Olli Pyrhönen

Olli Pyrhönen is a Professor in applied control engineering and currently serves as Dean of the LUT School of Energy Systems at Lappeenranta University of Technology (LUT), Finland. He holds M.Sc. (1990) and D.Sc. (1998) degrees in electrical engineering from LUT. His academic career includes roles as Head of the Electrical Engineering Department (2014–2020) and Chairman of the University Collegium. Prior to academia, he gained industrial experience as an R&D Engineer at ABB Helsinki (1990–1993) and as CTO of The Switch (2007–2010).

• Education:
• M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering, LUT (1990)
• D.Sc. in Electrical Engineering, LUT (1998)

His research focuses on modeling and control of active magnetic bearings, bearingless machines, renewable energy systems, power electronics, and electrical drives. He has authored over 100 scientific papers, 9 patent applications, and supervised/co-supervised 17 doctoral dissertations and over 100 master’s theses. He actively contributes to industry through board memberships in start-ups spun off from LUT research.

His recent work emphasizes renewable energy integration and advanced control systems, reflecting trends in sustainable energy technologies and smart grid applications.

Administrative Roles:

• Dean, LUT School of Energy Systems (2021–present)
• Head of Electrical Engineering Department (2014–2020)
• Chairman, University Collegium (2014–2020)

Industry Involvement:

• CTO, The Switch (2007–2010)
• R&D Engineer, ABB Helsinki (1990–1993)