USC researchers have long participated in this conference, both as presenters and organizers. Prof. Sudhoff, at ESRDC partner Purdue Univ, is General Chair of the conference for 2017, having taken the reins from Prof. Dougal who served in that capacity in 2013 and 2015.
DC microgrids are an important emerging trend in energy systems. USC’s extensive experience in this area harks back to the early days of research for the US Navy, aiming to develop 100-MW-scale dc power systems for ships. Now the interest has spread to residential, commercial, and industrial power systems. Prof. Dougal was General Chair of the conference, held in Nuremberg, Germany.
GRAPES is a Gold level sponsor of the 4th IEEE Workshop on Wide Bandgap Power Devices and Applications (WiPDA). The Workshop provides a forum for device scientists, circuit designers, and application engineers from the Power Electronics and Electron Devices Societies to share technology updates, research findings, development experience and potential applications. Dr. Alan Mantooth, GRAPES Executive Director, is the General Chair for the workshop. The workshop was held in Fayetteville, Arkansas on November 7-9, 2016.
The Fall 2016 semi-annual meeting of the GRAPES research center was hosted by the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville Arkansas on November 10-11. The meeting followed the 4th IEEE Workshop on Wide Bandgap Power Devices and Applications (WiPDA) also held in Fayetteville for which GRAPES is a sponsor and in which GRAPES researchers participate. The GRAPES meeting is attended by representatives of the GRAPES industry members as well as faculty and students from the University of Arkansas, University of South Carolina, and University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. Project researchers presented status and research results for their projects. Members had the opportunity to discuss with the center's researchers the challenges they foresee for the industry. An evening reception was held to permit industry members and university researchers a relaxed opportunity to exchange ideas and socialize. Representatives from prospective industry members are welcome to participate, as non-voting members, provided that a non-disclosure agreement is signed between the University and participating company.
During the 10th anniversary meeting of the E.On Energy Research Center at RWTH University in Aachen Germany, GRAPES Executive Director Alan Mantooth and center Co-Director Roger Dougal agreed to enlarge the scope of on-going collaborations and research exchanges with RWTH University, between which there are already extensive relationships. Profs Dougal and Mantooth participated in the meeting as current and former members of the ERC’s Scientific Advisory Board.