Research Opportunities

Research Opportunities for ISE Students

Most project topics listed below are for current and future ISE master and PhD students. Research assistantships may be available. Interested students may contact the faculty member directly.

Real Estate Data Analytics

Student will be analyzing real estate data to gather insights about changes in housing markets. Required courses: basic statistics and linear algebra; EMGT6910 is preferred. Desired skills: forecasting; statistics; machine learning, programming (SAS, R, Python or Matlab). Contact faculty: Dr. Tao Hong. Posting date: 10/11/2019.

Machine Learning-Based Dynamic Formation and Control of Microgrids for Enhancing Grid Resilience

When a disaster hits the power grid causing damages to grid infrastructures and blackouts, utility companies must be able to restore power to customers as quickly as possible. We will do research to leverage advanced AI technology to dynamically form and control microgrids with a combination of distributed energy resources, energy storage, electric vehicles (EVs) and etc. to provide support restarting the grid from the bottom up. Dr. Linquan Bai. Posting date: 8/20/2019.

Optimization and Control of Distributed Energy Resources to Provide Frequency Support in Bulk Power Systems

Large amounts of distributed energy resources such as rooftop photovoltaics (PVs) are being integrated into the power grid. If appropriately controlled, a cluster of DERs can contribute to the bulk power grid as a thermal generator. We will develop novel optimization and control methods to enable DERs to provide frequency support in bulk power systems while meeting the operational constraints of the distribution power grid where DERs are physically located. Dr. Linquan Bai. Posting date: 8/20/2019.

Distribution Electricity Market Design and Block-Chain Based Transactive Energy Trading

Though the wholesale electricity markets have been established for almost 20 years, the electricity market in distribution systems is still in the concept stage. We will explore economic theories to design, model and analyze distribution-level electricity markets. We will design novel market mechanisms to be integrated with current and future system dispatch and controls. Block-chain based peer-to-peer trading will be developed under the distribution market framework. Dr. Linquan Bai. Posting date: 8/20/2019.

Sports Analytics – NBA Game Outcome Forecasting

Student will be using NBA data to forecast outcomes of NBA games. Required courses: basic statistics and linear algebra; EMGT6910 is preferred. Desired skills: forecasting; statistics; machine learning, programming (SAS, R, Python or Matlab). Contact faculty: Dr. Tao Hong. Posting date: 7/8/2019.

Distributed Voltage-Var Optimization Using PV Inverters in Distribution Systems

Student will be doing research on novel decentralized optimization methods for PV inverter control in power distributin systems. Required courses: EMGT5201 or EMGT6952. Desired skills: convex optimization; distributed optimization; programming (Matlab/Python and CPLEX/GUROBI). Contact faculty: Dr. Linquan Bai. Posting date: 2/14/2019.

Long-Term Load Forecasting

Student will be using realworld weather and electricity demand data to develop long-term load forecasts for about 50 small cities. Required courses: EMGT6910 or EMGT6965. Desired skills: forecasting; statistics; machine learning, programming (SAS, R, Python or Matlab). Contact faculty: Dr. Tao Hong. Posting date: 2/14/2019.

Solar Power Forecasting

Student will be using real world weather and solar power data to forecast solar power generation for a solar farm. Required courses: EMGT6910 or EMGT6965. Desired skills: forecasting; statistics; machine learning, programming (SAS, R, Python or Matlab). Contact faculty: Dr. Tao Hong. Posting date: 2/14/2019.