Centre Hosts Distinguished Invited Talk on Hybrid AC/DC Smart Grids
The AUT Intelligent Systems and Sustainable Energy Research Centre (ISSERC), led by Centre Director Dr Boda Ning, successfully hosted a distinguished invited talk on 3 September 2025 at AUT WZ Building, featuring internationally renowned smart grid researcher Professor Abhisek Ukil from The University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Professor Abhisek Ukil delivered a presentation titled “Hybrid AC/DC Grid for Energy Efficiency with Renewables”, where he discussed emerging developments in reliable, secure, and sustainable electrical power systems for future smart grids. His talk highlighted the growing importance of interdisciplinary approaches that integrate power engineering, power electronics, sensors, software systems, communications, cybersecurity, and reliability engineering.
The seminar focused on the future of hybrid AC/DC smart grids and energy-efficient power utilisation across both high-voltage (HV) and low-voltage (LV) infrastructures. Professor Ukil also addressed critical research challenges in renewable energy integration, grid protection, and intelligent control systems, offering valuable insights into next-generation sustainable energy technologies.
Professor Ukil is from the Department of Electrical, Computer and Software Engineering at The University of Auckland. He leads a large interdisciplinary research group comprising 15 researchers, including 10 PhD students, supported by more than NZ$4 million in competitive research funding. Prior to joining The University of Auckland, he served as Assistant Professor at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, where he led major industry-collaborative projects funded by national agencies and industry partners. Professor Abhisek Ukil is an IEEE Fellow and an IET Fellow.
The event attracted strong interest from academic staff, researchers, and postgraduate students, providing an excellent platform for interdisciplinary discussion and future research collaboration in sustainable energy systems and intelligent infrastructure.
