MCEC Distinguished Professor
Director of Smart Power Electronics and Control Systems Group
Department of Electrical Engineering, Molinaroli College of Engineering and Computing
University of South Carolina
Email: mirafzal@sc.edu
Behrooz Mirafzal received the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA, in 2005.
From 2005 to 2008, he served as a Senior Development/Project Engineer at Rockwell Automation in Mequon, WI, USA, where he was involved in research and development related to motor-drive systems. He joined Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA, in 2008 as an Assistant Professor and then moved to Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA, in 2011, where he became a Full Professor in 2021. In 2025, he joined the University of South Carolina as a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering. His current research interests include applications of power electronics in energy conversion systems, motor drives, and grid-interactive converters. He is the Vice Chair of the IEEE IAS Renewable and Sustainable Energy Conversion Systems Committee. He was an Associate Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications from 2011 to 2021 and an Associate Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics from 2018 to 2025. He is the author or coauthor of over 150 articles in professional journals and conferences and holds five U.S. patents. He also authored a textbook titled Power Electronics in Energy Conversion Systems, published by McGraw Hill in 2021.
Prof. Mirafzal has received several awards, including the Second-Best IEEE Industry Applications Society Transactions Prize Paper Award in 2008, the Best IEEE Power and Energy Society Transactions Prize Paper Award in 2012, the Third-Best IAS Renewable Committee Transactions Prize Paper Award in 2020, the Second-Best IAS Renewable Committee Transactions Prize Paper Award in 2024, and the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award in 2014.
Arya P. Sadasivan
Ph.D. Student
Email: a.sadasivan@sc.edu
Currently working on multiport SiC and GaN based high-power density smart converters for modern energy systems.
Arya Ponnarassery Sadasivan was born in Kerala, India. She received her B.Tech degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the University of Calicut, Kerala in 2018, and her M.Tech degree in Infrastructure Engineering with a Specialization in Energy from the Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Rajasthan in 2022. She is currently a Ph.D. student at University of South Carolina. She joined SPECS Research Group in January 2023. Her research interests are power electronics and power systems.
SPECS Research Associate: August 2023- Present
Yasin Abdolahi
Ph.D. Student
Email: abdolahi@sc.edu
Currently working on grid-forming and grid-following inverters.
Yasin Abdolahi was born in Ilam, Iran. He earned his B.Sc. in Power Electrical Engineering from Bu-Ali Sina University in 2016 and his M.Sc. in Control Electrical Engineering from Sharif University of Technology in 2018. From 2018 to 2023, he was a university lecturer at Ilam University. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at University of South Carolina and joined the SPECS Research Group in January 2025. His research interests include data-driven control and autonomous control of grid-connected microgrids.
SPECS Research Associate: January 2025- Present
Daniel Perez
Ph.D. Candidate
Email: dap7@email.sc.edu
Currently working on integrated magnetics design for high-frequency and high-power converters.
Daniel Perez was born in Maracaibo, Zulia, Venezuela. He received his Electrical Engineer Degree (B.Sc.) from Universidad Rafael Urdaneta in 2019, and his M.E. in Electrical Engineering degree from University of South Carolina in 2023. He worked as an Electrical Engineering instructor at Universidad Rafael Urdaneta from 2020 to 2021. He was an Energy Engineering intern at Tesla from 2024 to 2025. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at University of South Carolina. He joined the SPECS Research Group in September 2025. His research focuses on magnetics design for high-frequency and high-power converters
SPECS Research Associate: September 2025 - Present
Investigated grid-forming smart inverters. Currently working for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Washington.
Fahmid Sadeque is from Bangladesh. He received his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology, Bangladesh, in 2014 and 2017, respectively. He received his Ph.D. degree from Kansas State University in August 2022 and joined the SPECS team at Kansas State University as a fellow postdoctoral associate in September 2022. He has been working as a graduate research assistant for the SPECS team since August 2018. Fahmid was a former faculty at Daffodil International University, Bangladesh, where he served as a lecturer from 2014 to 2018. His research interest includes power electronics, start inverters, grid-forming inverters, and renewable energy.
SPECS Research Associate: August 2018- Present
A Postdoctoral fellow from April 2021 to Nov 2021. Currently working as an Assistant professor at Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad.
Dushyant Sharma is from Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan in India. He received his B.Tech. (Hons.) degree and Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from National Institute of Technology Rourkela and Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, in 2012 and 2019, respectively. In January 2020, he joined the Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur as a Young Faculty Associate where he served till January 2021. Dr. Sharma Currently working as an Assistant professor at the Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines) Dhanbad. His research interest includes automatic load frequency control, renewable energy systems, distributed control in power systems, microgrids, and active power control of interconnected power systems.
SPECS Research Associate: April 2021- Present
A Postdoctoral fellow from Jan 2019 to Dec 2019. Currently working at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee.
Aswad Adib received the B.Sc. degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), in 2012, and the Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA, in 2018. He worked as a Software Engineer with Samsung Research and Development Institute Bangladesh, from 2012 to 2014. In 2019, he worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow with Kansas State University. He currently works on grid-interactive smart inverters as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TN, USA. His research interests include power electronics and advanced control schemes for smart inverters.
SPECS Research Associate: January 2014- 2019.
A Postdoctoral fellow from Jan 2015 to July 2016. Currently the Department Head of Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Istanbul Arel University, Turkey.
Oben Dag received his B.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering from the Yildiz Technical University, Turkey, in 1999, M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering from Istanbul Technical University, Turkey, in 2018, and Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from Istanbul Technical University, Turkey, in 2010. He worked as a Maintenance Chief Engineer at Turkish Land Forces, and he was a Postdoctoral Fellow with Kansas State University. Dr. Dag is now the Department Head of Electrical Engineering at Istanbul Arel University.
SPECS Research Associate: Jan 2015- July 2016.
Dissertation Title: Internal Overvoltage Mitigation in SiC Motor Drives using Smart Coils
Currently working for Eaton Corporation, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Milad Sadoughi was born in Maragheh, East Azerbaijan, Iran. He received his B.Sc. and M.Sc degrees in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Urmia University in 2016 and 2022, respectively. He worked as a teacher assistant and research assistant at Urmia University. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at University of South Carolina. He joined SPECS Research Group in August 2022. His research interests are power electronics and power systems.
SPECS Research Associate: August 2022- May2026
Dissertation Title: Optimization and Design of Islanded Microgrid Power Systems with the Daily Energy Balance Method.
He is an Associate Professor at K-State Salina Aerospace and Technology Campus.
Eduard Plett is an Associate Professor in Electronic and Computer Engineering Technology and Robotics and Automation Engineering Technology at Kansas State University Salina Aerospace and Technology Campus. He received his Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from Kansas State University in 2003 and is currently working on finishing his PhD from Kansas State University. His areas of interest are automation, control systems, robotics, microcontrollers, power systems, and artificial intelligence. He has also worked as an industrial electronic technician for 12 years, and as a control engineer (full time and part time) for more than 15 years .
Dissertation Title: Autonomous Grid-Forming Inverters in Microgrids.
Currently working for GE Aerospace, Vanalia, Ohio. He was previously a Senior R&D Electrical Engineer at Epower Technology.
Mehmetcan Gursoy was born Istanbul, Turkey, in 1991. He received his B.Sc. degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Yeditepe University, Istanbul in 2014, and his M.Sc. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, in 2019. He is currently working toward his Ph.D. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Kansas State University. His research interests include applications of power electronics in power grids and control of power converters.
SPECS Research Associate: August 2020 - April 2024
Dissertation Title: A Reference-Model Strategy For Self-Protective Smart Inverters.
Currently working for the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) Austin, Texas .
Tareq Hossen is from Chittagong, Bangladesh. He received his B.Sc. degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Chittagong University of Engineering & Technology, Bangladesh in 2013. He obtained his M.Sc. degree from University of North Dakota, USA in 2018. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at Kansas State University. He has joined SPECS Research Group in January 2020. His research interests are power electronics and power system.
SPECS Research Associate: January 2020- August 2023
Dissertation Title: Restoration and universal operation of grid-forming inverters.
Currently working for Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Washington.
Fahmid Sadeque is from Bangladesh. He received his M.Sc. and B.Sc. degrees in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology, Bangladesh, in 2017 and 2014, respectively. He received his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from Kansas State University in 2022. He is currently a fellow (Post Doc.) research associate at Kansas State University. He joined SPECS Group in August 2018. His research interest includes power electronics, start inverters, grid-forming inverters, and renewable energy.
SPECS Research Associate: August 2018- Present
Dissertation Title: Smart inverters for seamless voltage and frequency dynamics in microgrids.
Currently working for Trimark Associates (Sacramento, CA) as a Power Systems Control Engineer.
Mohsen S. Pilehvar was born in Mashhad, Iran, in 1988. He received his B.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering from Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran, in 2011, and his M.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering from Shiraz University of Technology, Shiraz, Iran, in 2013. He is currently working toward his Ph.D. degree in the Power Electronics Research Group at Kansas State University. His research interests include grid-tied inverters, switching patterns, power electronics applications in microgrids and renewable energy systems. He has joined SPECS Research Group in January 2017. He was an intern at Tesla in Fall 2019.
SPECS Research Associate: January 2017- December 2020.
Dissertation Title: Smart three-phase power converter for more electric powertrains.
Currently working for the Center for Distributed Energy (CDE) at Georgia Institute of Technology (Atlanta, GA) as a Research Faculty.
Joseph Benzaquen was born in Caracas, Venezuela. He received the B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in electrical engineering from the Universidad Simón Bolívar. Dr. Benzaquen received his Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from Kansas State University in 2020. His research interests include power electronics for more electric powertrains, electric vehicles, grid-tied applications, and electric drives.
SPECS Research Associate: January 2016- August 2020.
Dissertation Title: Control and stability enhancement of grid-interactive voltage source inverters under grid abnormalities.
Currently working for Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee.
Aswad Adib received the B.Sc. degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), in 2012, and the Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, USA, in 2018. He worked as a Software Engineer with Samsung Research and Development Institute Bangladesh, from 2012 to 2014. In 2019, he worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow with Kansas State University. He currently works on grid-interactive smart inverters as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, TN, USA. His research interests include power electronics and advanced control schemes for smart inverters.
SPECS Research Associate: January 2014- 2019.
Dissertation Title: Corrective schemes for internal and external abnormalities in cascaded multilevel inverters.
Currently working for Milwaukee Tools. He was previously a Senior firmware and control engineer at Rockwell Automation, Mequon, Wisconsin.
Jacob Lamb was born in Portland, Oregon in 1991. He received the B.S. degree in mathematics and the B.S.E. degree in electrical engineering from Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, in 2013. He received the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, in 2017. Dr. Lamb is currently a senior firmware/control engineer with Rockwell Automation in Mequon, WI. His research interests include power electronics and switching algorithms for fault tolerance in reconfigurable converters.
Dissertation Title: A boost current source inverter-based generator-converter topology for direct drive wind turbines.
Currently working for DNV. She previously worked at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, Colorado.
Akanksha Singh was born in Varanasi, India, in 1987. She received the B.E. degree from Bengal Engineering and Science University, Howrah, West Bengal, India in 2010. She worked from 2010 to 2012 as a Research and Development Engineer in ESAB India Limited. She received her Ph.D. degree from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Kansas State University in 2017. Her research interests include the application of power electronics in renewable energy systems, power electronic converters, and renewable energy systems. Dr. Singh is currently working for National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Colorado.
Dissertation Title: Dynamic modeling and analysis of single-stage boost inverters under normal and abnormal conditions.
Currently working for L&T Technology Services. He was previously a Specialist Engineer-Motor-Drives & Controls at Eaton, Portland, Oregon.
Ali K. Kaviani was born in Gorgan, Iran, in 1982. He received the B.Sc. degree in electrical engineering from K. N. Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran, in 2005, the M.Sc. degree in electrical engineering from Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, in 2008, and the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA, in 2012. His research interests include applications of power electronics, modeling and control of power converters, and power system planning and optimization. He is currently working as a Specialist Engineer-Motor-Drives & Controls for Eaton at Portland, Oregon Area.
Thesis Title: Applications of resistive droop control to grid connected low-voltage, single phase distributed generators in microgrids.
Currently working as onsite vendor supporting engineer at Naval Nuclear Power Laboratory, Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Peter Bontorno was born in Vermont, USA. He received his M.Sc. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Kansas State University in 2020. His research interests include power electronics converters and application of power electronics in grid-interactive systems. He is currently working at Naval Nuclear Power Laboratory, Tulsa, Oklahoma to provide onsite vendor support for development of cutting edge Navy training equipment.
Thesis Title: Three-phase ac-dc power supply design and experiments using a sic based power module.
Currently working as a Distribution Planning Engineer at AEP, Columbus, Ohio.
Chintan Raval was born in Ahmedabad, India in 1991. He received his BS degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from Silver Oak College of Engineering & Technology (GTU), Gujarat. He was an intern at Institute for Plasma Research (IPR) India. He received his Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering from Kansas State University in 2017. His research interests are in Power Electronics and Non-conventional energy sources. He is currently working for AEP as a Distribution Planning Engineer, Columbus, Ohio.
Thesis Title: Dynamic modeling and analysis of the three-phase voltage source inverter under stand-alone and grid-tied modes.
He received his Ph.D. degree from the Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado.
Faleh Alskran was born in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 1988. He received the B.S. and MS. degrees in electrical engineering from the Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, in 2011 and 2014, respectively. His Thesis was on modeling and analysis of grid-interactive VSI. He is currently working toward his Ph.D. degree at Colorado School of Mines, Golden, CO.
Thesis Title: Voltage regulation in a single-stage three-phase boost-inverter using modified phasor pulse width modulation method for stand-alone applications.
He received his Ph.D. degree from the North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Alireza A. Milani was born in Tabriz, Iran in 1989. He received the B.Sc. degree from Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran in 2011, and the M.Sc. degree from Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS in 2013 both in electrical engineering. He is currently working toward his Ph.D. degree at North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC. His research interests include power electronic applications in renewable energy systems, motor drive systems and electric vehicles.
Thesis Title: Hybrid motor drives: characterization and control.
Currently working as a the Lead Electrical Engineer in Manufacturing at Bloom Energy, Newark, Delaware.
Brian Hadley was born in Miami, FL on September 11, 1981. He received a B.S.E.E degree in Electrical Engineering with a specialization in Power Systems in 2009, and an M.Sc. degree in Electrical Engineering with a focus in Power Electronics, in 2011, both from Florida International University. From 2003 to 2009, Brian worked as an Industrial Electrician in the Surface Aggregate Mining Industry, and in 2009, he joined Pantropic Power as a Field Engineer working on control systems for industrial motor systems. In 2011, he joined Locust Power as a Power Electronics Development Engineer, where he developed ultra-high speed brush-less DC motor drives for micro gas turbine engines. Since 2013, Brian has been with Bloom Energy, where he is a Sr. Staff Electrical Engineer, and the lead electrical engineer in manufacturing at Bloom Energy's flagship manufacturing center in Newark, DE.
Senior Undergraduate Student
Email: gannonb03@ksu.edu
Currently working on DSP coding, and PCB designs.
Gannon Bird is from Maize, Kansas. He is pursuing a B.S in Electrical Engineering from Kansas State university, with plans to graduate in may 2025. His research interests include embedded systems in Power Systems.
SPECS Research Associate: January 2023- July 2025
SPECS Research Associate: January 2024- May 2025
