The UConn Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) mourns the passing of associate professor Sung Yeul Park, a valued colleague, teacher, scholar, and friend whose work and presence left a lasting mark on the University community.
“Those who knew Sung Yeul knew his gentleness, humility, and sincerity. He was a respectful and collegial presence in our department, someone whose kindness was felt in everyday conversations as much as in formal collaborations,” says ECE department head Liang Zhang. “In conversations of the last week, my fellow faculty recall his thoughtfulness, his steady support for students, and his quiet dedication to the people around him. His passing is a profound loss for UConn Engineering, his family, and the broader power electronics and clean energy research community.”
Park joined UConn in 2009 after earning his Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from Virginia Tech. At UConn, he built an active research program in power electronics, energy conversion, renewable energy integration, battery management systems, microgrids, smart-grid applications, grid resiliency, and cyber-physical power systems. His work addressed some of the most important challenges facing modern society: how to make electric power systems cleaner, smarter, more reliable, and more resilient.
Through the Smart Power Electronics and Energy Conversion Lab, Park mentored undergraduate and graduate students in research that connected theory, hardware, experimentation, and real-world energy applications. His projects were supported by federal agencies and industry partners and reflected both technical depth and practical relevance. In 2015, he received the prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER Award, and in 2025 he was named the Charles H. Knapp Associate Professor. He also served as Director of the Real-Time Digital Simulator Lab at the UConn Eversource Energy Center, where his leadership helped advance research in power-grid simulation, hardware-in-the-loop testing, and resilient energy infrastructure.
Park’s impact was especially visible in the students he taught, advised, and encouraged. Colleagues and students remember him as a caring mentor who gave generously of his time, supported student projects, and took pride in seeing students grow as engineers and researchers. His involvement with senior design and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers International Future Energy Challenge gave students opportunities to apply classroom learning to complex, competitive, and meaningful engineering problems. His students described him as compassionate, dedicated, and deeply invested in their academic and personal success.
Beyond his research and teaching, Park contributed to the broader community through interdisciplinary clean-energy initiatives that connected engineering education with sustainability, public service, and hands-on learning. He was part of the faculty team behind UConn’s solar-powered STEAM tree, a project that brought together engineering, art, materials science, ecology, and community engagement to create a visible symbol of sustainability on campus. He also served as the faculty advisor to an ECE senior design team involved in the Keney Clock Tower Restoration Project in Hartford, guiding students who worked with the City of Hartford and Capital Preparatory Magnet School on renewable-energy feasibility for the historic clock tower and nearby park lighting. In both efforts, Park helped students see how power electronics and clean-energy technologies could serve communities in practical and meaningful ways.
“As we mourn this loss, we also honor a life of purpose and service,” says UConn College of Engineering dean JC Zhao. “Sung Yeul’s legacy will continue through the students he mentored, the research he advanced, the collaborations he strengthened, and the many lives he touched through his kindness and dedication. He will be deeply missed and remembered by the UConn community.”
Park is remembered by his wife, Song Suk Cho, and their four children: Youngjin Daniel Park, Sungjin Caleb Park, Soojin Sharon Park, and Taejin Joseph Park.
