The work in the power area involves courses and research on power systems, electrical machines, and electric drives. These factors have introduced the threat of new and different stability problems. New methods of stabilizing and operating the power system are required to solve these stability problems. Intelligent control is also needed to develop scheduling dispatch, and stabilization methods appropriate to a deregulated power industry. Work on electrical drive systems involves the design of new electrical machines tuned to the application, the development of new control methodologies to improve the response of a motor while using fewer sensors, and innovation in power electronics to reduce losses and improve response.
Applications range from the automotive and aerospace industries to manufacturing and appliances.
This power electronics technology is also being used to help control and stabilize the power system needed if the nations electric utility industry is to maintain our current level of reliability after deregulation is complete. The power system laboratory contains computer and power system software that are the best available and, in some cases, not available in other university power system research laboratories. The power research and teaching laboratory is one of the finest in the country. It allows the students and researchers to experiment with computer controlled electrical machines, drives, and power electronics systems. The electroscience research and graduate studies emphasis area consists of 9 faculty and approximately 25 graduate students working in the areas of applied electromagnetics, plasmas and plasma processing and electronic materials with an emphasis on microengineering and nanotechnology.