Amir Farakhor

Welcome to my website!

Hello there! I'm Amir, a passionate researcher exploring the dynamic intersections of power and energy systems. I earned a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering-Power Electronics from the University of Tabriz in 2019, following B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Electrical Power Engineering from Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University.

Currently, I am pursuing a Ph.D. in advanced battery energy storage systems at the University of Kansas, focusing on Lithium-ion battery technology for resilience and safety. My expertise combines electrical engineering, energy systems, power electronics, battery energy storage systems, and control theory. I have a broad interest in renewable energy integration, power electronics, transportation electrification, control theory, machine learning, and optimal control. Beyond academia, I enjoy working on PLC automation and embedded systems coding.

Away from the research, I'm a nature enthusiast and a sports lover. I play chess, basketball, and table tennis to maintain a healthy balance. I enjoy working collaboratively, and I'm always ready to lend a hand or engage in discussions.

Feel free to explore my website and connect with me!

Recent Events and News

June 2024

  • I am excited to share that I have joined the Vicor Corporation as a senior power electronics engineer. I will be focusing on the modeling, simulation, and verification of various power electronics solutions.

May 2024

April 2024

  • I am excited to share that I have been selected as the Star Reviewer of 2023 by the IEEE Power & Energy Society and the Editorial Board of the IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion. Star Reviewers are recognized by the Editorial Board as individuals who have consistently provided rigorous, quality reviews in a timely fashion and on multiple occasions. To see the certificate, click here.

  • I am excited to share that I participated in the Graduate Research Showcase at KU's School of Engineering and secured the first place in the Graduate Student Poster Competition!

February 2024

January 2024

November 2023

  • I am excited to share the exciting news that I will be taking on the role of lecturer in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) at the University of Kansas. Starting in the upcoming spring semester of 2024, I will have the privilege of teaching the course EECS 444 Control Systems. This opportunity to contribute to the academic community is truly an honor, and I look forward to an enriching experience and a wonderful time ahead!

October 2023

June 2023

April 2023

  • I am thrilled to announce that I have been honored with the prestigious University of Kansas Tradition of Excellence Award! This recognition is a testament to dedication, hard work, and a commitment to excellence. Grateful for this acknowledgment and excited for what lies ahead!

  • I am delighted to share that I participated in the Research Showcase at KU's School of Engineering, securing the first-place position in the Graduate Student Presentation Competition! This achievement not only highlights my commitment to research excellence but also reflects the supportive academic environment at KU. Grateful for the opportunity and excited about the ongoing journey of discovery!

March 2023

December 2022

  • I gave a talk on "Reconfigurable Design of Battery Energy Storage Systems: From Architecture to Control" at the 4th International Conference on Smart Power and Internet Energy Systems.

November 2022

Publications

Patents

2023

Journal Publications

Under Review

  • Economic Optimal Power Management of Second-Life battery Energy Storage Systems
    Amir Farakhor, Di Wu, Pingen Chen, Junmin Wang, Yebin Wang, Huazhen Fang
    IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid
  • Efficient Optimal Power Management for Battery Energy Storage Systems via Bayesian Inference
    Amir Farakhor, Iman Askari, Di Wu, Yebin Wang, Huazhen Fang
    IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology

2023

2020

2019

2018

2017

2015

2014

Conference Publications

2024

2023

2022

2019

2017

2015

2013

Academic Service

Conference Organization

2024


Peer Review

  • IEEE Transactions of Power Electronics
  • IEEE Transactions of Industrial Electronics
  • IEEE Transactions of Energy Conversion
  • IEEE Open Journal of Industrial Electronics Society
  • IEEE Transactions of Vehicular Technology
  • IEEE Transactions of Transportation Electification
  • IEEE Transactions of Industrial Applications
  • International Transactions in Electrical Energy Systems
  • IEEE Control Systems Letters

Teaching Portfolio

Lecturer

In the upcoming Spring 2024 semester, I am excited to take on the role of lecturer in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Kansas. I will be instructing the course EECS 444: Control Systems.

Welcome to EECS 444: Control Systems! This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the modeling, analysis, and design of linear control systems. We will cover the fundamental aspects of control theory, including mathematical models, feedback concepts, state-space models, time response, and system stability in both the time and transform domains.

Click here to download the course syllabus
Graduate Teaching Assistant

As a graduate teaching assistant in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Kansas, I have had the privilege of contributing to students' learning experiences on three separate semesters: spring and fall 2021, as well as fall 2023. During this time, I served as the lab instructor for ME 445: Mechanical Engineering Measurements and Experiments. These experiments covered an extensive range of topics, including the fundamentals of measurement instruments, calibration techniques for load cells, sampling principles, computer data acquisition, digital data processing using MATLAB's Signal Processing (SPTool) and Filter Design & Analysis (FDATool) Toolboxes, temperature measurement, airflow velocity profiling with a Pitot-Static Tube, analog circuits, dynamic systems, and the intricacies of a circulator pump system. My role was to guide and support students as they explored these concepts, fostering a deeper understanding of engineering principles through engaging and real-world applications.

Volunteer Instructor at KU Summer Camp

I am proud to have contributed to the educational journey of high school students as a volunteer instructor for the University of Kansas Summer Camp. Over two consecutive years in 2022 and 2023, I dedicated my time to guiding enthusiastic students through the exciting world of robotics. In the classes, we delved into the basics of robotics using Lego robots, coupled with essential control concepts such as P and PI controllers.
These summer camps provided a platform for students to not only grasp the fundamentals of robotics but also to experience the thrill of applying theoretical concepts in practical scenarios.

Click here for more information about KU summer camps
Volunteer Instructor at Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University

During my Bachelor's studies in the Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, due to my interest and proficiency in robotics and microcomputers, I became involved in an initiative organized by the undergraduate student association at my university. I became an instructor for a course titled Microcomputers in Robotic Applications" for undergraduate students. Throughout this course, I implemented practical sample projects for each lecture to bridge the gap between theoretical understanding and real-world application. The success of this course led to its reorganization in the following year.
In this course, I leveraged the capabilities of the ATMEL ATmega16 microcontroller as a foundational element for both teaching and practical implementation. The curriculum covered several concepts, ranging from General-Purpose Input/Output (GPIO) operations to in-depth exploration of timers, counters, interrupts, and communication protocols like SPI and USART. To facilitate effective learning and programming for the microcontroller, I chose to utilize the C programming language, employing the CodeVisionAVR software as a valuable tool for development and implementation.

English Language Instructor at Zabansara Language Institute

My very first experience is instructing English language for non-native students. I started this position at the age of 20, approximately in the year 2010. This unique experience helped me realize my thirst and enthusiasm for knowledge transfer and simultaneous learning. During this valuable period which lasted for more than eight years, I was privileged to attend various teaching training programs, exposing me with a range of teaching strategies such as Present-Practice-Produce (PPP) and Test-Teach-Test (TTT) methods. It was within the English language classrooms that the foundation of my teaching principles began to take shape where I was illuminated the importance of active learning and providing a supportive educational setting. Through open discussion sessions, I aimed to improve students' communication skills. These sessions also granted me the ability to facilitate open discussions where everyone's opinion is valued.