UConn’s College of Engineering (CoE) has announced the creation of the Connecticut Power Electronics Center of Excellence (CONPEX), representing the College’s efforts to advance research and education in power electronics ranging from semiconductor materials to systems. CONPEX is currently housed in CoE’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. Ali Bazzi has been named director, and Georges Pavlidis associate director for Research.
In a letter to UConn faculty introducing the new Center, CoE Dean JC Zhao spoke to the importance of remaining competitive in this field and said that CONPEX will play an integral role in the development of sustainable energy solutions, electric vehicles, and smart grid technologies.
“CONPEX will provide a dedicated platform for interdisciplinary collaboration among faculty, students, and industry partners,” Zhao wrote. “By focusing on innovative research projects and educational initiatives, the Center aims to drive advancements in power conversion technologies and their applications across various sectors. Dr. Bazzi’s extensive expertise in power electronics and commitment to fostering innovation will be instrumental in guiding the Center’s mission. Additionally, Dr. Pavlidis’s experience in research collaboration and technology transfer will be vital as we work to build strong partnerships with industry and other academic institutions.”
Bazzi is excited about his new role and the University’s commitment, and says this is the right time to grow and focus on this important field.
“We’re lucky to have so much relevant industry right here in Connecticut, and to be working with local and regional partners who share our interests in advancing semiconductor and power-conversion technologies,” Bazzi says. “We’ll be looking at top-down priorities, including systems and materials, and how best to support vertical integration. And we already have a strong technical team in place with expertise in wind, hydro, solar photovoltaics, batteries and fuel cells.”
Bazzi explains that the Center’s mission is extremely timely, given the exponential growth in transportation electrification (cars, ships, rail and aerospace), manufacturing, and defense. And being in Connecticut – midway between New York and Boston, and in the backyard of defense industry leaders such as General Dynamics/Electric Boat, Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, Kaman and others – is instrumental to research and collaboration. He also cites geographic proximity to Canadian hydro resources, offshore wind power, and the work being done in the state on alternative energy.
The Center will focus its efforts in three main areas: research projects, collaborative opportunities, and educational programs. This triad, says Pavlidis, is critical for supporting CONPEX’s many stakeholders.
“We’ll be engaging in advanced research that addresses critical challenges in power electronics and related areas,” he explains. “Collaboratively, we’re looking to foster partnerships with industry leaders, government agencies and other academic institutions to enhance the impact of our research efforts. And we’ll also be helping to develop specialized curricula, training programs and workshops to equip students and industry professionals with the skills needed to thrive in this evolving and dynamic field.”
Bazzi explains that CONPEX will be looking at two primary funding models, with the goal of achieving financial self-sufficiency. The first involves pursuing industry and government grants, working with manufacturing partners and potential contractors like the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Energy. The second path involves inviting companies and organizations to become CONPEX members, with different tiers established for levels of participation and advisory roles. They’ll also explore various hybrid funding models.
He and Pavlidis share a vision of CONPEX growing organically. For now, they’ll be utilizing existing labs and infrastructure and, eventually, hope to build a one-megawatt to two-megawatt test facility in a dedicated space featuring state-of-the-art labs and a variety of related amenities. Another one of their goals, they say, is to attract undergraduate and graduate students from industry and other programs. Additionally, the program’s reputation in power electronics is already drawing transfer students and new or prospective faculty with different backgrounds and expertise.
“The future includes systems that can self-diagnose and heal themselves, and the ongoing miniaturization of technology to create smaller, more efficient energy systems,” Bazzi explains. “We already have 12 faculty members onboard from several CoE departments and intend to integrate research into teaching and create a variety of short courses on subjects such as power electronics and sustainability. This center can serve as a vital hub – we are primed for growth and will complement existing research at UConn, as well as bigger-picture opportunities.”
