About Us
The Power Electronics & Drives Advanced Research Laboratory (PEARL) is part of the Center for Clean Energy Engineering and Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Connecticut (UConn).
The main research focus is on power electronics applications in electric motor drives, renewable energy systems, micro-grids, and the smart grid. Electric drives investigated cover a wide range of applications including plug-in, hybrid, and electric vehicles, and electric propulsion. Renewable energy integration is mainly focused on solar photovoltaics but covers several other areas. Efficiency, control, optimization, reliability, and real-time operation of most power electronic systems are of main interest.
UConn is frequently ranked as a top-20 public R1 research university in the US, and is also considered a Public Ivy school*. The lab has a very dynamic environment with several active research projects. Talented students interested in power electronics, especially electric drives, advanced control, fault diagnostics, and fault mitigation, are encouraged to apply. Funding is very competitive if available. Self- or government-funded students with research skills and established academic performance are highly encouraged to apply.
*H.R. Greene and M.W. Greene (2001). The public ivies: America's flagship public universities (1st ed.). New York: Cliff Street Books.
Recent News
- Prof. Bazzi has been appointed as the Madonna Professor in Power Engineering for a 5-year term.
- The IEEE PELS/PES Joint Student Chapter received the best Medium-size Chapter Award from PELS! - June 2024
- Prof. Bazzi was promoted to Full Professor effective August 23, 2024! - May 2024
- Prof. Bazzi was elected to the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering. - April 2024
- Muhammed Ali Gultekin successfully defended his Ph.D., Congratulations! - November 2023
- Kenneth Johnson just joined the lab as a new MS Student after graduating from Central Connecticut State University - August 2023
- Uilliam Kutrolli just joined the lab as a new MS Student after graduating from UConn - August 2023
- Piotr Wojciechowski, an engineer with Electric Boat, just joined the lab as a new PhD Student - August 2023
- Shaya Abou Jawdeh just joined the lab as a new PhD Student from, transferring from Mississippi State University - January 2023
- Mohammed Hanif just joined the lab as a new PhD Student from, transferring from Florida International University - January 2023
- Arshiah Y. Mirza defended her Ph.D. and joined Shel Techworks! - November 2022
- Prof. Bazzi is named as the Charles H. Knapp Associate Professor in Electrical Engineering - October 2022
- The lab is collaborating on a new USDA project to design a smart automated device that addresses citrus degradation in the U.S. - September 2022
- Hasnain Nisar just joined the lab as a new PhD Student from COMSATS University, Pakistan, welcome! - August 2022
- One of the new research grants is through the National Institute for Underwater Vehicle Technology (NIUVT) and funded by ONR- May 2022
- Prof. Bazzi is now the UConn PI for RETHi - April 2022
- One of the new research grants is funded by Ward Leonard/Fairbanks Morse Defense- January 2022
- PEARL is now a collaborator with the Resilient Extra-Terrestrial Habitats Institute (RETHi) funded by NASA and led by Purdue University with collaborators at UConn, Harvard, and UT San Antonio! - January 2022
- Ethan Hotchkiss successfully defended his master's thesis, congratulations! - December 2021
- Zhe Zhang successfully defended his Ph.D. dissertation, congratulations! - September 2021
- Pengwei Li just joined the lab as a new PhD Student from Chongqing University, China, welcome! - August 2021
- One of the new research grants is through the CT Space Consortium funded by NASA - August 2021
Contact
University of Connecticut
Electrical and Computer Engineering
371 Fairfield Way; U-4157
Storrs, Connecticut 06269-4157 USA
E-mail: bazzi@uconn.edu
Phone:(860)486-5377