Prior to joining Michigan Tech in 2012, he was a post-doctoral scholar at the University of California-Berkeley for two years. He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alberta in Canada in 2009. An ASME and SAE member, Shahbakhti has been doing research in the area of controls, powertrains, and energy systems for the past 17 years. His research centers on developing dynamical models and novel control techniques with applications in vehicles and building energy systems. He is the author of over 120 refereed publications in the field of powertrain, energy systems and controls.