MPEL) at the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) and the Institute for Systems Research (ISR) in the University of Maryland at College Park (UMD). His major research interests include modeling, analysis, design, and control of power electronic converters for transportation electrification, renewable energies, and wearable electronics. He is an author/co-author of more than 200 journal and conference papers and two books. He is a recipient of various recognitions including 2024 UMD Linda Clement Outstanding Advisor Award, 6th Nagamori Award, 2020 ECE Jimmy Lin Award for Innovation, 2019 ISR Outstanding Systems Engineering Faculty Award, and 2017 UMD Overall Invention of the Year Award from Office of Technology Commercialization, among many others.
Statement: I am inspired to contribute to advancement of diversified technical, educational and outreach activities to build knowledge and awareness of the latest technological achievements as well as future trends in power electronics.
I have served IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS) in various roles. As the Chair of PELS TC4 (Technical Committee on Vehicle and Transportation Systems), I established student travel grants to attend IEEE Transportation Electrification Conference and Expo (ITEC). As the Inaugural Chair of the PELS Day in 2019, I helped promoting PELS through outreach to many universities, companies, PELS chapters and PELS conferences internationally. I was also the General Chair and Technical Program Chair of two major PELS conferences, IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Expo (APEC) and IEEE Transportation Electrification Conference and Expo (ITEC). Furthermore, I have served as an Associate Editor for IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics (TPEL), IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Power Electronics (JESTPE), and IEEE Transactions on Transportation Electrification (TTE). I am currently the Editor-in-Chief (EiC) for IEEE TTE. I have also served as the Treasurer of PELS, where I closely worked with the PELS President, the Executive Director, and PELS VPs to create various programs of benefit to PELS members such as increasing the PELS humanitarian funds.
My years of involvement in PELS in various capacities have helped me gain the important experiences required to continue my service to the IEEE PELS. It would be my honor to support IEEE PELS in its continuous progression of influence, outreach, and prolonged growth as a Member-at-Large.
Mohammad Orabi
MOHAMED ORABI received the Ph.D. degree from Kyushu University, Japan, in 2004. He is currently a Professor of Power Electronics, Aswan University, Egypt. Since 2022, he has been appointed as Aswan University Vice President for Research. He was the Founder and the Director of APEARC, where he received more than $5M funding for R&D within the last decade. He was with Enpirion Inc., and Altera Corporation, 2011-2014. He has published more than 300 papers in international conference proceedings and journals. His current research interests include power electronics designs and their applications on renewable energy.
He serves on several national, IEEE and international awards/selection committees. Prof. Orabi received the 2002 Excellent Student Award of the IEEE Fukuoka Section and the Best Young Research Award from the IEICE Society, Japan, in 2004. He also received the State Encouragement Award for Engineering Science in 2010, the State Excellence Award for Engineering Science, 2018, the receiver of Country Medal of Science and Arts, first class, 2019. Prof. Orabi is a member of the National University Ranking Committee, Energy & Electricity National Specialized Scientific Council. In addition, he has been appointed Operating Committee member of the first 50MW PV farm in Egypt.
Prof. Orabi started his IEEE Student membership in 2001, IEEE member in 2004 and senior IEEE member in 2008. He is an active reviewer and organizing member of several IEEE conferences and Journals. He served as a Guest Editor of the IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Power Electronics. Also, he is the founder and advisor of IEEE Aswan Student Branch in 2010, founder and formal Chair of IEEE “Power Electronics” Egypt Chapter in 2015. He has been successful in proposing, driving, and chairing a new PELS event; IEEE Conference on Power Electronics and Renewable Energy (CPERE).
Statement: With more than 20 years of experience in the power electronics field, I have been an active member of technical committees TC3, TC5 & TC12, PELS Transaction & conferences. On National level, I have fostered PELS Egypt Chapter establishing in addition to IEEE SC where several events and activities have been conducted yearly. This involvement has given me a deep understanding of our field challenges and opportunities.
Vision: My vision is to enhance the PELS Society as a global leader in advancing technology and fostering a collaborative and inclusive community. By leveraging our collective expertise and diverse perspectives, we can drive technological advancements that impact society positively.
Goals:
- Enhance Educational Opportunities & Professional Development: Expand access to high-quality educational resources, & cutting-edge knowledge including online courses, workshops, conferences, both virtual and in-person events.
- Advance Technological Innovation: Support research and development initiatives that drive breakthroughs in power electronics and related fields.
- Foster Diversity and Inclusion: Ensure having inclusive community, irrespective of background, by implementing targeted outreach initiatives that engage students, young professionals, and underrepresented groups, nurturing the next generation of PELS leaders.
- Foster Global Collaboration: Enhance cross-regional & cross-field collaboration to address global challenges through technology.
Commitment: As Member-at-Large, I pledge to work diligently to represent the interests of our diverse membership. I will advocate for your needs, support your professional growth, and strive to make PELS a dynamic and inclusive society. Together, we can shape the future of technology and make a lasting impact.
Mario Pacas
MARIO PACAS received his Dipl.-Ing. and Dr.-Ing. degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Karlsruhe (KIT), Germany, in 1978 and 1985, respectively. From 1985 to 1996, he worked for BBC/ABB in Switzerland and Germany in various R&D and management positions with extensive experience in international projects. In the ABB organization, he was responsible for the development of servo drives and later became head of this division. In 1996, Dr. Pacas was appointed Professor of Power Electronics and Electrical Drives at the University of Siegen, Germany, where he has been a member of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Head of the Department of Power Electronics and Electrical Drives, Dean of the Faculty, and Founding Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology. Dr. Pacas was an officer of the Power Electronics Society in IEEE for many years, serving as Vice President for Global Relations, responsible for education, as well as Vice President for Conferences and Member at Large.He is now Senior Professor and Lecturer at the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Siegen, Germany, and Lecturer at the QUST Chinese German Technical Faculty, Qingdao, China, and an independent consultant in the field of power electronics, electrical drives and automation.
Statement: Power electronics has been changing our world for many years, influencing every corner of our lives and advancing technology. It is a cornerstone in addressing critical challenges related to environmentally friendly and sustainable energy generation and use. My involvement with power electronics began as a student and has shaped my career, providing both challenges and rewards. My association with PELS is more than a membership in a professional society; it is a family and an international network of people who have greatly enriched my life.
The activities within PELS are driven by enthusiastic members who turn innovative ideas into reality. In each of my roles within PELS, I have been motivated by a commitment to support its growth as a home for power electronics enthusiasts worldwide and to provide valuable benefits to our members.
I strongly believe that unified efforts, global collaboration, continuous dialogue within and outside of IEEE, and leveraging synergies between industry and academia are essential to achieving our mission. It is my sincere ambition to support PELS in every initiative aimed at its sustainable growth, strengthened capabilities, and recognition as a globally respected professional society.
I would be honored to receive your support for my candidacy. I am ready to take on the challenge of serving our PELS community as a Member-at-Large, dedicating myself to advancing our common goals and promoting a vibrant future in power electronics for all.
Sanjib Panda
SANJIB KUMAR PANDA (S’86-M’91-SM’03-F’21) received his B. Tech. (SVNIT, Surat, India, 1983), M. Tech. (IIT, Varanasi, India, 1987), and PhD (University of Cambridge, UK, 1992) degrees in Electrical Engineering. He has held a Faculty Position at the National University of Singapore since 1992 and is Director of the Power & Energy Research Area. He has published over 500 technical papers and has authored a book, as well as a couple of edited book chapters. He is a member of PELS, IAS, PES, and IES and has been serving in the four IEEE Societies in different capacities. He has received the Best Paper award at the IEEE Conferences ICSET-2018 and IEEE ECCE-Asia 2021. He has also received the Singapore Maritime Institute (SMI), Port-Challenge, and Research Project Award by SMI, Singapore, in 2016 and 2018, respectively.
Dr. Panda is presently serving as Co-Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics Special Section on Multi-Level Converters, Associate Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Power Electronics, IEEE Access and has served as Associate Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics (2016-2018). Associate Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications (2016–2021) and Associate Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion (2016–2022). He is also on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Power Electronics. He served as Chair of the IEEE-ECCE Asia Conference (2021), and IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion Coordinating Committee. Dr. Panda also serves the PELS Membership and Chapter Development Committee as Regional Coordinator for the R-10. He was the General Chair for the IEEE ECCE-Asia 2021, Singapore. Dr. Panda is presently serving as the Chair of the IEEE PELS TC-12.
Statement: I have been volunteering and serving IEEE for almost 30+ years for PELS, PES, IAS and IES in various capacities. Membership Growth is paramount for the success of the IEEE. In PELS, I have worked for the Membership & Chapter Development Committee for the past eight years as R-10 Coordinator. We have achieved a membership growth rate of around 8% for the past six years. As a result, the membership number has increased from 4 digits (pre-2016) to 5 digits (post-2019). Most of the membership growth has been from the R-10 with continuous and sustained development activities, especially in India and China. We had proposed and approved it to increase the Best Chapter and Student Branch Chapter Awards from one to three each w.e.f 2024, classifying them into small, medium, and large for Chapters and Student Branch Chapters. I have also contributed as co-founder of the two well-established IEEE PEDS and ICSETS conference series, running successfully for over 15 years. Recently, we have successfully organized the IEEE ECCE-Asia 2021 Conference in Singapore for the 1st time. I am presently serving on the ECCE-Asia Conference Coordination Committee as a member of PELS. I am serving as TC-12: Energy Access and Off-grid Systems Chair. We have successfully completed the Empower a Billion Lives (EBL-II) Competition in March 2023.
Therefore, I feel that if elected, I can bring my multi-pronged experience for the benefit, growth, and visibility of PELS. I will be focusing on the following areas:
1. Membership Growth as well as Chapter and Student Branch Chapter development especially in R-10 to achieve the target of having 15k+ members and 275+ Chapters by 2025.
2. Expand the Office Bearers’ Training Program for PELS OUs for efficient and sustainable operations.
3. Help to streamline financially sponsored PELS conferences for efficient organization and financially sustainable operation and promote best practices.
4. Promote and expand the use of power electronics technology in the built environment with the aim of achieving net-zero energy transition.
5. Contribute to the Sustainability Cluster at Systems level for the usage of Power Electronics Technologies.
Jose Rodriguez
PROF. DR.-ING JOSE RODRIGUEZ earned his Engineer degree in Electrical Engineering from Universidad Tecnica Federico Santa Maria (UTFSM), Chile, in 1977, and a Doctorate in Electrical Engineering from the University of Erlangen, Germany, in 1985. Since joining UTFSM in 1977, he held key roles, including Professor and President, later serving as President of Universidad Andres Bello (2015-2019) and Universidad San Sebastian (2022-2023) in Santiago, Chile. Currently, he is a Professor and Director of the Energy Transition Center at Universidad San Sebastian.
Dr. Rodriguez has published extensively, coauthoring two books and over 900 journal and conference papers, achieving more than 80,000 citations on Google Scholar. His research focuses on multilevel inverters, power converter control, and adjustable-speed drives. Recognized for his impactful work, he was ranked as the most-cited engineer globally by Microsoft Academic in 2014 and has repeatedly been listed among ISI’s “World’s Most Influential Scientific Minds.”
In industry, Dr. Rodriguez consulted extensively for Chile’s mining sector. His work on regenerative conveyor belts at Los Pelambres mining company generates over 10 MW of power, a project honored by the Chilean Academy of Sciences in 2013. As a leader in education, he developed UTFSM’s PhD program in Electronics, the first in Chile to receive the Quality Award from the Asociacion Universitaria Iberoamericana de Postgrado.
A Life Fellow of IEEE and member of the Chilean Academy of Engineering, Dr. Rodriguez has received multiple prestigious awards, including Chile’s National Award for Applied Sciences (2014), the IEEE’s Eugene Mittelmann Award (2015), and Germany’s Humboldt Research Award (2016).
Statement: I have been a committee member of the PELS UKRI chapter since the early nineties and a past chair. I have organized IEEE conferences, the most notable being the General Chair of the 2021 Southern Power Electronics conference. This experience has given me a good understanding of the PELS Governance, operational rules, structure and the strategic goals. Since my arrival in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2018, I realized that the awareness of power electronics technology and its benefits is minimal in Africa, which has also been recognized by PELS. My vision is to enhance the awareness of power electronics technology and it benefits to the economy of Africa through concrete actions and provide IEEE-PELS services to the African power electronics community and engage them in the conferences, operation, and education activities of PELS. This work has already started; three seminars funded by GCRF and GIZ and PELS sponsored 2021 SPEC conference have already been held. A survey on Power Electronics activities in Africa is ongoing. An IEEE student branch at CMU Africa has been established. An E-mobility lab supported by GIZ, Kabiza, VW Rwanda, and CMU has been set up. There is scope for improving the involvement of PELS in Africa, for example, there are only four PELS Chapters in Africa. As a member-at-large based in Rwanda I can contribute to the African Voice at the PELS leading to the enhancement of PELS activities in Africa.
I look forward to serving in the ADCOM as a member at large.
Padmanaban Sanjeevikumar
PADMANABAN SANJEEVIKUMAR received his bachelor’s from Madras University (2002), a master’s from Pondicherry University (2006), India, and a PhD from the University of Bologna, Italy (2012), all in electrical engineering. At the University of South-Eastern Norway, he holds the position of a full professor in electrical power engineering at the Department of Electrical Engineering, IT, and Cybernetics. Having authored 800 articles, he has received the Best Paper Research Paper Award from IET and IEEE conferences. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers, the IETE in India, and the IET in the UK. He received the IETE Bimal Bose Award in 2023 and the IETE Best Faculty Award in 2022 for his research on power electronics and renewable energy, which the Indian government recognized. Stanford University USA has listed him in the top 2% of scientists in the world (from 2019). He had roles as an Editor, Associate Editor, and Editorial Board member for refereed journals such as IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, IEEE Transaction on Industry Applications, IEEE ACCESS, IET Power Electronics, and IET Electronics Letters. He also served as a subject editor for IET Renewable Power Generation, IET Generation, Transmission and Distribution, and FACETS (Canada). His focus lies in Power Electronics and Renewable Energy Systems. His research outcomes were influenced by citations from Google Scholar (19277) and Scopus (13747), as evidenced by his work. His leadership has driven the progress of non-isolated converters and hybrid controllers in microgrid applications and the integration of sustainable energy systems. He has mentored researchers at various academic stages, including PhDs, Masters, and Bachelors. IEEE publications highlight his activities, which DST, Danida, and other global grants fund. His exceptional research on ‘Long Duration Energy Storage Technologies’ was acknowledged by the DTU (Denmark)/IRIS group in 2023, placing him among the top 53 EU professors.
Statement: I have been an enthusiastic volunteer of IEEE since 2012, performed as associate editor of IEEE PELs, editorial board, and numerous committees of IEEE conferences. It is an opportunity as a Member-in-Large of IEEE PELS with my extensive professional background as a professor. My association with IEEE played a crucial role in profiting from its representatives with growth opportunities with the IEEE Power Electronics Society for students, researchers, and industrial experts.
I would delight in serving as the Members-at-large of IEEE PELS and focusing on bringing as,
- Close coordination with students and young engineers in all IEEE regions across the globe to encourage the membership to join IEEE PELS and bring more volunteers.
- Encourage all IEEE regions and sections to increase the PELS activity through more IEEE conferences.
- I will put my effort into encouraging the industry to support awards, sponsorship for conferences, and fundraising for student travel grants for PELS activities.
- Through IEEE PELS activities to promote renewable energy resources and zero-emission policies in all IEEE regions and sections through IEEE PELS sponsored Symposium and Workshops, etc.
- Encourage academic institutions in IEEE Region 8 and 10 to promote more IEEE-sponsored international conferences and subscriptions for IEEE PELS in the library section for students, researchers, and professional practice.
Ultimately, I would use the experience as a member-at-large to learn how to contribute to leadership positions within IEEE PELS.
Brian Zahnstecher
BRIAN ZAHNSTECHER is a Sr. Member of the IEEE, Chair (Emeritus) of the IEEE SFBAC Power Electronics Society (PELS) awarded 2017 Best Chapter awards at the local/national/worldwide levels concurrently (an unprecedented achievement in all of IEEE), IEEE PELS North America Regional (R1-3) Chair, Chair PELS Sustainability Ad-hoc Committee, Power Sources Manufacturers Association (PSMA) Board of Directors and now Advisory Council, is Co-founder & Chair (Emeritus) of the PSMA Reliability Committee, Co-chair of the PSMA Energy Harvesting Committee, Co-founder & Co-chair of the EnerHarv workshop, and is the Principal of PowerRox, where he focuses on power design, integration, system applications, OEM market penetration, market research/analysis, and private seminars for power electronics. He Co-chairs the IEEE Future Networks (formerly 5G) Technical Community webinar series and is a founding Co-chair of the IEEE International Network Generations Roadmap (INGR) Energy Efficiency Working Group, authored the Group’s position paper, and has lectured on related power and sustainability topics at major industry conferences. He sits on Advisory Boards of major conferences like Sensors Converge & DesignCon. He has successfully handled assignments in system design/architecting, ac-dc front-end power, EMC/EMI design/debug, embedded dc-dc solutions, processor power, and digital power solutions for a variety of clients. He previously held positions in power electronics with industry leaders Emerson Network Power (now Advanced Energy), Cisco, and Hewlett-Packard, where he advised on best practices, oversaw product development, managed international teams, created/enhanced optimal workflows and test procedures, and designed and optimized voltage regulators. He has been a regular contributor to the industry as an invited keynote speaker, author, workshop participant, session host, roundtable moderator, and volunteer. He has over 20 years of industry experience and holds Master of Engineering and Bachelor of Science degrees from Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Statement: This MAL nomination is a humbling honor and my deepest gratitude goes out to the NomCom and all PELS for even considering me for this unique opportunity to drive positive change for our entire society, and therefore the world, as recipients of our efforts. PELS is special within the IEEE because most of its membership involved have a higher mission/purpose in driving a more efficient and sustainable future in a technology stakeholder space that has (and always will) sit at the heart of all electronic/electrical systems. If elected, then I shall be sure to use my vote to implement member feedback that comes from perpetual survey of colleagues/industry to ensure equitable representation. As Chair of the new Sustainability Ad-hoc Committee, I believe strongly in our duty to bring awareness to embodied energy/carbon footprints and propose practical solutions in terms of life cycle analyses and best practices. I shall use any leadership position within PELS to drive a vote, but more importantly ACTION, to integrate sensible recommendations and carbon-reducing, strategic thinking into everything PELS touches, from converters to supply chain to events we support for our membership. I love bringing an industrial perspective to the landscape and aspire to bridge the gap with academia to attract more industrial volunteers into PELS activities and leadership roles. Working together with so many academics in PELS has really enhanced my ability to understand their perspectives and apply that learning to challenges in industry and professional societies to make a tangible difference in the world.
