Mahesh Krishnamurthy

Dr. Mahesh Krishnamurthy serves as the Vin and Caren Prothro Department Chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Professor at Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas. He concurrently holds leadership roles as Co-Executive Director of the Hart Institute for Technology, Innovation and Entrepreneurship and Director of the Advanced Sustainable Power and ENergy (ASPEN) lab. Additionally, he manages the EPCN core portfolio in Power Electronics and Motor Drives as a Program Manager at the US National Science Foundation since 2021.

His academic credentials include a PhD from the University of Texas at Arlington and an MS from Missouri University of Science and Technology. These foundational qualifications underpin his expertise in sustainable energy systems and electrified transportation.

Dr. Krishnamurthy's research program centers on power electronics and electric machine innovation for decarbonization challenges. His laboratory investigates Li-ion battery safety through multi-physics modeling, develops motor control algorithms for renewable energy integration, and designs power converters for microgrids and electric vehicles. This work directly enables advancements in eVTOL aircraft, EV drivetrains, and grid-stable charging infrastructure. As founder of the IEEE Transportation Electrification Conference and Expo, he shapes global research directions in sustainable mobility.

Recent publications reveal a strategic focus on solving critical barriers in electrified transportation and energy storage. His team pioneers synthetic data techniques for battery safety in aerial vehicles, develops fault-tolerant power converters for grid resilience, and optimizes electromagnetic components for efficiency. These efforts bridge theoretical innovation with industrial applications in automotive and aerospace sectors.

His accolades include:

• IEEE Vehicular Technology Society Distinguished Lecturer (2011-2015) and Distinguished Speaker (2015-2021)
• Multiple IIT teaching awards: Armour Excellence (2017), Bauer Family University Award (2017), and Thomas Jacobius Award (2019)
• Best Paper Prize at 2016 IEEE Transportation Electrification Conference
• Endowed professorship at IIT (2023-2024) and current SMU Department Chair

As Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Transactions on Transportation Electrification (2020-2023) and leader of IEEE Power Electronics Society technical committees, Dr. Krishnamurthy influences scholarly discourse while mentoring students through SMU's ECE programs. His NSF program management role connects academic research with national infrastructure priorities.

The ASPEN lab he directs operates as a nexus for industry-academia collaboration, advancing sustainable power solutions through experimental validation of multi-physics models and prototype development in battery systems, motor drives, and grid-integrated converters.