Prof. Maryam Saeedifard
Georgia Institute of Technology, USA
Bio:
Maryam Saeedifard received the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the University of Toronto, in 2008. Since January 2014, she has been with the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, where she is currently a Ken Byers professor. She is a recipient of the IEEE Modeling and Control Technical Achievement Award in 2024, the IEEE Bimal Bose Award for Industrial Electronics Applications in Energy Systems in 2024, Roger Webb’s Excellence in Mentorship Award from the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Tech in 2023, the 8th Nagamori Awards from Nagamori Foundation in 2022, Roger Webb’s Outstanding Mid-Career Faculty Award from the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Tech in 2021, U.S. Clean Energy Education and Empowerment (C3E) Technology Research & Innovation Award from the Department of Energy in 2021, First Place Prize Paper Award from the IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics in 2023, 2022 and 2021, Best Transactions Paper Award of the IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics in 2018 and 2016, IEEE J. David Irwin Early Career Award in 2018, U.S. National Academy of Engineering, Frontiers in Engineering in Education in 2012, U.S. National Academy of Engineering, Frontiers in Engineering in 2011, and IEEE Richard M. Bass Outstanding Young Power Electronic Engineer Award in 2010. She is an IEEE Fellow and is currently serving as the Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Trans. on Power Electronics Letters. Her research interests include power electronics and its applications in terrestrial and mobile power systems.
Next-Generation Grid Architectures in the Era of Power Electronics and AI
Power systems are undergoing a fundamental architectural transformation driven by high renewable penetration, declining system inertia, and the rapid emergence of large, dynamic AI-driven load centers. In this context, power electronics are evolving from peripheral interfaces into the primary enablers of stability, flexibility, and resilience in modern power networks.
This keynote explores next-generation grid architectures in which power-electronic interfaces play a central and coordinated role across transmission systems, distribution networks, and large-scale load integration. Recent advances in converter design, control, protection, and interoperability are examined. By highlighting international initiatives and emerging research directions, the presentation outlines a unified architectural vision for a resilient, flexible, and sustainable power grid suited to the era of power electronics and AI.
Dr. Tareq Al-Ansari
Executive Director, Qatar Environment and Energy Research Institute, Qatar
Prof. Francisco M. Gonzales-Longatt
Loughborough University, UK
Prof. Samir Kouro
Federico Santa María Technical University, Chile
Prof. Han Ding
Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China
Bio:
Han Ding received his Ph.D. degree in Mechatronics from Huazhong University of Science & Technology in 1989. Supported by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, he worked at University of Stuttgart, Germany in 1993. He obtained the National Distinguished Youth Scientific Fund in 1997 and was awarded the “Cheung Kong” Chair Professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2001. He was elected a member of Chinese Academy of Sciences in 2013.
Prof. Ding has long dedicated himself to research in the field of robotics and intelligent manufacturing, and has successfully combined both technologies. He published three academic books and more than 300 journal papers, and licensed more than 200 patents in China.
Prof. Ding is currently the chairman of Academic Committee of HUST and the director of the State Key Laboratory of Intelligent Manufacturing Equipment and Technology. He is also a scientific committee member of the NSFC Tri-Co Robot major research program.
Robotics Research: Current States and Future Trends
This talk will introduce the current research activities of robotics in China, especially the Tri-Robot Research Plan of NSFC (National Natural Science Foundation of China). It will discuss the primary scientific challenges and key scientific problems of the plan, mainly focusing on mechanism, perception and control. The talk will also forecast China’s expected breakthroughs and goals in robotic research. Finally, the talk will present recent research results of our group and discuss current and future challenges.