Previous Topics and Mentors
18 March 2025 (APEC in Atlanta, GA, USA)
1. How Not to Sabotage your engineering career - the little things to improve long-term productivity and avoid disasters
Filippos Toufexis
GMW Associates (USA)
We live in an era of very powerful Electronic Design Automation (EDA) tools and free videos on many engineering topics: a stark difference compared to mid-20th century engineers who had to calculate everything analytically and get all their knowledge from books and their mentors. Dr. Toufexis has been mentored by senior engineers and mentored young engineers and observed that this change in resources has resulted in a change in the mentality of many bright young engineers, who self-inflict wounds into their career. He will discuss a variety of common issues including attitude toward engineering tasks, engineering documentation and reviews, using EDA tools and test equipment, and interactions with coworkers; it is these little everyday things that compound to big positive or negative career outcomes.
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Filippos Toufexis is the VP of Engineering at GMW Associates, a manufacturer and distributor of electromagnets, magnetic field sensors, and current transducers. Prior to GMW, Filippos was the Director of RF & Electrical Engineering at Tibaray, a radiation therapy startup, a Staff Electronics Engineer at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, and, while still an undergraduate student, an EDA Software Developer at Helic, a semiconductor company acquired by ANSYS. Filippos received a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Stanford University, with Ph.D. Minors in Bioengineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Aeronautics/Astronautics, and a Diploma of Engineering in EECS from national Technical University of Athens (Greece). Throughout his career, Filippos has mentored and supervised several engineers of different experience levels.
2. Transitioning from Teaching to Industry to Long-lasting Entrepreneurship
Kalyan Sen
Sen Engineering Solutions, Inc. (USA)
History shows that great things start as an embryo and grow into something that becomes de facto in everyday life. These include products from Microsoft, Apple, Google, and Amazon, to name a few. For some, the teenage years are the perfect time to drop out of college with a dream to succeed and dive into something unknown. For Dr. Sen, it was a 25-year-long night and weekend thinking of perfecting a product. In the meantime, he maintained something to fall back on, such as attending colleges to receive four degrees (BEE, MSEE, PhD-EE, and MBA), being a college professor, writing books, and retiring from the industry after 30 years of service. To hone his soft skills, Dr. Sen became an award-winning IEEE Chapter Chair, Section Chair, Toastmasters International District Director, and many others. Now, he is putting all of his experiences together to create something beautiful as an entrepreneur. He believes anyone can achieve the same or, perhaps, a lot more. The question is: “Do you want to do it?”
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Kalyan Sen is the President and Chief Technology Officer of Sen Engineering Solutions, Inc. that specializes in developing SMART power flow controllers – a functional requirements-based and cost-effective solution. Dr. Sen worked for 33 years in academia and industry. He was a key member of the Flexible Alternating Current Transmission Systems (FACTS) development team at the Westinghouse Science and Technology Center for which he became a Westinghouse Fellow Engineer. He contributed to concept development, simulation, design, and commissioning of FACTS projects at Westinghouse. He conceived some of the basic concepts in power flow control technology for which his was elevated as an IEEE Fellow “for the development and application of power flow control technology.”
3. Professional Writing and Presentations for the Power Electronics Professional
Renee Yawger
Efficient Power Conversion (USA)
Success in power electronics engineering extends beyond technical expertise – it requires the ability to communicate ideas effectively. Ms. Yawger will explore how strong writing and presentation skills can enhance career growth, professional credibility, and leadership potential. From technical reports and research papers to persuasive proposals and engaging presentations, clear and compelling communication is essential for securing project support, influencing stakeholders, and collaborating across teams. Industry experts will share practical strategies to help participants articulate complex concepts with clarity and confidence, positioning them for long-term success in both their careers and the broader engineering community.
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Renee Yawger is the Director of Marketing at Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) Corporation and the Director of Corporate Marketing at EPC Space. She has over 25 years of sales and marketing experience within the semiconductor industry. Prior to joining EPC, she was at Vishay Siliconix for nearly 15 years in various positions in sales support, customer service, and regional marketing. At EPC< she is responsible for the product marketing and marketing communication functions globally.
4. Growing Your Career with PELS
Sanjib Kumar Panda
National University of Singapore (Singapore)
It is always possible to get your technical knowledge through higher studies and academic achievement leading finally to getting the degree subsequently. However, academic achievements, although important to grow your career alone, are insufficient; hence, enhancing your career with PELS by volunteering would provide you with the icing on the cake. Dr. Panda will highlight the benefits and joy of volunteering in IEEE activities at all levels, starting from Student Member to Graduate Member to Young Professional. Dr. Panda has gone through the whole process by starting as a Student Member to Member to Office Bearer at the IEEE PELS Chapter, IEEE Section, IEEE Region, and now at the Society level.
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Sanjib Kumar Panda (S’86-M’91-SM’01-F’21) received his B.Eng. degree from the South Gujarat University (India) in 1983, M.Tech. degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University (India) in 1987, and Ph.D. degree from the University of Cambridge (UK) in 1991, all in electrical engineering. He was the recipient of the Cambridge-Nehru Scholarship and M.T. Mayer Graduate Scholarship during his Ph.D. study (1987-1991). Since 1992, he has been a faculty member in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the National University of Singapore (Singapore) and an Associate Professor and Director of the Power and Energy Research Area.
Dr. Panda has published over 540 peer-reviewed research papers, co-authored one book and contributed to several book chapters, holds ten patents, and co-founded three start-up companies. His research interests include high performance control of motor drives and power electronic converters, condition monitoring and predictive maintenance, and building energy efficiency enhancement. He is serving as an Associate Editor of several IEEE Transactions and Journals. Dr. Panda is also an IEEE PELS Distinguished Lecturer (2022-2026). He has served as the Chair of the IEEE PELS Technical Committee 12: Energy Access and Off-Grid Systems (2021-2023). He also serves as the Region 10 Membership and Chapter Development Coordinator for PELS since 2016.
5. Effective Mentorship: A Mentor Perspective
Stephanie Watts Butler
WattsButler, LLC (USA)
Many of us have benefited from the guidance of mentors to excel in our careers, but what does it take to become an effective mentor yourself? Join this table to gain insights on the essential skills and strategies to mentor others successfully. Learn how to guide, inspire, and support mentees on their career paths while fostering growth and development.
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Stephanie Watts Butler is the President of WattsButler, LLC, an innovation services company focused on the power semiconductor industry. As a technology innovation architect with over 35 years of experience in silicon and wide bandgap technology and product development, Dr. Butler also has decades of experience with mentoring, coaching, advocating, and sponsoring. Dr. Butler’s mentoring activities have impacted hundreds of students, engineers, and managers. She leveraged this experience as a moderator of the PELS WIE session at ECCE.
While at Texas instruments, she created and implemented a worldwide coaching program for the Technical Ladder career path that by its second year involved over 500 individuals (mentees, coaches, supervisors) and which demonstrated higher success rate for participants and ranked highly across all job roles. She served as a coach in an innovation skills development program, as presented by her and her mentee. She was a mentee in the across-company Menttium program and has served as a mentor since 2010. She also serves on the TxGCP Champion Board, as well as serving on several university and consortia advisory boards.
6. networking for engineers
Ada Cheng
Ada Clock (USA)
Networking is about making connections with people who may influence your career and your life. It can be summed up in the adage that it is not just what you know, but who you know. Every professional is supposed to network, but there are very few classes on networking especially for engineers.
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Ada Cheng was an electrical engineer at Motorola for 11 years before transitioning into a market analyst role at Gartner Dataquest. Consequently, she had to learn how to network quickly despite shyness and introversion. As a result of networking, Ada served over 13 years on the APEC organizing committee in various roles. Now as a market consultant with Ada Clock, she shares practical advice and tips for engineers to network effectively as part of their technical marketing efforts. In addition, she leads and develops the Student Mentorship Program at APEC as an active member of the PSMA.
7. transitioning from engineering to consulting
Brian Zahnstecher
PowerRox (USA)
Many working in engineering (especially for corporations) desire a change over the years. This can be due to exhaustion with the status quo, dissatisfaction with a regular employer, inflexibility in terms of professional growth (i.e. area of focus, breadth/depth/variety, pay/title, etc.), changes in life situations (i.e. nearing retirement, starting a family, moving, etc.), or all of the above. The desire for change inevitably leads many in the industry to consider independent consulting, but this is far easier said than done. There are many aspects that need to be considered (professionally, technically, legally, and financially) to determine if this path aligns with the desire for change and the current life/work situation. Just being very good at your previous job or deeply technical is not enough to enable success for a sustainable consulting practice.
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Brian Zahnstecher is a Senior Member of IEEE, Chair (Emeritus) of IEEE SFBAC Power Electronics Society (PELS), IEEE PELS North America Regional (R1-3) Chair, PELS Sustainability Ad-hoc Committee Chair, Power Sources Manufacturers Association (PSMA) Board of Directors (emeritus), and now Advisory Council, is Co-founder and Chair (Emeritus) of PSMA Reliability Committee, Co-chair of PSMA Energy Harvesting Committee, Co-founder and Co-chair of the EnerHarv workshop, and is Principal of PowerRox. He co-chairs IEEE Future Networks (formerly 5G) webinar series and is a founding co-chair of IEEE International Network Generations Roadmap (INGR) Energy Efficiency Working Group and has lectured at major industry conferences on power and sustainability topics. He previously held positions in power electronics with Emerson, Cisco, and Hewlett-Packard in his 20+ years in the industry.
8. Skill Sets industries expect in new and mid-career hires for power electronics positions
Brij Singh
John Deere Inc. (USA)
Power electronics is an exciting field of engineering and could lead to an excellent career – a dream for many. It is not easy to find all the skill sets needed for a job just in one person; however, these skills could be developed while executing responsibilities assigned in the industrial projects. Usually, industries expect and hence interview a new and mid-career hire for the necessary skills; these could be of varying levels – learner/beginner to the master of the craft. Some expected skills are teamwork, analytical ability, attitude toward continuous learning, adaptability, taking calculated risks, communication – both technical and non-technical, executing responsibilities in a team with difficult-to-work-with co-worker(s), technical writing, ability and attitude towards innovations, courage/ability/adaptability to jump on difficult and unknown problem solving, individual contributor and team player, learning attitude, adaptability/attitude towards new tools such as new software hand hardware test equipment, and management skills. These skills are not inclusive of everything that is needed for industry jobs but are important ones and cannot be taught in undergraduate and graduate schools. However, if someone aspires to build a fulfilling power electronics engineering career in industry and wants to put in the required efforts in a timely manner and has a positive attitude and hardworking traits, a technical career in industry could become a hobby for that someone, and a dream for peers. This mentoring session would be an interactive dialogue with the attendees. No one has a formula for great success because your formula for a rising and shining career resides and remains with you and will work only for you.
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Brij Singh is Electrification R&D Manager in John Deere Inc. (USA). He has earned a B.E., M.E., and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from various universities and technical institutes in India. In 1996, Dr. Singh joined the Ecole de Technology Superieure, Universite du Quebec, 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 100 research papers. He has 39 granted US patents, one trade secret, and numerous pending patents. He has over 7,100 peer citations on his scholarly contributions through research publications and patents. In Tulane, Dr. Singh received four teaching awards. In John Deere, he has received three innovation and one collbaoration awards. He is the winner of the 2020 IEEE PELS Emerging Technology Award. In February 2020, he was awarded the title of “John Deere Technical Fellow in Power Electronics Engineering”. In June 2023, the 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 PELS Distinguished Lecturer program and lives with his family in North Dakota, USA.
9. How to write an award-winning paper
Fernando Briz
Univ. of Oviedo (Spain)
What does it take to write an award-winning paper? Join Prof. Briz as he shares his insights and proven strategies for crafting outstanding papers. As the Editor in Chief of JESTPE, Prof. Briz will offer valuable tips on capturing the reader’s attention, structuring your research effectively, and enhancing the impact of your writing. Learn the key elements that make a paper exceptional and how to present your research in a way that resonates with reviewers and readers alike.
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Fernando Briz received his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Oviedo (Spain) where he is a Full Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering. He is author/co-author of over 100 journal papers and over 200 conference papers in the fields of electric drives and power converters. He was the recipient of one IEEE IAS Transactions award and nine IEEE IAS and ECCE prize paper awards. Among other roles, he has served as Chair of the Awards Committee and as Publications Chair of the Industrial Drives Committee of IAS-IPCSD, as well as IPCSD Chair. He has been the Deputy Editor in Chief othe the IEEE Journal of emerging and Selected Topics in Power Electronics (JESTPE) in 2022 to 2024. Since January 2025, he is the Editor in Chief of JESTPE. He is also a member of the IEEE TAB Awards and Recognition Committee and an Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions and IAS Open Journal.
10. leveraging AI to ethically enhance productivity
Prasad Enjeti
Texas A&M Univ. (USA)
AI is revolutionizing various fields and power electronics design is no exception. Circuit AI leverages GPT-4’s Function Calling, Code Interpreter, and fine-tuning capabilities to simplify BOM tasks, such as switching loss optimization and capacitor RMS estimation. Circuit AI makes this a reality, freeing engineers to focus on higher-level design and innovation. Dr. Enjeti will discuss how AI tools like Circuit AI can enhance learning and streamline design. How do we integrate these advancements ethically, ensuring AI augments, not replaces, the essential engineering skills we cultivate? A crucial conversion for the future of power electronics design.
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Prasad Enjeti received his Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from Concordia University (Canada) in 1988. He has been a member of the Faculty of Texas A&M University (USA) since 1988. He currently holds the Texas Instruments Professorship in Analog Engineering. Dr. Enjeti was a recipient of many honors, including the IEEE Fellow Award in 2000, the Texas A&M University Association of Former Students University Level Teaching Award in 2001, and the R. David Middlebrook Technical Achievement Award from IEEE PELS in 2012.
11. How to Write an Article for IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics
Xiongfei Wang
KTH Royal Inst. of Tech. (Sweden)
Want to publish a top-tier paper in IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics (TPEL)? Join Prof. Wang as he shares his expertise and prove strategies for crafting impactful TPEL articles. Prof. Wang, a recognized leader in the field, will offer invaluable insights on structuring your research for maximum clarity and impact, highlighting the key elements TPEL editors look for. Learn how to present your work effectively, from capturing the reviewer’s attention in the abstract to crafting compelling arguments and supporting them with rigorous data. Discover the secretes to writing a TPEL-worthy paper and elevate your research to the next level.
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Xiongfei Wang (Fellow, IEEE) is a Professor with KTH Royal Institute of Technology (Sweden), a part-time Professor with Aalborg University (Denmark), and a Visiting Professor at Hitachi Energy Research Center (Sweden). His research interests include modeling and control of power electronic converters, stability and power quality of power-electronic-dominated power systems, and high-power electronic systems. From 2025, Dr. Wang serves as the Editor in Chief of the IEEE Transportation of Power Electronics (TPEL). He was the Executive Editor of the IEEE TPEL Letters during 2023-2024 and an Associate Editor for TPEL for years. He received 11 IEEE Prize Paper Awards, the 2016 AAU Talent for Future Research Leaders, the 2018 IEEE Richard M. Bass Outstanding Young Power Electronics Engineer Award, the 2019 IEEE PELS Sustainable Energy Systems Technical Achievement Award, and the 2022 Isao Takahashi Power Electronics Award.
12. Work-Life balance
Yu-Chen (Steven) Liu
Natl. Taipei Univ. of Tech. (Taiwan)
In today’s fast-paced world, maintaining a healthy work-life balance is essential for productivity and well-being. Join Prof. Liu as he shares insights on how to successfully navigate the demands of a professorship while maintaining a fulfilling personal life. This discussion will focus on practical strategies for achieving balance, offering perspectives that apply to professionals from all backgrounds, regardless of gender or career stage.
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Yu-Chen Liu is an Associate Professor at the National Taipei University of Technology (Taiwan). He has expertise in hardware design for high-density power electronics and advanced magnetics design. He served as the Taipei Section IAS Chapter Chair from 2022 to 2023 and is currently the General Chair for the 2025 International Future Energy Challenge.
21 October 2024 (ECCE in Phoenix, AZ, USA)
1. Transition from academia to industry
Pradeep Shenoy
Texas Instruments (USA)
Curious about how to make a lasting impact as you transition from academia to industry? Wondering what steps you need to take to thrive in an industrial setting? Join this table to gain insights from an industry expert and learn strategies for excelling as you navigate this shift.
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Pradeep Shenoy leads Texas Instrument’s Power Design Services team focused on the automotive market. Pradeep has over 15 years of experience in power electronics working on projects ranging from solar energy conversion to electric vehicle battery chargers. He has served in several roles in the IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS) and the Applied Power Electronics Conference (APEC) organizing committee. Pradeep obtained the B.S. degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago, and the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He received various awards including the Illinois International Graduate Achievement Award in 2010, the Jack Kilby Award for Innovation in 2015, and the IEEE Richard M. Bass Outstanding Young Power Electronics Engineer Award in 2020.
2. Become involved in PELS
Dehong (Mark) Xu
Zhejiang University (China)
PELS offers a variety of opportunities for members to engage and make a difference. Whether through volunteering, joining Technical Committees, or participating in local Chapters, your involvement can significantly enhance the power electronics community. By dedicating your time and expertise, you can contribute to impactful initiatives, foster professional growth, and help shape the industry’s future. Learn more about how you can make a difference.
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Mark Dehong Xu received Ph.D. degree on Electrical Engineering from Zhejiang University, China in 1989. He became a full professor in 1996 in Zhejiang University. He was a visiting professor in University of Tokyo in 1995, in Virginia Tech in 2000, and in ETH in 2006. He used to be head of Department of Electrical Engineering and Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Engineering in Zhejiang University.
His research interests include power electronics circuits，control and applications to energy efficiency and renewable energy. He authored 9 books and 300+ IEEE Journal or Conference papers. He owns 50+ patents. He received 9 IEEE journal or conference prize paper awards. He is IEEE Fellow in 2013. He was IEEE PELS Distinguish Lecturer in 2015-2018. He received IEEE PELS R. D. Middlebrook Achievement Award in 2016.
Presently he is serving as VP Membership of IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS). He was an At-large Adcom member of PELS for 2006-2008, 2017-2019, and 2020-2022. He is Co-Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Open Journal of Power Electronics, an AE of IEEE transaction on Power Electronics and IEEE Journal of Emerging and Selected Topics in Power Electronics.
He was the General Chair of IEEE International Symposium on Industrial Electronics(ISIE2012, Hangzhou), IEEE Symposium on Power Electronics for Distributed Generation Systems (PEDG2013, Arkansas), IEEE Power Electronics and Applications Conference (PEAC2018, Shenzhen), and International Future Energy Challenge Competition (IFEC2015, Detroit and Sheffield) etc.
3. Ethical ways to use ai for publishing
Yunwei (Ryan) Li
University of Alberta (Canada)
Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized countless industries, including academic publishing. But with great power comes great responsibility! In this session, explore how AI tools can be harnessed ethically to enhance research, streamline the writing process, and elevate your publications – without compromising integrity. Join to dive into the do’s and don’ts of using AI for publishing
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Yunwei (Ryan) Li is a University of Alberta Senior Engineering Research Chair and Chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. 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 more than 450 papers with over 25,000 citations.
Dr. Li is currently the Vice President for Products of IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS). 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, and TPC Co-Chair of ECCE2017. Dr. Li received the 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.
4. Successful teaching methods
Katherine Kim
National Taiwan University (Taiwan)
We all remember those teachers who left a lasting impact and perhaps even inspired our passion for the fields we love today. At this table, explore innovative teaching methods that truly engage students. From flipped classrooms to online learning, discover how to spark curiosity, foster inclusivity, and create a learning environment that resonates with students from all backgrounds.
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Katherine Kim is an Associate Professor at National Taiwan University. She is an educator and researcher in power electronics, who believes teaching is not about delivering knowledge but sparking curiosity in the student. She is interested in teaching methods that draw in students from a variety of backgrounds, such as flipped learning and online learning.
5. Work-life balance
Yu-Chen (Steven) Liu
National Taipei University of Technology (Taiwan)
In today’s fast-paced world, maintaining a healthy work-life balance is essential for productivity and well-being. Join this table as you gain insights on how to successfully navigate the demands of a professorship while maintaining a fulfilling personal life. This discussion will focus on practical strategies for achieving balance, offering perspectives that apply to professionals from all backgrounds, regardless of gender or career stage.
View Biography
Yu-Chen Liu is an Associate Professor at the National Taipei University of Technology (Taipei Tech). He has expertise in hardware design for high-density power electronics and advanced magnetics design. He served as the Taipei Section IAS Chapter Chair from 2022-2023, and is currently the General Chair for the 2025 International Future Energy Challenge.
6. Make a mark
Brad Lehman
Northeastern University (USA)
Making a meaningful impact in power electronics goes beyond involvement – it’s about leaving a lasting legacy. In this session, gain insights on how to make your mark in the industry through leadership, innovation, and strategic contributions. Learn how to position yourself for long-term success, influence the direction of cutting-edge technologies, and drive positive change in the power electronics community. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or early in your career, discover how to elevate your role and create an enduring impact.
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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.
7. effective written proposals
Johan Enslin
U.S. Department of Energy (USA)
Mastering the art of proposal writing is essential for securing funding and advancing academic and industrial research. Join this table to learn key strategies for crafting compelling and successful proposals.
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Johan Enslin is currently serving as a Program Director for the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) at the US Department of Energy (DOE). He is currently developing a new program in increasing grid capacity with DC Grids and manage several research projects in the power electronics and power systems area. Johan is from Clemson University as Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and was the Duke Energy Endowed Chair in Smart Grid Technology, leading the large Power HIL Center in Charleston SC. Dr. Enslin combines a balanced industry and academic career with more than 44 years of leadership experience in industry, academia and government throughout the USA, Europe and South Africa. He has served as a C-suite executive for several private business operations and a full-professor in electrical engineering at several universities. Dr. Enslin received BS, MS, and PhD degrees in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the Rand Afrikaans University (RAU), South Africa, in 1981, 1983 and 1988 respectively. He has authored more than 350 technical papers, several book chapters and holds 25 patents. Johan has served in the IEEE Power Electronics (PELS), as well as Power and Energy Engineering (PES) Societies and CIGRE Working Groups for decades and is currently the President-elect (2025-2026) for PELS. He is a Fellow of the IEEE.
8. Effective Mentorship: a mentor perspective
Stephanie Watts Butler
WattsButler, LLC (USA)
Many of us have benefited from the guidance of mentors to excel in our careers. But what does it take to become an effective mentor yourself? Join this table to gain insights on the essential skills and strategies to mentor others successfully. Learn how to guide, inspire, and support mentees on their career paths while fostering growth and development.
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Stephanie Watts Butler, P.E. is the president of WattsButler LLC, an innovation services company focused on the power semiconductor industry. As a technology innovation architect with over 35 years of experience in silicon and wide bandgap technology and product development, Dr. Butler also has decades of experience with mentoring, coaching, advocating, and sponsoring. Dr. Butler’s mentoring activities have impacted hundreds of students, engineers, and managers. She leveraged this experience as moderator of the popular PELS WIE session at virtual ECCE: Mentors and Advocates- How to be one and How to find one. While at Texas Instruments, she created and implemented a world-wide coaching program for the Technical Ladder career path that by its 2nd year involved over 500 individuals (mentees, coaches, supervisors) and which demonstrated higher success rate for participants and ranked highly across all job roles. She served as a coach in a innovation skills development program, as presented by her and her mentee in Powerful Innovation: developing products and leaders with an entrepreneurial culture -WIE ILC 2021. She was a mentee in the across-company Menttium program and has served as a mentor since 2010. She also serves on the TxGCP Champion Board, as well as serving on several university and consortia advisory boards.
9. Short Research Synopsis
Joseph Kozak
Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (USA)
Have you ever struggled to deliver your research to a neutral audience concisely? Do you wonder how to convey complex findings clearly and engaging effectively? Join this table to learn key strategies on how to present your research succinctly while maintaining clarity and impact.
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Joseph Kozak is the chief technologist for the Spacecraft Power Engineering group at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab. He received the B.S. and M.S degrees in Engineering Physics and Electrical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in 2014 and 2016, and the Ph.D degree in Electrical Engineering from the Center for Power Electronic Systems (CPES) at Virginia Tech in 2021. Joseph primarily supports the NASA Dragonfly project, as well as the Lunar Surface Innovation Consortium (LSIC) Surface Power Focus Area. His research interests include evaluating the reliability of SiC and GaN devices, and integrating these devices into high-reliability applications. Joseph is an active IEEE PELS volunteer, and was one of the winners of the 2021 IEEE PELS P3 Talk Award. He has also delivered over 10 invited lectures and tutorials, in addition to two University commencement addresses.
10. Women in power electronics: strategies for success
Christina DiMarino
Center for Power Electronics Systems (USA)
Listen to personal experiences and actionable strategies for success in a male-dominated field. You will also discuss overcoming obstacles, leveraging mentorship, and building a strong professional network. This session is designed to inspire and equip both current and aspiring women engineers with tools for long-term success.
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Christina DiMarino is an assistant professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at Virginia Tech and faculty in the Center for Power Electronics Systems (CPES). She received the B.S. degree in engineering from James Madison University in 2012, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical engineering from Virginia Tech in 2014 and 2018, respectively. Her research interests include power electronics packaging and high-density integration of wide-bandgap power semiconductors. She is a Member-at-Large for the IEEE Power Electronics Society (PELS), Chair for the PELS Technical Committee 2 on Power Components, Integration, and Power ICs, an Associate Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, and is a member of the PELS Women in Engineering (WIE) Committee. She has also served on the technical committees for several IEEE conferences, and is a member of the PCIM-Europe Advisory Board. She received five best paper and presentation awards at international conferences, the Outstanding New Assistant Professor Award at Virginia Tech in 2022, and the IEEE PELS Richard M. Bass Outstanding Young Power Electronics Engineer Award in 2024.
11. how to write award winning papers
Johann W. Kolar
ETH Zurich & TU Vienna
What does it take to write an award-winning paper? Join to gain insights and learn proven strategies for crafting outstanding papers. You will also learn valuable tips on capturing reader’s attention, structuring your research effectively, and enhancing the impact of your writing. Learn the key elements that make a paper exceptional and how to present your research in a way that resonates with reviewers and readers alike.
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Prof. Kolar joined the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich) in 2001 as the Head of the Power Electronic Systems Laboratory after spending 15 years as an international consultant and independent researcher. During his career, he has proposed numerous novel converter concepts, including the Vienna Rectifier, spearheaded the development of x-million rpm motors, and pioneered fully automated multi-objective power electronics design procedures. He has personally supervised 90+ PhD students to completion, has extensively published in the IEEE Transactions, is named inventor in numerous granted patents, and has received several awards. As a Prof. em. (since 08/2024), he is actively continuing to pursue research in ultra-compact/efficient WBG converter systems, AI and ML applications in power electronics, Solid-State Transformers, and the life cycle analysis of power electronics converter systems. He is an international member of the US National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and an IEEE Fellow.
