[{"id":685,"date":"2026-08-10T14:46:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T14:46:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/?p=685"},"modified":"2026-08-19T20:27:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T20:27:29","slug":"august-2026-graduates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/august-2026-graduates\/","title":{"rendered":"Congratulations, August 2026 Graduates!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

August 2026 ECE Graduates<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Congratulations to all of our new Electrical and Computer Engineering graduates! We wish you all the success in what comes next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctorate, Computer Engineering
<\/strong>Mikaila Gossman
Gen Li
ChunChih Lin<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doctorate, Electrical Engineering
<\/strong>Md Saiful Islam<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Master of Science, Computer Engineering
<\/strong>Sam Reinders
Timothy Ross<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Master of Science, Electrical Engineering
<\/strong>Swarna Ashrita Gurindapalli
Md. Zarif Hossain
Joseph Pearson
Jack Thow
Zeming Zhuang<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bachelor\u00a0of Science, Computer Engineering
<\/strong>Matthew Koon
Mason Vari<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bachelor\u00a0of Science, Electrical Engineering
<\/strong>Jose Contreras
Christopher Horne<\/p>\n\n\n\n



<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

August 2026 ECE Graduates Congratulations to all of our new Electrical and Computer Engineering graduates! We wish you all the success in what comes next. Doctorate, Computer EngineeringMikaila GossmanGen LiChunChih Lin Doctorate, Electrical EngineeringMd Saiful Islam Master of Science, Computer EngineeringSam ReindersTimothy Ross Master of Science, Electrical EngineeringSwarna Ashrita GurindapalliMd. Zarif HossainJoseph PearsonJack ThowZeming Zhuang […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":316,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,95829],"tags":[],"coauthors":[96314],"class_list":["post-685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-department","category-reseach"],"fimg_url":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/685","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/316"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=685"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/685\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":687,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/685\/revisions\/687"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=685"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=685"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":698,"date":"2026-08-06T14:37:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-06T14:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/?p=698"},"modified":"2026-08-14T18:48:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T18:48:29","slug":"clemson-university-prepares-the-next-generation-workforce-to-keep-the-lights-on","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/clemson-university-prepares-the-next-generation-workforce-to-keep-the-lights-on\/","title":{"rendered":"Clemson University prepares the next-generation workforce to keep the lights on"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Paul Alongi<\/a> August 6, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Engineers are crucial to the electric grid, but it worked so well for so long that it became a victim of its own success\u2013 many engineering students started to see it as boring and looked elsewhere for careers they perceived as more exciting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that is starting to change, and Clemson University is using that momentum to recruit students and prepare the grid workforce of the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Factors that include rising energy demand from data centers, electrification of the manufacturing sector and extreme weather are putting unprecedented stress on the grid. At the same time, utilities are facing a wave of workforce retirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clearly, those are problems for society. But for power engineering students, they become interesting challenges to solve and the foundation for meaningful careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the Clemson faculty members who teach those students, it is an opportunity to foster a passion for power engineering in the next-generation workforce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ramtin Hadidi<\/a>, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, said he is seeing an uptick in interest in the grid among students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere was a period of time when this was not a popular topic,\u201d Hadidi said. \u201cStudents said, \u2018Oh, power, everybody knows how it works. There\u2019s nothing to research about that.\u2019 It was not an enticing topic. Computers and the internet were enticing. Now power engineering is back on top. Students like to know more about it and work in this field.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next generation of power engineers will need more than a traditional electrical engineering background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clemson faculty members said that while strong fundamentals in power systems will continue to be critical, students will also need to understand power electronics, computing, communications, controls, artificial intelligence and the practical realities of keeping electricity reliable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is why Clemson is combining classroom instruction with hands-on labs, industry-connected projects and facilities such as the Duke Energy eGRID, where students can see how real grid equipment behaves under real-world conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a combination that has attracted top students, including a Fulbright Scholar<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have to teach fundamentals at the right level but also make it interesting,\u201d said Johan Enslin<\/a>, a professor of electrical and computer engineering. \u201cI don\u2019t think you should just give them differential equations until it\u2019s over their heads. I think it\u2019s important to make it fun for them in class.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kevin Tomsovic<\/a>, the Duke Energy Endowed Chair in Smart Grid Technology, said power engineering gives students a wide range of problems to solve, from helping data centers manage their electricity use to keeping the full grid working together.
It\u2019s also an opportunity to work in a field that provides a critical service to society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m happy to be part of the utility industry, because I think it\u2019s a service field,\u201d Tomsovic said. \u201cWe\u2019re providing critical services, and it\u2019s good for society. The system runs well, and everybody\u2019s better off.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Paul Alongi August 6, 2026 Engineers are crucial to the electric grid, but it worked so well for so long that it became a victim of its own success\u2013 many engineering students started to see it as boring and looked elsewhere for careers they perceived as more exciting. All that is starting to change, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":316,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,95829],"tags":[96321],"coauthors":[96314],"class_list":["post-698","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-department","category-reseach","tag-grid-resilience-week"],"fimg_url":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/698","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/316"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=698"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/698\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":700,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/698\/revisions\/700"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=698"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=698"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=698"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=698"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":694,"date":"2026-08-05T17:01:54","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T17:01:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/?p=694"},"modified":"2026-08-14T18:48:40","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T18:48:40","slug":"clemson-universitys-grid-emulator-helps-test-new-technology-without-putting-the-electric-grid-at-risk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/clemson-universitys-grid-emulator-helps-test-new-technology-without-putting-the-electric-grid-at-risk\/","title":{"rendered":"Grid emulator helps test new technology without putting the electric grid at risk"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Paul Alongi<\/a> August 5, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The electric grid is not the kind of place you want to run risky experiments. If something goes wrong, the consequences could spread fast, with darkened homes, shuttered schools and internet outages, just to start.

That\u2019s why Clemson University\u2019s grid emulator is so important.

The Duke Energy eGRID<\/a> gives utilities, manufacturers and researchers a place to test new grid equipment and technologies under real-world conditions without putting the real grid at risk.

Testing new equipment for the grid is growing in importance as data centers and electrification drive up demand for energy. At the same time, extreme weather and aging infrastructure are stressing the system.

New equipment can help make the grid stronger and more reliable, but utilities need to know it can operate safely before they put it into service. That means meeting standards and, in many cases, going through certification.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s something the eGRID can help with,\u201d said Kevin Tomsovic<\/a>, the Duke Energy Chair in Smart Grid Technology. \u201cThe reason we have those standards is that the power grid is critical for everything, and it will be even more so in the future. It\u2019s critical to keep it up and running.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cYou can have great engineers, great professors and great students, but if you don\u2019t have facilities, you\u2019re not going to be competitive. It\u2019s important to have facilities that are well maintained and well funded and we can use in bigger plans.\u201dJohan Enslin<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Ramtin Hadidi<\/a>, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, said utilities often take a conservative approach to integrating new technologies and equipment into the grid.

The eGRID allows researchers to go beyond low-power, lab-based testing and show how equipment will respond to an actual grid, he said. The goal is to reduce the risk of misoperation and failure to as close to zero as possible, Hadidi said.

\u201cCreating those odd situations that utilities don\u2019t often see in a repeatable fashion is what the eGRID can do and what I like to see as a researcher,\u201d he said. \u201cYou reduce the chance of failure and increase the resiliency of the system as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
The Duke Energy eGRID is among three grid emulators of its kind in the country, has been in operation since 2013 and is housed in the Dominion Energy Innovation Center in North Charleston.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n
\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Johan Enslin<\/a>, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, said the eGRID shows how initial investment can help the University compete for research grants. The eGRID has helped Clemson build partnerships and research teams that lead to large, impactful projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou can have great engineers, great professors and great students, but if you don\u2019t have facilities, you\u2019re not going to be competitive,\u201d Enslin said. \u201cIt\u2019s important to have facilities that are well maintained and well funded and we can use in bigger plans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And that\u2019s exactly what the eGRID has done.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Paul Alongi August 5, 2026 The electric grid is not the kind of place you want to run risky experiments. If something goes wrong, the consequences could spread fast, with darkened homes, shuttered schools and internet outages, just to start. That\u2019s why Clemson University\u2019s grid emulator is so important. The Duke Energy eGRID gives utilities, manufacturers […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":316,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,95829],"tags":[96321],"coauthors":[96314],"class_list":["post-694","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-department","category-reseach","tag-grid-resilience-week"],"fimg_url":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/694","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/316"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=694"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/694\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":697,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/694\/revisions\/697"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=694"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=694"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=694"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=694"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":692,"date":"2026-08-04T16:55:18","date_gmt":"2026-08-04T16:55:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/?p=692"},"modified":"2026-08-14T18:49:05","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T18:49:05","slug":"keeping-the-lights-on-clemson-university-works-with-partners-to-modernize-the-grid-as-energy-demand-rises","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/keeping-the-lights-on-clemson-university-works-with-partners-to-modernize-the-grid-as-energy-demand-rises\/","title":{"rendered":"Clemson University works with partners to modernize the grid as energy demand rises"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Paul Alongi<\/a> August 4, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It is hard to overstate the stakes in Clemson University\u2019s work on one of the globe\u2019s greatest engineering marvels, an invention so fundamental to 21st century life that most people notice it only when it fails\u2013 and then it\u2019s impossible to ignore.

The electric grid cools homes, charges phones, powers factories, illuminates classrooms, supports lifesaving care in hospitals and keeps us all out of the darkness when the sun sets.

With the grid facing rising demand, Clemson\u2019s electrical engineers are working with partners to ensure that power keeps flowing through the grid\u2019s more than 600,000 miles of transmission lines.

Those Clemson electrical engineers include some of the globe\u2019s most renowned authorities on power systems and power electronics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Johan Enslin<\/a>, a professor of electrical and computer engineering, said pressure on the grid is already shaping decisions for utilities, industries and researchers.

\u201cThis is not just academics and research guys worrying about this,\u201d said Enslin, who is president of the IEEE Power Electronics Society. \u201cThis is real now.\u201d

Energy-saving devices such as LED lights helped keep power demand nearly flat for about 20 years, but now it is rising again. The U.S. Energy Information Administration forecasts demand to increase 1.3% this year and another 3.1% in 2027.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Kevin Tomsovic,<\/a> the Duke Energy Chair in Smart Grid Technology, said that data centers are causing a sudden increase in demand, but many other factors from manufacturing to transportation are also playing a role.

\u201cIf you take a little broader look, there\u2019s really a whole process of electrification,\u201d said Tomsovic, a member of the National Academy of Engineering. \u201cOther large loads are electrifying. Some of that has already happened, such as using arc furnaces to melt steel.\u201d

It\u2019s not just demand putting pressure on the grid. The weather is becoming more extreme, from wildfires that tear through California to hurricanes that ravage the Carolinas.

At the same time, expanding the grid\u2019s capacity isn\u2019t as simple as putting up a few new power poles. Utilities are charged with providing reliable power at the lowest possible cost and have had little economic or regulatory incentive for years to make major expansions to the grid\u2019s capacity.

Now that demand is back on the upswing, grid expansion faces some of the same challenges as many other industrial-scale construction projects: rising costs, supply chain issues and few landowners wanting to relinquish rights of way or have new transmission lines installed near their back yards.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Not only that but the grid has to keep power flowing even as it is upgraded, said Ramtin Hadidi,<\/a> an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering.

\u201cOne of my colleagues at a utility says it well,\u201d Hadidi said. \u201cThe grid and its upgrade to meet new loads is like you are living in your house and you are fixing your house at the same time. The caveat is that you want everything to remain the same as before, without any inconvenience, but you are still fixing your house.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To meet the challenge, Clemson works closely with partners that include utilities, industry, national laboratories, government and academia across the country to develop and test the technologies needed to make the grid stronger, smarter and more resilient.

Their work is helping wring as much electricity as possible out of the existing grid, while helping shape how the grid of the future will work.

Some research, for example, focuses on how new power electronics can be plugged into the grid, while other work explores how utilities can better monitor the system, predict problems and keep power flowing when the grid is under stress.

The cutting-edge research provides students with hands-on experience that helps prepare them to modernize and run the grid.

Researchers have the benefit of working in unique world-class facilities, including the Duke Energy eGRID electric grid emulator, which is housed in the Dominion Energy Innovation Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hai Xiao<\/a>, chair of the Holcombe Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, said Clemson\u2019s strength is its ability to bring together faculty expertise, world-class facilities and industry partnerships to address one of the nation\u2019s most urgent infrastructure challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cModernizing the grid will require new ideas, new technologies and a new generation of engineers prepared to lead,\u201d Xiao said. \u201cClemson is helping provide all three. Our faculty, students and partners are working together to build a stronger, smarter and more resilient energy future.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Paul Alongi August 4, 2026 It is hard to overstate the stakes in Clemson University\u2019s work on one of the globe\u2019s greatest engineering marvels, an invention so fundamental to 21st century life that most people notice it only when it fails\u2013 and then it\u2019s impossible to ignore. The electric grid cools homes, charges phones, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":316,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,95829],"tags":[96321],"coauthors":[96314],"class_list":["post-692","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-department","category-reseach","tag-grid-resilience-week"],"fimg_url":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/692","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/316"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=692"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/692\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":696,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/692\/revisions\/696"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=692"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=692"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=692"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=692"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":690,"date":"2026-08-03T16:49:32","date_gmt":"2026-08-03T16:49:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/?p=690"},"modified":"2026-08-14T18:49:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T18:49:17","slug":"college-helps-lead-the-way-in-strengthening-the-electric-grid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/college-helps-lead-the-way-in-strengthening-the-electric-grid\/","title":{"rendered":"College helps lead the way in strengthening the electric grid"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

by Paul Alongi<\/a> August 3, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

By Hai Xiao and Anand Gramopadhye<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The electric grid is one of the great engineering achievements of modern life. Most days, it works so well that we barely notice it. We flip a switch, charge a phone, cool a home, power a factory or run a hospital, and we expect the electricity to be there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the grid is under new pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Demand is rising from data centers, advanced manufacturing, transportation and other parts of the economy that are using more electricity. Extreme weather is testing the system in new ways. At the same time, utilities are preparing for a wave of retirements among the engineers who know how to keep power flowing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is why the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences <\/a>is declaring this Grid Resilience Week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout the week, we will share stories about how the college is helping address one of the most important infrastructure challenges facing the nation. These stories focus on the technologies, facilities, partnerships and people needed to make the grid stronger, smarter and more resilient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Clemson, we believe the toughest problems are solved by teams. Our faculty members are working with utilities, industry partners, national laboratories, government agencies and academic collaborators to develop and test ideas that can make a real difference. This is urgent work tied to a system that provides the backbone for modern society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We are fortunate to have brilliant faculty members who are recognized leaders in power systems, power electronics and related fields. We have students who are discovering that power engineering is not an old problem already solved, but a growing field full of meaningful challenges. And we have world-class facilities that allow Clemson and its partners to test new technologies under realistic conditions without putting the actual grid at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We hope you will take time this week to read these stories. They show Clemson at its best: bringing together talented people, high-quality partners and exceptional facilities to solve problems that matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The work is difficult, the stakes are high and Clemson is helping lead the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hai Xiao<\/strong> is the chair of the Holcombe Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anand Gramopadhye <\/strong>is the dean of the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Coming Tuesday:<\/strong> Learn how Clemson\u2019s electrical engineers are working with partners to ensure that power keeps flowing through the grid\u2019s more than 600,000 miles of transmission lines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read additional coverage of Clemson\u2019s work related to grid resilience here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NSF taps Clemson for grid innovation<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turning waste heat to electricity<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keeping the electrical grid in SHAPE<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Deploying vanadium flow batteries<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Paul Alongi August 3, 2026 By Hai Xiao and Anand Gramopadhye The electric grid is one of the great engineering achievements of modern life. Most days, it works so well that we barely notice it. We flip a switch, charge a phone, cool a home, power a factory or run a hospital, and we […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":316,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[96321],"coauthors":[96314],"class_list":["post-690","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-department","tag-grid-resilience-week"],"fimg_url":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/690","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/316"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=690"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/690\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":691,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/690\/revisions\/691"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=690"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=690"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=690"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":688,"date":"2026-07-16T14:46:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-16T14:46:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/?p=688"},"modified":"2026-08-14T18:49:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T18:49:29","slug":"nsf-taps-clemson-for-energy-grid-innovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/nsf-taps-clemson-for-energy-grid-innovation\/","title":{"rendered":"NSF taps Clemson for energy grid innovation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Scott Miller<\/a> July 14, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Industrial<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The National Science Foundation (NSF) today announced Clemson University as a key player in the effort to modernize the nation\u2019s electric grid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clemson was named a founding partner in the NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas (Carolinas Grid Engine)<\/a>, one of the agency\u2019s newest Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines<\/a>). Carolinas Grid Engine will develop, test, commercialize and deploy technologies that address one of the nation\u2019s most pressing infrastructure challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur state-of-the-art Dominion Energy Innovation Center at Clemson\u2019s Charleston Innovation Campus boasts the infrastructure, technical expertise and testing capabilities needed to address complex energy challenges and innovate next generation grid technologies. We are an eager partner with the Carolinas Grid Engine to strengthen those capabilities while supporting the applied research necessary to advance modern energy systems,\u201d said Cole Smith, Clemson University executive vice president for academic affairs and provost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"The<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The engine will accelerate adoption of solutions that improve grid reliability, strengthen domestic supply chains and help the United States meet rapidly growing electricity demand driven by artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, data centers and population growth. The award includes an initial $15 million investment over two years, with the potential for up to $160 million over the next decade based on performance milestones. Led by the University of North Carolina Charlotte, Carolinas Grid Engine core partners include Clemson, the South Carolina Research Authority, York Technical College, Joules Accelerator and E4 Carolinas, along with more than 100 public and private partners that will support the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clemson\u2019s Charleston Innovation Campus<\/a> will support the development, validation and testing of grid-enhancing technologies, smart and hybrid transformers, grid inverters, energy storage systems, and other emerging technologies designed to deliver electricity across the grid more safely, reliably and cost-effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA reliable and resilient energy supply is critical to South Carolina\u2019s continued success,\u201d said S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster. \u201cThis award will help strengthen our ability to meet future demand, support economic opportunity, and ensure the Carolinas remain leaders in innovation and job creation. We are proud to celebrate the partners who helped secure this award and grateful for the strong collaboration across the Carolinas that made it possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"an
Clemson\u2019s Charleston Innovation Campus<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Housed at Clemson\u2019s Dominion Energy Innovation Center in Charleston, the Duke Energy eGRID can emulate the electrical grid of any region in the world, allowing real-world testing of emerging energy technologies. A new mobile grid emulator called EDGE will more than double the center\u2019s power-rating capabilities and allow for on-location testing anywhere in the Carolinas. EDGE, secured with funding as part of the SC NEXUS for Advanced Resilient Energy<\/a> technology hub, is a high-powered grid simulator on wheels.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"A
Ramtin Hadidi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cThe announcement of the NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas as one of the elite NSF Regional Innovation Engines is more than a recognition of technical excellence, it is a validation of the strategic investments made by the federal government, the state of South Carolina and industry partners to strengthen our energy future,\u201d said S.C. Secretary of Commerce Harry Lightsey III. \u201cBuilding on the foundation established through SC NEXUS and our state\u2019s world-class energy assets, this effort positions the Carolinas as a national leader in grid modernization, energy resilience, workforce development and innovation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition to EDGE, Clemson is adding a walk-in thermal chamber at its eGRID facility that will allow technologies to be tested at varying temperatures and humidity levels, said Ramtin Hadidi, co-chief technology officer of the Carolinas Grid Engine and an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at Clemson.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis is critical for utilities and system operators because these technologies must be designed and validated to be deployed anywhere in the country and succeed in any climate,\u201d Hadidi said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spanning a 36-county region, the NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas brings together more than 100 universities, utilities, manufacturers, entrepreneurs, workforce organizations, investors, economic development organizations and state and local governments to create a nationally significant innovation ecosystem for grid modernization. In addition to Clemson and other core partners, collaborators include Duke Energy, Dominion Energy, Santee Cooper, EPRI, Siemens Energy, Honeywell, Nucor and the North and South Carolina Departments of Commerce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The NSF Engines program forms a connected national network that supports large-scale regional partnerships focused on accelerating the development and deployment of critical technologies, growing regional economies and strengthening America\u2019s global competitiveness. Carolinas Grid Engine is one of only 12 engines selected from nearly 300 teams that entered the national competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To read more, visit Clemson News<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Scott Miller July 14, 2026 The National Science Foundation (NSF) today announced Clemson University as a key player in the effort to modernize the nation\u2019s electric grid. Clemson was named a founding partner in the NSF Grid Modernization Engine in the Carolinas (Carolinas Grid Engine), one of the agency\u2019s newest Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines). […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":316,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1,95829],"tags":[],"coauthors":[96314],"class_list":["post-688","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-department","category-reseach"],"fimg_url":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/688","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/316"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=688"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/688\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":689,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/688\/revisions\/689"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=688"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=688"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=688"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=688"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":676,"date":"2026-04-28T17:26:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T17:26:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/?p=676"},"modified":"2026-05-08T19:15:53","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T19:15:53","slug":"2026-student-award-winners-in-electrical-and-computer-engineering","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/2026-student-award-winners-in-electrical-and-computer-engineering\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 Student Award Winners in Electrical and Computer Engineering"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Holcombe Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 department-wide student awards, recognizing exceptional achievement in academics, research, leadership, and service across all levels of study.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a>
2026 ECE Student Award winners with members of the ECE Board of Advocates. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Undergraduate Awards<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Rhodes Award \u2013 Outstanding Students in Computer Engineering<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Awarded to the most outstanding junior and senior Computer Engineering students for exceptional academic performance, leadership, and service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Junior: Matt Esposito<\/strong><\/strong>
Matt has extensive professional experience through multiple internships, including developing software tools for Clemson\u2019s research computing infrastructure and improving workflows in industry settings. He has also contributed to award-winning research, helping develop a first-place autonomous robot for the IEEE SoutheastCon Hardware Competition. In addition, he is an active member of engineering honor societies and student organizations, supporting both academic and professional communities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Senior: Samuel Quan<\/strong>
Samuel is a senior in Computer Engineering student double majoring in Physics. He has gained advanced research and industry experience through internships at Los Alamos National Laboratory and Clemson, focusing on high-performance computing and data compression. Samuel is highly active in student organizations, contributing to quantum computing research, competitive hackathons, and Clemson\u2019s supercomputing team. His accomplishments include multiple first-place awards and previous recognition as the Most Outstanding Junior in Computer Engineering. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

W.M. Riggs Award \u2013 Outstanding Students in Electrical Engineering<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This prestigious honor is awarded to the top junior and senior Electrical Engineering students who have demonstrated outstanding academic performance, leadership, and service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Junior: Sophia Voulgaris<\/strong>
Sophia is a junior in Electrical Engineering with a a minor in Mathematical Sciences, demonstrating strong academic performance. She has gained valuable technical experience through an internship at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, where she designed PCB hardware and worked with FPGA systems. Sophia is actively involved in research across multiple areas, including optical materials, cybersecurity, and quantum computing, with recognition in national competitions. She also serves as president of the Clemson ReCyclery, leading sustainability initiatives that provide accessible transportation to students, and as an undergraduate ambassador for the ECE department’s student recruitment efforts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Senior: Cameron Nowell<\/strong>
Cameron is a senior in Electrical and Computer Engineering minoring in Computer Science. He has gained practical experience through an internship with Merrick & Company, contributing to electrical design and system documentation. Cameron is also actively involved in research, developing software for unmanned ground vehicles and working on advanced laser systems for spectroscopy experiments. He serves as Social Media Chair for the IEEE Clemson Student Branch, helping organize events and engage fellow students. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

George G. Miler, Jr. ’62 Memorial Award \u2013 Top Sophomore Students<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Electrical Engineering: Ella Reece<\/strong>
Ella is a sophomore in Electrical Engineering with a perfect 4.0 GPA, reflecting her strong academic commitment. Ella balances her studies with two campus jobs, including serving as an area desk assistant and a Cadence Student Ambassador providing technical support. She has gained practical experience through an internship with McCall Thomas Engineering, contributing to substation grounding design and fiber optic project documentation. She is also involved in several student organizations and participates in STEM outreach for K\u201312 students. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Computer Engineering: Jeshua Espiritu<\/strong>
Jeshua is a Sophomore in Computer Engineering with a perfect 4.0 GPA, reflecting his strong academic excellence. He has gained hands-on experience through a co-op with MITRE, contributing to research and developing advanced computer hardware technologies. Jeshua is also involved in robotics research, helping design and program a competition robot for the SoutheastCon Hardware Competition. In addition, he serves as a Residential Community Mentor, supporting and building community among fellow students. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n

Graduate Student Awards<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Now in their 41st year, the Holcombe Graduate Student Awards recognize exemplary graduate students in research, teaching, and service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outstanding Graduate Researcher: Kanak Kanti Bhowmik<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Nominated by his advisor, Dr. Lianfeng Zhao, Kanak Bhowmik<\/strong><\/strong> has been recognized for his prolific and impactful research. A Ph.D. candidate in Photonic Science and Technology program, his research spans an impressive range of topics, including organic LEDs, solar cells, lasers, photodetectors, memory devices, bi-directional optical communication, and metal halide perovskites\u2014a class of materials with a distinctive crystal structure that are driving advances in solar cells and next-generation electronic and photonic technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kanak has served as a research assistant since arriving at Clemson in August 2023. Prior to that, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology. In less than three years, Kanak has demonstrated remarkable research productivity, contributing to at least seven papers. These include three journal publications as lead author, with a fourth currently under review, as well as additional collaborative work and two conference papers as lead author. His work has appeared in several high-impact journals, including ACS Nano<\/em> and Advanced Photonics Research<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In his nomination letter, Professor Zhao described Kanak as an exceptionally productive and innovative researcher. One notable example is his work on electrically pumped perovskite lasers, where he has engineered materials to significantly improve photoluminescence lifetime. This achievement represents an important step toward energy-efficient, next-generation light sources. As Professor Zhao\u2019s first Ph.D. student, Kanak has also played a key leadership role in building their research laboratory from the ground up, while mentoring three junior Ph.D. students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outstanding Graduate Laboratory Teaching Assistant: Tim Reid<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This award is determined based on evaluations by undergraduates enrolled in ECE laboratory courses, as well as assessments by faculty supervisors and .<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tim Reid<\/strong> is a master\u2019s student in Electrical Engineering, also working as a research assistant in the Photonics Technology Laboratory under the direction of Dr. Hai Xiao. He earned his bachelor\u2019s degree in Electrical Engineering from Clemson in 2025 and currently serves as the TA for Electronics II Lab, where he has earned praise for his enthusiasm, preparedness, and accessibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Tehseen Raza, the faculty lab coordinator, commented that in his teaching position, he has consistently received positive feedback from both students and faculty, and is known for his knowledge and hard work. Students\u2019 evaluations of his lab sections remark on his teaching skills as well as his ability to help students succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Holcombe Graduate Student Award for Outstanding Graduate Service<\/strong>: Precious Eyabi<\/strong><\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

This award recognizes a full-time graduate student in electrical or computer engineering who has demonstrated exceptional service to the department. Recipients are selected by the Department Chair with the consent of the ECE Advisory Committee, based on contributions that enhance the educational, professional, and collegial experiences of our students and support the broader mission and outreach efforts of the department.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Precious<\/strong> is a direct-entry Ph.D. student in Electrical Engineering working with her advisor Dr. Jon Calhoun and earned her B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Clemson in 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Precious has played an important role in recruiting students from General Engineering into our Electrical and Computer Engineering programs by participating in multiple Major Discovery Nights\u2014an event where alumni, current students, advisory board members, and faculty share their experiences and help guide students in choosing their academic paths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Precious has done an outstanding job representing the department at these events. Several students shared that hearing from Precious changed their perspective and inspired them to pursue ECE after learning about the exciting career opportunities in the field. These moments are critical in shaping the future of the programs, and her contributions have made a meaningful impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please join us in congratulating all of this year\u2019s award winners! These students represent the very best of Clemson Engineering\u2014innovative, dedicated, and ready to lead in their fields.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Holcombe Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 department-wide student awards, recognizing exceptional achievement in academics, research, leadership, and service across all levels of study. Undergraduate Awards Rhodes Award \u2013 Outstanding Students in Computer Engineering Awarded to the most outstanding junior and senior Computer Engineering students […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":316,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"coauthors":[96314],"class_list":["post-676","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-department"],"fimg_url":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/676","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/316"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=676"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/676\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=676"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=676"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=676"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=676"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":678,"date":"2026-04-23T15:38:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T15:38:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/?p=678"},"modified":"2026-06-29T15:42:03","modified_gmt":"2026-06-29T15:42:03","slug":"clemson-university-works-with-partners-to-turn-waste-heat-into-electricity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/clemson-university-works-with-partners-to-turn-waste-heat-into-electricity\/","title":{"rendered":"Clemson University works with partners to turn waste heat into electricity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

byPaul Alongi<\/a>, April 22, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A heat-recovery system will be shipped later this year to the Clemson University Restoration Institute in North Charleston for testing and validation, researchers said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clemson University researchers are working with partners to test and validate a system that is designed to capture waste heat from industrial processes and turn it into usable electricity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 1-megawatt heat-recovery system is a prototype that is designed for use at data centers, natural gas compression sites, industrial facilities, geothermal operations and other locations where waste heat can be captured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Turning waste heat into electricity could make operations more energy efficient, lower costs and reduce strain on the grid, researchers said.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
Ramtin Hadidi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The system stands as an example of how Clemson researchers work with companies to shepherd technology through the toughest stages of development on the path to market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was designed by the project team, built by subcontractor A G Equipment Company outside Tulsa, Oklahoma and will be shipped later this year to the Clemson University Restoration Institute in North Charleston for testing and validation, said Ramtin Hadidi<\/a>, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering and the principal investigator for the project.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system is the focal point of a $6.3-million research grant that the U.S. Department of Energy provided to Clemson, TECO-Westinghouse Motor Company and the National Laboratory of the Rockies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis project has been a strong example of what can be achieved through close collaboration between Clemson and our industry and national lab partners,\u201d Hadidi said. \u201cI\u2019ve been very pleased with how the team has worked together to bring the system to a full-scale build, and we\u2019re looking forward to the next phase.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system is the latest project in a longstanding partnership between Clemson and TECO-Westinghouse Motor Company<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dean Sarandria, vice president at TECO-Westinghouse Motor Company, said the system has been nearly a decade in the making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s exciting to see this work reach a point where we can begin testing and demonstrating its potential,\u201d said Sarandria, who is among the system\u2019s patent holders. \u201cWe\u2019re now focused on validating that the system can reliably convert waste heat into power and deliver the expected performance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system is based on a technology called an Organic Rankine Cycle, or ORC. Heat is used to convert a fluid into a high-pressure gas that spins a turbo expander. The spinning turbo expander turns a high-speed shaft connected to a generator that produces electricity. The system operates at very high speeds, with components running at around 15,000 revolutions per minute. Researchers see high potential especially at data centers, which generate lots of heat and are hungry for electricity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hai Xiao<\/a>, chair of the Holcombe Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering<\/a>, said the project highlights Clemson\u2019s role in advancing energy and manufacturing technologies through research and collaboration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis work shows how our faculty and partners are tackling real-world challenges with innovative solutions,\u201d Xiao said. \u201cI congratulate the team on reaching this significant milestone in its research.\u201d

About TECO-Westinginhouse:<\/strong>
TECO-Westinghouse is a global leader in electric motors and generators, offering products from 1\/4 hp to 100,000 hp for a wide range of industrial applications. In recent years, the company has expanded into new business areas, including power transformers, modular data centers, fiber optic cable integration, and agricultural UAV powertrains. Headquartered in Texas, TECO-Westinghouse was established in 1995 following TECO Electric & Machinery Co., Ltd.\u2019s acquisition of Westinghouse\u2019s motor business. For more information, please visit: https:\/\/www.tecowestinghouse.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more at Clemson News<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

byPaul Alongi, April 22, 2026 A heat-recovery system will be shipped later this year to the Clemson University Restoration Institute in North Charleston for testing and validation, researchers said. Clemson University researchers are working with partners to test and validate a system that is designed to capture waste heat from industrial processes and turn it […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":316,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"coauthors":[96314],"class_list":["post-678","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-department"],"fimg_url":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/678","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/316"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=678"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/678\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=678"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=678"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=678"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=678"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":674,"date":"2026-02-10T17:07:00","date_gmt":"2026-02-10T17:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/?p=674"},"modified":"2026-05-08T17:09:25","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T17:09:25","slug":"storen-technologies-deploys-flow-batteries-at-clemson-university-for-grid-integrated-energy-storage-validation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/storen-technologies-deploys-flow-batteries-at-clemson-university-for-grid-integrated-energy-storage-validation\/","title":{"rendered":"StorEn Technologies Deploys Flow Batteries at Clemson University for Grid-Integrated Energy Storage Validation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Paul Alongi<\/a> February 3, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Clemson<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

StorEn Technologies, Inc. has deployed two vanadium flow battery systems at Clemson University as part of a research collaboration focused on validating next-generation electric power systems and grid-scale energy storage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The containerized systems will be installed at Duke Energy\u2019s e-GRID facility within the Clemson University Restoration Institute in North Charleston, an operational research environment designed to replicate utility-relevant grid conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through integration with Clemson\u2019s e-GRID infrastructure, the systems will enable researchers to evaluate the performance, grid interaction, and system-level behavior of advanced energy storage technologies under conditions representative of real-world power networks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The collaboration includes the deployment of two containerized vanadium flow battery systems designed for long-duration, grid-scale applications. Data generated through this work will support performance validation, model verification, and applied research relevant to utilities and grid operators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The deployment highlights the role of industry\u2013university collaboration in advancing applied energy research while supporting workforce development aligned with emerging grid technologies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis collaboration with Clemson represents a strategic opportunity for StorEn,\u201d said John Davis, board member and director of North American Operations at StorEn Technologies and a Clemson alumnus. \u201cBy deploying our technology in a grid-integrated research environment, we can evaluate system performance, strengthen relationships with industry partners and customers, and gain insights into how our solutions operate within advanced grid infrastructure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Clemson, the collaboration provides access to utility-scale energy storage hardware that enhances research fidelity and data quality while expanding hands-on learning opportunities for students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese systems significantly expand the scope of what we can test and validate,\u201d said Sez Atamturktur Russcher<\/a>, Provost Distinguished Professor at Clemson. \u201cHaving grid-scale energy storage hardware on site allows us to verify models, collect high-quality data, and conduct research that closely reflects the operational challenges faced by utilities and industry partners.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ramtin Hadidi<\/a>, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, emphasized the broader impact of the systems across multiple research initiatives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEnergy storage is a foundational component of modern power systems,\u201d Hadidi said. \u201cThis collaboration enables us to evaluate how batteries\u2014particularly long-duration technologies such as vanadium flow batteries\u2014interact with the grid at both the system and device levels, supporting more accurate research outcomes and providing students with hands-on experience using industry-relevant technology.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About StorEn Technologies<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

StorEn Technologies, Inc. is an energy storage company developing vanadium flow battery systems for long-duration, grid-scale applications. The company is currently conducting a crowdfunding campaign on invest.storen.tech<\/a>. Additional information is available through publicly filed offering materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more at Clemson News<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Paul Alongi February 3, 2026 StorEn Technologies, Inc. has deployed two vanadium flow battery systems at Clemson University as part of a research collaboration focused on validating next-generation electric power systems and grid-scale energy storage. The containerized systems will be installed at Duke Energy\u2019s e-GRID facility within the Clemson University Restoration Institute in North […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":316,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"coauthors":[96314],"class_list":["post-674","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-department"],"fimg_url":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/674","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/316"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=674"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/674\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=674"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=674"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=674"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=674"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":672,"date":"2026-01-18T13:01:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-18T13:01:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/?p=672"},"modified":"2026-05-08T17:09:48","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T17:09:48","slug":"new-way-of-monitoring-wildfire-could-take-flight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/new-way-of-monitoring-wildfire-could-take-flight\/","title":{"rendered":"New way of monitoring wildfire could take flight"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

by Paul Alongi<\/a> January 12, 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Drones have proven useful in monitoring large swaths of land for wildfire, but the thermal-imaging equipment they often carry tends to be expensive, heavy and power hungry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That equipment just might eventually be able to stay on the ground sometimes, thanks to new research out of Clemson University. A team has developed a way of estimating wildfire temperatures using a standard camera and artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fatemeh Afghah<\/a>, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, partnered on the research with her former master\u2019s student, Michael Marinaccio, who has graduated and is now working in industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They found that artificial intelligence can learn to estimate heat by studying patterns in ordinary red-green-blue (RGB) images, the type of standard color photos taken by digital cameras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It could set the stage for cheaper, easier-to-deploy systems that help fire managers spot lingering hotspots hidden beneath smoke, ash or vegetation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Afghah said she likes that the research had a practical use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou learn the problem from the end user, you find the solution and you get it back to them to use it,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s a good feeling, and that\u2019s what I enjoy about the wildfire project.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Fatemeh Afghah<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Marinaccio said the ability to be a part of an impactful wildfire research project, while working alongside highly motivated and talented peers, defined his graduate school experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was able to develop my research, communication, and interpersonal skills, while completing an original project from start to finish, and have carried what I learned into my current career,\u201d he said. \u201cThe IS-WiN Lab is a fantastic group and I would highly recommend anyone interested in communications systems, drones, or wildfire monitoring, to seek out research opportunities in the lab.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the project, researchers collected pairs of RGB and thermal images that were taken during actual prescribed burns. They then used those images to train AI to see how patterns in thermal data lined up with subtle visual cues in regular RGB images.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The training helps the system estimate temperatures using only RGB images, meaning a thermal camera would not be required during deployment in certain scenarios.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The system\u2019s level of accuracy is lower than what high-end thermal cameras can achieve, which can be accurate to within a few degrees. Still, the researchers said the results are strong enough to be useful for monitoring fires when thermal equipment is unavailable or impractical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Researchers are calling the training framework SAM-TIFF, an acronym for Segment Anything Model-Radiometric Thermal TIFF files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The work is part of a larger Clemson effort focused on using unmanned aircraft systems to improve wildfire detection, monitoring and response.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That effort is supported by collaborators including NASA\u2019s FireSense program and the National Science Foundation, as well as partners working directly with fire agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Researchers described their findings in a paper entitled, \u201cSeeing Heat with Color \u2013 RGB-Only Wildfire Temperature Inference from SAM-Guided Multimodal Distillation using Radiometric Ground Truth<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The paper won second place in the Best Student Paper contest at the IEEE Signal Processing Society\u2019s Asilomar Conference on Signals, Systems, and Computers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hai Xiao<\/a>, chair of the Holcombe Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering<\/a>, said the work illustrates how researchers tackle real-world problems while creating meaningful research experiences for students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis kind of research shows how our faculty and students work together to address challenges that matter in South Carolina and beyond,\u201d Xiao said. \u201cIt also reflects Clemson\u2019s focus on giving students hands-on opportunities to contribute to research with real-world impact.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more at Clemson News<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

by Paul Alongi January 12, 2026 Drones have proven useful in monitoring large swaths of land for wildfire, but the thermal-imaging equipment they often carry tends to be expensive, heavy and power hungry. That equipment just might eventually be able to stay on the ground sometimes, thanks to new research out of Clemson University. A […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":316,"featured_media":673,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"coauthors":[96314],"class_list":["post-672","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-department"],"fimg_url":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/files\/2026\/05\/Fatemeh-square-1024x1024-1-150x150.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/672","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/316"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=672"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/672\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/673"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=672"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=672"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=672"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.clemson.edu\/electrical-and-computer-engineering\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=672"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}]