Location
Vancouver Convention Centre
1055 Canada Pl, Vancouver, BC V6C 0C3, Canada
Room 109-110
Since 2017, the PELS Mentorship Roundtables event has facilitated access to distinguished leaders in the power electronics field. Covering non-technical topics essential for professional growth, the Roundtables event is an intimate setting comprised of the mentor who leads the topical discussion and a small group of mentees. The event is open to anyone at any stage of their career.
The evening is catered with heavy hors d’oeuvres and an open bar. Distinguished mentors will lead the discussion over a shared meal in small groups. There are two sessions, so you will have the opportunity to meet with two mentors. Selections are first come first served, and each roundtable has limited capacity. Please select one session per time slot to reserve your space that the table. There is no registration fee to attend.
1. Building a Long and Impactful Career: Finding Meaning, Building Connections, and Defining Your Own Success
Frede Blaabjerg
IEEE Fellow, Past President – IEEE PELS, Aalborg University
What does it take to build a career that remains meaningful and impactful over the long term? This session will explore how to choose problems that matter, build meaningful relationships and cross-cultural collaborations, and define career success beyond traditional metrics. Mentors will share their experiences navigating different stages of their careers, including the choices, challenges, and opportunities that shaped their professional journeys. The discussion will encourage participants to consider the impact they want to create and how to build a sustainable career around it.
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Frede Blaabjerg has been full professor at Aalborg University in Denmark since 1998 in Power Electronics and Drives and has been working with different power electronics application like renewables, motor drives, EV’s, New Power Systems and in the last decade especially been focusing on Reliability Engineering and Power Electronics Based Power System Stability. He has over time trained more than 85 PhDs students, the same number of post docs, received numerous awards like the IEEE Edison Medal for his contributions in Renewables. He is Honoris Causa on three universities and well as honorary professor at one. He has been Editor in Chief of IEEE Trans. on Power Electronics, President of the IEEE Power Electronics Society and Chairman of the Danish Council for Research and Innovation Policy. For the moment he is Co-Lead of the one of the four Danish Pioneer Centers – CAPeX – Pioneer Center for Accelerating P2X Materials Discovery – a cross-disciplinary center discovering materials for Power to X processes.
https://capex.dtu.dk/
2. Academia or Industry R&D? Navigating Your Career After Graduate School
Ignacio Galiano Zurbriggen
Simon Fraser University
Graduating with a degree in power electronics presents a critical career decision: pursuing the intellectual freedom and mentorship of a tenure-track faculty role, or driving fast- paced, applied innovation in industry R&D. This roundtable provides a balanced, insider’s perspective on the daily realities and distinct rewards of both environments. Attendees will learn the most important factors to consider when evaluating these paths, including how to strategically prepare applications for both sectors and what university search committees versus corporate recruiters prioritize. By exploring the cultural differences between academic labs and industry tech leaders, this session equips early-career engineers with the insights needed to identify their ideal professional fit and navigate their post-graduate transition with confidence.
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Dr. Ignacio Galiano Zurbriggen (Member, IEEE) is an Assistant Professor in the School of Sustainable Energy Engineering at Simon Fraser University and an Adjunct Professor at the University of Calgary. Uniquely equipped to discuss the transition between academic and corporate environments, he brings significant industrial R&D experience from his work with leading companies including Tesla, Alpha-Enersys, and Computrol. Driven by a passion for sustainability and applied innovation, his research focuses on developing novel power conversion solutions for the renewable energy and transportation sectors. He earned his Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of British Columbia and actively serves as an Associate Editor for IEEE-OJPEL.
3. Transitioning from Academic Research to Industry R&D: Surviving the Culture Shock
JiangBiao He
The University of Tennessee
Moving from a university lab to corporate R&D requires a fundamental shift in engineering philosophy from prioritizing publishable novelty to focusing on manufacturable reliability, strict cost constraints, and aggressive deadlines. This session helps graduating students and early-career professionals navigate this “culture shock” by offering actionable strategies to adapt their technical mindset. Understanding this dynamic is critical for your career, as it provides a distinct
advantage in interviews, accelerates your integration into fast-paced teams, and equips you with the pragmatic judgment needed to balance technical innovation with real-world business viability.
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Dr. JiangBiao He is an Associate Professor in Electrical Engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He has worked in multiple industry R&D centers before joined academia, most recently as a Lead Engineer at GE Global Research, NY. He received the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from Marquette University, WI. His research interests include advanced power converters and motor-drive systems for emerging applications, such as data centers, transportation electrification, and renewable energy. He has authored and co-authored around 200 technical articles and 20+ patent applications. He is the recipient of multiple professional achievement awards, including the 2018 Whitney Technical Excellence Award at GE Global Research, the 2019 AWS Outstanding Young Member Achievement Award recognized by the IEEE Industry Applications Society, and prize paper awards from IEEE journals. He has been recognized as the World’s Top 2% Scientists on the Stanford-Elsevier’s list since 2022.
4. IEEE Service and a Sustainable Professional Life
Brad Lehman
IEEE Fellow, Past President – IEEE PELS, Northeastern University
IEEE service provides valuable opportunities to build leadership skills, contribute to the engineering community, and develop meaningful professional connections. At the same time, balancing volunteer responsibilities with research, career, and family priorities can be challenging. This mentoring session will discuss how to identify service opportunities that align with your professional goals, take on leadership roles thoughtfully, and build a sustainable approach to volunteering. The session will also explore practical strategies for setting boundaries, prioritizing commitments, and making service a meaningful part of a long-term professional journey.
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Brad Lehman is President of the IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS). He previously was VP of Products since 2019 – 2022 and Editor-in-Chief of the
IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics (TPEL) from 2013-2018. Brad is currently a Professor at Northeastern University (NU), Boston. His research interests include power electronics, with emphasis on the modeling, design, and control of high-density converters.
5. Ethical Ways to Use AI While Publishing
Yunwei Ryan Li
IEEE Fellow, President-Elect – IEEE PELS, University of Alberta
AI is rapidly changing how we conduct research and communicate our findings, offering valuable tools for literature reviews, data analysis, writing, editing, and improving accessibility. At the same time, its use raises important questions about academic integrity, transparency, authorship, accuracy, and responsible research practices. This roundtable will explore how researchers and engineers can use AI effectively while maintaining the standards and values of scholarly publishing. The discussion will also consider practical questions that arise in research, writing, and peer review of articles. Understanding how to use AI responsibly is becoming an essential skill that will benefit researchers and engineers throughout their careers.
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Dr. Yunwei (Ryan) Li is currently a University of Alberta Senior Engineering Research Chair and Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Dr. Li received the Bachelor’s degree from Tianjin University, the Ph.D. degree from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. He was a Visiting Scholar with the Aalborg University, Denmark in 2005, and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada 2006 – 2007. In 2007, he also worked at Rockwell Automation Canada before joined University of Alberta. His research interests focus on power electronics and their applications in distributed energy resources, microgrids, renewable energy, transportation electrification, and electric motor drives. His research has produced over 500 papers with over 30,000 citations. Dr. Li currently serves as Vice President for Products of the IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS) and will serve as PELS President for the 2027-2028 term. He was the Editor-in-Chief for IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics Letters 2019-2023. Dr. Li served as the general chair of IEEE Energy Conversion Congress of Exposition (ECCE) in 2020 for the first ever online version during the pandemic, and the Program Chair for the Canadian Academy of Engineering Annual Conference in 2026. Dr. Li received the Research Excellence Summit Award by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta in 2025, Nagamori Foundation Award in 2022, and the Richard M. Bass Outstanding Young Power Electronics Engineer Award from IEEE PELS in 2013. He is a Fellow of IEEE, a Fellow of Canadian Academy of Engineering, and recognized as the Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher.
6. Volunteering with PELS in IEEE Region 10
Professor Sanjib Kumar Panda
IEEE Fellow, Region 10 Co-Chair – IEEE PELS, National University of Singapore
The IEEE Region 10 Volunteer Mentoring Program aims to develop future IEEE leaders by connecting emerging volunteers with experienced mentors who can provide guidance on leadership, volunteer engagement, chapter development, and professional growth. Through mentor-mentee matching, mentoring circles, leadership workshops, networking sessions, project-based learning, and regular progress reviews, the program fosters knowledge sharing, enhances volunteer effectiveness, strengthens regional collaboration, and inspires sustained volunteer commitment, ultimately building a strong pipeline of capable and engaged IEEE leaders across Region 10.
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(S’86-M’91-SM’01-F’21) Dr. Panda received B. Eng. Degree from the South Gujarat University, India, in 1983, M.Tech. degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India, in 1987, and the Ph.D. degree from the University of Cambridge, U.K., in 1991, all in electrical
engineering. He was the recipient of the Cambridge-Nehru Scholarship and M. T. Mayer Graduate Scholarship during his PhD study (1987-1991). Since 1992, he has been holding a faculty position in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, National University of Singapore and currently
serving as an Associate Professor and Director of the Power & Energy Research Area. Dr. Panda has published more than 540 peer-reviewed research papers, co-authored one book and contributed to several book chapters, holds ten patents and co-founder of three start-up companies. His research interests include high-performance control of motor drives and power electronic converters, condition monitoring and predictive maintenance, building energy efficiency enhancement etc. He is serving as an Associate Editor of several IEEE Transactions e.g. Power Electronics, Industry Applications, Energy Conversion, Access and IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Power Electronics. Dr. Panda is serving as an IEEE PELS Distinguished Lecture for 2022-26. He had served as the Chair of the IEEE PELS Technical Committee, TC-12: Energy Access and Off-grid Systems 2021-2023. Dr. Panda is also serving as, R-10 Membership & Chapter Development Coordinator for IEEE PELS since 2016 till date.
7. What motivates us in pursuing an engineering career
John Shen
Simon Fraser University
With the frustrations and stress an engineer usually has to go through on a daily basis, you might ask yourself “Why am I doing this? What keeps me going in pursuing such a hard career?”. Is that money or fame or something else? I would like to share my personal experience in thinking and rethinking of those important questions, and fortunately still remaining enthusiastic and passionate about what I do as a researcher and educator.
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37 years of academic, industrial, and entrepreneurial career in the field of power electronics and power semiconductor devices and ICs. Currently Professor and Director at the School of Mechatronics at Simon Fraser University. Authored or co-authored 400 journal and conference papers, edited two Springer books (editor), granted 22 U.S. patents.
8. How to Become an IEEE PELS Distinguished Lecturer (DL) and Why It Matters
Brij Singh
IEEE Fellow, DL Program Chair – IEEE PELS, John Deere
Becoming an IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS) Distinguished Lecturer (DL) is a prestigious recognition awarded to individuals with outstanding technical contributions, strong professional leadership, and the ability to deliver impactful lectures worldwide. The pathway begins with a nomination documenting the candidate’s scholarly achievements, industrial or academic influence, and proposed lecture topics. The evaluation committee reviews nominees based on three criteria: (1) the nominee’s credentials and long-term contributions to power electronics, (2) the relevance and value of the proposed lectures for PELS members, and (3) the balance of regional, industrial, and gender representation within the current DL cohort. The program encourages diversity, including nominees from industry and underrepresented regions.
Earning the DL title significantly enhances a professional’s visibility and career trajectory. DLs serve as global ambassadors of power electronics, delivering invited lectures across continents and engaging directly with chapters, universities, and industry groups. This role strengthens international networks, increases recognition as a thought leader, and often leads to keynote invitations, collaborations, and leadership opportunities within IEEE and industry. The two–year DL term also provides a platform to influence technical directions, mentor emerging engineers, and contribute to shaping the future of the field.
The selection process concludes with committee scoring, confidential consolidation of evaluations, and a final vote. PELS officials involved in evaluating DL nominations include the VP of Operations, VP of Meetings, VP of Products, VP for Membership, Chair of the PELS DL Program, Chair of the PELS Awards Committee, and two independent members nominated by the PELS President. Successful nominees join a distinguished group of experts who advance PELS’ mission of disseminating high–impact knowledge worldwide.
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Dr. Brij Singh is Electrification R&D Manager in John Deere Inc., USA. He has earned BE, ME and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from various universities and technical institutes in India. In 1996, Dr. Singh joined the École de Technology Supérieure, Université du Québec, Montreal, Canada, as a PDF. In 1999, he joined Concordia University, Montreal, as a Research Fellow. In 2000, he joined the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science in Tulane University, New Orleans as an Assistant Professor. In 2007, he joined John Deere, where he is engaged in R&D projects for advanced power electronics technologies needed for John Deere vehicles’ electrification projects and programs. Dr. Singh has published over 105 research papers. He has 42 granted US patents, one trade secret, and numerous pending patents. He has over 7,500 peer citations on his scholarly contributions through research publications and patents. In Tulane, Dr. Singh has received four teaching awards. In John Deere, he has received
three innovation and one collaboration awards. He is the winner of the 2020 IEEE Power Electronics Emerging Technology Award. In Feb 2020, he was awarded the “Title of John Deere Technical Fellow in Power Electronics Engineering”. In June 2023, US Department of Energy recognized his outstanding contributions and insightful technical expertise by “Distinguished Achievement Award”. Dr. Singh is an IEEE Fellow and presently serving as the Chair of the IEEE Power Electronics Society Distinguished Lecturer Program (PELS DLP) and lives with his family in West Fargo, North Dakota, USA.