Maryam Saeedifard
Associate Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology School of Electrical and Computer Engineering
2021 U.S. C3E Technology Research & Innovation Award Winner
Maryam Saeedifard is an Associate Professor at the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where she holds a Dean’s professorship. She conducts research on power electronics converters based on wide-band-gap devices, medium- and high-power energy conversion systems, high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission, and multi-terminal HVDC grids to address the challenges in large-scale grid integration and transmission of renewable energy. Before joining Georgia Institute of Technology in 2014, Saeedifard spent four years as an Assistant Professor at the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Purdue University.
Saeedifard has authored or coauthored more than 170 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers. She is currently serving as Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Transactions on Power Electronics, and an Associate Editor of the IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics and the IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery. She is the recipient of several IEEE Transactions paper awards from the IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics and the IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics. Saeedifard has also received the Roger Webb Outstanding Mid-Career Faculty Award from the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Tech in 2021, the IEEE Region 3 Outstanding Engineer Award in 2019, the IEEE J. David Irwin Early Career Award in 2018, the IEEE Richard M. Bass Award Outstanding Young Power Electronic Engineer Award in 2010, and the Excellence in Research Award from Purdue University in 2011 and 2012. She was an invited speaker in the National Academy of Engineering EU-US Frontiers of Engineering Symposium in 2011 and an invited attendee of the National Academy of Engineering Frontiers of Engineering Education in 2012. Saeedifard received a PhD in electrical engineering from the University of Toronto, Canada, and MS and BS degrees in electrical engineering from Isfahan University of Technology in Isfahan, Iran.
+ Learn More About Maryam Saeedifard's Clean Energy Journey
Clean Energy Conversion Expert Pays It Forward
Dr. Maryam Saeedifard’s story begins in her home country of Iran, where she attended the Isfahan University of Technology. While earning her master’s in electrical engineering, she realized that her real interests lay in power electronics circuits. She earned her PhD from the University of Toronto, where she did her thesis on energy conversion systems. PhD in hand, Saeedifard joined the ABB Corporate Research Center in Switzerland as a research scientist. She initiated development of next-generation power converters for efficient grid integration of wind turbines. Saeedifard then returned to academia, first as an assistant professor at Purdue University and then as an associate professor at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Saeedifard is a leading expert on energy conversion and CO2 emissions reduction using advanced power electronics. In other words, Maryam develops advanced technologies that interface (for example) wind turbines and photovoltaic panels with the utility grid and consumers. These technologies allow for low-cost and high efficiency renewable energy, increasing its wide-scale adoption. Her work on advanced power electronics has already gained significant visibility. Results from her research have been published in several patents, 80 peer-reviewed journals, and 90 conference papers, as well as earning her several prestigious awards from the IEEE, Purdue University, and the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Saeedifard credits her mentors and colleagues in both industry and academia for her success. “Grad school in a foreign country was a change of culture, atmosphere, and educational system. My PhD adviser helped me to understand the differences and to better represent myself. I also had the privilege to work with brilliant [industry] colleagues, who knew how to develop ideas. I owe where I am today to all that great mentorship I received from them.”
She is paying it forward. Saeedifard is a mentor and role model for her students—particularly for budding female engineers. At Purdue, Maryam co-led the Hoosier Heavy Hybrid Center of Excellence, which trains the next generation of researchers in low-emission vehicles. She also served as the chair of Women in Engineering of the IEEE Power Electronics Society and led several initiatives to broaden the participation of female students, faculty, and scientists. She initiated “Women Mentoring Breakfasts,” which takes place in tandem with power electronics and energy conversion conferences. Highly accomplished female speakers from industry or academia are invited to share their experiences; each event attracts a significant number of female participants.