Nathan Miles Ellis

Nathan Miles Ellis is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Baskin School of Engineering, University of California, Santa Cruz. His research focuses on power electronics, with applications in energy sustainability, electric vehicles, renewable integration, data centers, aerospace, and biomedical devices.

Education:

• B.S. in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University College Cork, Ireland, 2013
• M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Davis, 2017
• Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of California, Davis, 2020

Dr. Ellis specializes in hybrid-switched-capacitor (HSC) power converters, advanced control techniques, and analog & mixed-signal IC design. His work enables efficient power conversion for next-generation clean energy systems. He has extensive experience in GaN-based converters, resonant topologies, and high-density power delivery architectures.

His recent publications highlight innovations in split-phase control, resonant gate drivers, regenerative snubbing, and ZVS optimization in GaN circuits—reflecting strong trends in high-efficiency, high-frequency power conversion for data centers and electric vehicles.

Scientific Awards:

• Best Graduate Researcher, UC Davis Industrial Affiliates, 2017
• Analog Devices Outstanding Student Designer, ISSCC, 2020
• Best Technical Lecturer, APEC, 2021 and 2024
• Co-author of two IEEE prize papers

Dr. Ellis has been funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, NASA JPL, NSF, DARPA, and industrial partners including Texas Instruments. He co-advised multiple graduate students during his tenure at UC Berkeley’s Power and Energy Center (BPEC). His research promotes rapid adoption of cutting-edge power electronics in real-world clean energy applications.

He is actively involved in research and mentoring within the Power Electronics group at UC Santa Cruz, collaborating closely with industry and national labs to advance next-generation energy technologies.