ORNL Grid Researchers Achieve IEEE Senior Membership Recognition

Three researchers from the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) have been elevated to Senior Member status in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). IEEE recognizes this level for sustained, peer-validated technical achievements and professional contributions across less than 10 percent of its applicant pool. The newly named Senior Members are Shamim Hasan, Mohammad Khalid, and Deepika Patel, whose work centers on the evolving infrastructure of the electric grid.

Hasan is a postdoctoral research associate in ORNL’s Grid Transients & Advanced Modeling Group. His focus is electromagnetic transient (EMT) modeling, a capability that captures extremely fast, switch-level behaviors of power electronic devices. By resolving these short-timescale dynamics, EMT models help researchers understand how grid-connected components can influence system responses, particularly during disturbances that can trigger equipment stress or outages.

His research also intersects with microgrids, where modern power converters and distributed energy resources must coordinate under changing operating conditions. Hasan’s interests include control strategies for grid-connected converters and methods for improving power quality, an essential factor for both reliability and for minimizing the impact of harmonics, voltage fluctuations, and switching transients on sensitive loads.

Khalid and Patel both work in ORNL’s Grid Systems Architecture Group, supporting efforts to translate advanced concepts into practical deployment pathways. Patel, an R&D assistant staff member, contributes to power system protection and fault modeling, aiming to improve how protection schemes detect, classify, and respond to abnormal grid events.

Patel’s scope includes microgrid control, distribution networks, and relay testing using hardware-in-the-loop approaches. She also supports real-time automation and control, and she focuses on resilient integration of energy systems—connecting advanced components while maintaining performance under uncertainty and disruption.

Khalid is a postdoctoral research associate who develops test beds through ORNL’s Grid Research Innovation and Development Center, GRID-C. His work addresses power systems that interface with converter-based equipment, including utility-scale microgrids and energy storage systems, where interactions between controls, protection, and dynamics can determine overall stability.

A key goal of Khalid’s research is to bridge fundamental studies with laboratory-scale validation and, ultimately, utility-scale adoption. This “bench-to-field” strategy accelerates verification of emerging grid technologies under realistic operating constraints.

In total, these Senior Member honors highlight ORNL’s role in advancing modeling, control, protection, and validation tools for next-generation power systems. The recognition also reflects IEEE’s emphasis on peer review and measurable technical impact in areas critical to modern electrification. UT-Battelle manages ORNL for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science.

Keywords

IEEE Senior Member; electromagnetic transient modeling; microgrids; power system protection; hardware-in-the-loop; power quality; converter controls; grid test beds; energy storage