EPIC Staff

Biography David Biela joined The William States Lee College of Engineering’s Energy Production and Infrastucture Center in June 2023, as the HighBay Operations and Technical Lab Associate. He provides support for research and instructional laboratory operations, maintaining and operating heavy equipment, data acquisition and assisting researchers in specialized fabrications in the HighBay and yard totaling […]

Biography Dr. Ali Bonakdar currently holds the position of Associate Professor within the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science as well as the Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC) at UNC Charlotte. Prior to joining UNC Charlotte in August 2023, he has been working at Siemens Energy Canada, in the gas turbine engines division, […]

Biography A graduate of Catawba College, Lori M. Brown, CRA, joined EPIC in June, 2016. She began her career at UNC Charlotte in March 2010, with Civil and Environmental Engineering, and expanded her knowledge of research administration with the College of Engineering Contracts and Grants Office. As the Research Business Officer for EPIC, she assists […]

Biography Marion joined UNC Charlotte in 2005, working in the University Advancement office with the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations and the Director of Planned Giving. She later accepted a position at the NC Motorsports and Automotive Research Center in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UNC Charlotte. She spent 13 years in the […]

Biography Dr. Valentina Cecchi, Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director, is tenured in Electrical and Computer Engineering. Her research focus is in electric power systems – modeling and analysis, transmission and distribution systems, transmission line modeling and dynamic line ratings, mathematical modeling and simulation of multi-frequency power systems, distribution system planning and operation, smart grid […]

Biography Dr. Chen is a tenure track professor in Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Science. His research focuses on the materials’ response under extreme environments, such as radiation, load, strain rate and temperature. His group is interested in exploring the fundamental relationship between materials structure and property across multiple length scales: from atomic to macroscopic scale. […]

Personal Website Biography Dr. Chowdhury received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA and his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology, Bangladesh. His professional experience begins in August 1987 with the University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY where he was an Assistatant Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering. […]

Biography Professor Robert Cox is the Executive Director of EPIC and The Duke Energy Distinguished Scholar in Power Engineering Systems. Previously he served as an Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UNC Charlotte, as the Assistant Director for the Energy Management Research Vertical, and Associate Director within the Energy Production and Infrastructure Center […]

Biography Dr. Abasifreke Ebong is a tenured professor in the department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. His research areas are design, modeling, characterization and analysis of solar cells including crystalline, thin films and organic solar cells, low-cost and high efficiency solar cells (Silicon, III-V etc.), characterization and understanding of solar cell materials-contacts and interfaces, surface […]

Biography Dr. Daniel Evans is a power electronics research engineer with the Energy Production and Infrastructure Center. His current research is focused on sensor integration for advanced prognostics and protection in power converters, centralized and distributed controls, emerging energy storage solutions, and embedded solutions for control loop and DSP processing in power converters. He received […]