The IEEE-PELS President Election will begin on 23 October and closes on 21 November 2025. In anticipation of this election, below are the volunteers campaigning for the President position within PELS that starts in 2026. Scroll to learn more about each candidate and what positions they are running for.
Meet the Candidates
President
Yunwei (Ryan) Li
(Canada)
Position Statement: The IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS) is the leading global community dedicated to advancing power electronics and shaping the future of energy and industry. For nearly four decades, PELS has thrived by engaging members, fostering knowledge exchange, and enabling professional growth.
I have been privileged to serve PELS for over two decades, including as General Chair of ECCE 2020, founding chair of the Northern Canada Section’s PELS Chapter, and Editor-in-Chief of TPEL Letters. Since 2023, I have served as the PELS Vice President for Products, leading initiatives to ensure that PELS publications are among the most popular and highest quality in the field of power electronics.
If elected as PELS President, I will work closely with the AdCom, Vice Presidents, and all members to further our mission. My priorities are:
- Foster Multidisciplinary Collaboration – Strengthen partnerships with IEEE societies, industry, and external organizations to broaden PELS’s reach and impact.
- Maintain and Elevate PELS Products – Safeguard PELS leadership in publications, increase global visibility, connect academia and industry, and address emerging needs such as AI in publishing.
- Enhance Membership Engagement – Support local chapters, expand student and early-career programs, and build pathways for broader participation.
- Expand Education and Development – Provide resources and programs for members at all career stages.
- Strengthen Technical Committees – Support vibrant committees and enable impactful joint committee initiatives.
- Optimize Conference Opportunities – Explore innovative models, including PELS conference clustering to maximize member value and access.
- Provide Tools for Volunteers – Improve resources for journals, conferences, technical committees, and local chapters to work more effectively.
- Ensure Operational Sustainability – Establish clear guidelines for major portfolios to enable smooth transitions and long-term stability.
With your support, I will ensure PELS continues to grow, adapt, and lead—delivering value to members, advancing our field, and shaping a sustainable future.
View Biography
Yunwei Ryan Li is the Senior Engineering Research Chair at the University of Alberta and the Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Dr. Li received his Ph.D. from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. He was a Visiting Scholar at Aalborg University, Denmark, and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Toronto Metropolitan University, Canada. In 2007, he worked at Rockwell Automation Canada before joining the University of Alberta.
Dr. Li received the PELS Richard M. Bass Outstanding Young Power Electronics Engineer Award in 2013, the IEEE Northern Canada Outstanding Engineer Award in 2016, the Nagamori Foundation Award in 2022, and the Research Excellence Summit Award from the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta in 2025. He is a Fellow of IEEE, a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering, and is recognized as a Clarivate Highly Cited Researcher.
Dr. Li served as Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics Letters from 2019 to 2023, achieving an average review time of under 20 days and setting records for new submissions. He has contributed to PELS conferences in various leadership roles, including as General Chair of ECCE 2020, the first-ever virtual edition of ECCE. He served as Co-Chair of TC1 (2017–2019) and Technical Thrust Lead of TC5 (2012–2017). Dr. Li was the founding Co-Chair of the local PELS Chapter in the Northern Canada Section and has contributed to membership development and industry engagement since 2019.
Since 2023, Dr. Li has served as Vice President of Products, now in his second term, where he has led initiatives to position PELS publications as a leading source of knowledge in power electronics. Notable initiatives under his leadership include: launching an AI-powered article search tool; piloting transparent peer review; conducting educational campaigns on AI tool usage and inclusive language in publications; facilitating smooth Editor-in-Chief transitions; celebrating authors, reviewers, and editors; enhancing coordination between journals and conferences; establishing a new journal on Wireless Power Technologies; and developing editor and reviewer support and training programs.
Dehong (Mark) Xu
Position Statement: As a leading global power electronics society, through its conferences, publications, and technical activities, PELS should strengthen its role in fostering innovation and excellence – supporting the advancement of power electronic technologies for humanity. Furthermore, we must ensure our educational programs evolve to meet future needs. In addition to facilitating and supporting all the great ongoing work by PELS members and volunteers as well as achieving the goals of our Strategic Plan (2026-2030), I would like to prioritize following initiatives to amplify our impact.
- Prioritize international collaboration as a cornerstone for global impact. To harness the tremendous growth of power electronics professionals and students worldwide, we should form stronger strategic alliances with international organizations through scientific collaboration, joint events, and mutual recognition programs. Simultaneously, we should improve global accessibility of PELS products and services using AI technology.
- Enhance the industry engagement as a strategic priority. Develop career-stage tailored programs that address the specific needs and interests of engineers throughout their professional journey. Our conferences, publications, technical activities, educational activities and programs offerings can be strategically enhanced to increase their value to industrial practitioners. A strengthened Corporate Engagement Program is crucial to systematize industry engagement. This approach will establish PELS as the vital bridge connecting academic research with industrial innovation and application, ultimately accelerating progress across the power electronics field.
- Enhance member/chapter services and benefit programs. Further strengthen ties between members, chapters, and PELS leadership through region/sub-region functions including training chapter offices and volunteers, improving communication with chapiters, etc. Support chapter activities such as local technical symposiums, competitions, member recognition and awards etc. Develop reward programs for volunteers and support members from developing countries. Actively engage young professionals to cultivate future leaders. Design unique programs to increase membership retention and attract new members.
View Biography
Mark Dehong Xu received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Zhejiang University in 1989. Currently a Distinguished Professor at Zhejiang University and Director of the Institute of Power Electronics, he previously held visiting professor positions at the University of Tokyo, Virginia Tech, and ETH Zurich. He served as the Department Head of Electrical Engineering and Deputy Dean of Faculty of Engineering at Zhejiang University. He was President of China Power Supply Society (CPSS), 2013-2021.
His research focuses on power electronics circuits, systems, and their applications in energy efficiency and renewable energy. He received Technological Invention Award from China Ministry of Education in 2017, Science and Technology Outstanding Contribution Award in 2023, the highest award of China Power Supply Society, etc. He is IEEE Fellow from 2013 and a PELS Distinguished Lecturer from 2015 to 2018. He received the IEEE PELS R. D. Middlebrook Achievement Award in 2016 and the IEEE PELS Harry A. Owen, Jr. Distinguished Service Award in 2024.
He has dedicated more than two decades of service to the IEEE Power Electronics Society, including three terms as a Member-at-Large of AdCom (2006-2008, 2017-2019, 2020-2022). He contributed to the establishment of ECCE-Asia and served as Founding General Chair of the IEEE International Power Electronics and Application Conference/Symposium (PEAC/PEAS), now the largest power electronics meeting in Asia. He organized the 1st EBL Pacific-Asia in 2018, was Founding TPC Chair of PEDG in 2010, and a Founding Co-EIC/Editor of both the IEEE Open Journal of Power Electronics and the IEEE Transactions on Sustainable Energy.
As Vice President of Membership for PELS since 2022, he has championed the activation of PELS regional functions to strengthen connections with members, chapters, and national associations. With support from PELS executives and the AdCom Committee, he has established new initiatives including the Regional Membership Support Fund, National Associations Membership Collaboration Program, and Industry Internship Scholarship Program. These efforts have revitalized membership/chapter activities, with chapters/SBCs growing from 192 to 307 in the last four years. PELS-Day reached a record 100 events in 2025. Society membership increases to 13,500, making PELS the 8th largest among IEEE’s 39 societies.
Patrick Wheeler
University of Nottingham
(UK)
Position Statement: If elected as the IEEE PELS President I would seek to continue the good work of recent years and to ensure that IEEE PELS remains and grows as the key society in the IEEE for Power Electronics. I would also use my time and enthusiasm for the role to promote IEEE PELS around the world by being visible to our members and meeting as many of them as possible as the PELS President, both through attending events and conferences in person as well as through my online presence.
In 2026 PELS will begin to implement it’s exciting new 5-year Strategic Plan covering Global Membership, Evolving Conferences, Lifelong Learning, Sustainability and Next Generation Products/Services as well as Operational Excellence. I will use my passion for all these areas of PELS operations and commit to making sure that we progress well with the implementation plan and makes significant progress towards meeting all the stated KPIs of the Strategic Plan by 2030.
We are living in exciting times where Power Electronics is the key technology for the solutions needed by humanity. I therefore believe that IEEE PELS must continue to maintain and grow good links and networks with other societies and organisations that have common interests; continuing to identify and explore exciting opportunities and to work together on jointly sponsored activities when this is beneficial and adds value to all.
I would like to see IEEE PELS being seen as the technical ‘home’ of Power Electronics and represent the ‘gold standard’ for all societies, giving all our members those great feelings of relevance, value, motivation and belonging. In order to serve the Society if elected as PELS President, my University has agreed to grant me sabbatical time so that I have the time needed to devote to this prestigious role.
View Biography
Pat Wheeler received his BEng [Hons] degree in 1990 and his PhD for his work on Matrix Converters in 1994 from the University of Bristol, UK. In 1993 he moved to the University of Nottingham, UK and worked as a Research Assistant in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. In 1996 he became a Lecturer in the Power Electronics, Machines and Control Research Group at the University of Nottingham, UK. Since January 2008 he has been a Full Professor in the same research group. He has published over 1000 academic publications in leading international conferences and journals (mainly IEEE Transactions). His research interests include Power Electronic converters and systems for transportation, industrial, aerospace and renewable energy applications.
He is also passionate about student experience and has been involved in many initiatives from racing electric superbikes at the Ilse of Man TT and Pikes Peak to acting as Chief Scientific Officer for the South African Solar Car Challenge.
Pat Wheeler has also gained a wealth of experience and knowledge in the ways of working of both the PELS and the IEEE over the last 15 years, including:
- General Chair of ECCE-Europe Conference in Birmingham, UK (2025)
- IEEE PELS Vice President for Technical Operations (2021-2024)
- Chair of the IEEE Thesaurus Editorial Advisory Board (2025-2027)
- Member of the IEEE Publications, Services and Products Board – PSPB (2025-2027)
- IEEE PELS Constitution and Bylaws Chair (2015-2020)
- Member of the IEEE Thesaurus Editorial Advisory Board (2019-2024)
- IEEE PELS Distinguished Lecturer (2013-2017)
- IEEE PELS Member at Large (2011-2016)
- General Chair of EPE ECCE-Europe Conference (2011)
- Active Member of the UKRI IEEE PELS Chapter
Pat Wheeler has leadership experience from many roles within the University of Nottingham over the last 30 years, including:
- Director of the Power Electronics, Machines and Controls Research Institute – 165 PhD students/Postdocs Researchers plus 25 members of Faculty (2018 to date)
- Faculty Global Engagement Director – Engineering (2020-2025).
- Li Dak Sum Chair Professor at the University of Nottingham’s China Campus (2016-2020)
- Head of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering (2014-2018)
- Executive Director of the University of Nottingham – Chile (2016 – 2022)
- Director of the University of Nottingham Institute for Aerospace Technology (2012-14)
- Director of the Clean Sky JTI Projects at the University of Nottingham – a programme of aerospace research managing a University research budget of over €65M (2008-date)
- Lead Academic on a UK Government funded project to build the new PEMC Building at the University of Nottingham (£36M, opened March 2021)
- Principle Investigator for £20M Aerospace-UP – industry engagement programme (2018 to 2022).