Masoud Nazari

Masoud Nazari

Assistant Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering

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Masoud Nazari

Biography

 Dr. Masoud H. Nazari is an Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Wayne State University (WSU). His research focuses on modern power systems (MPS) with applications in hybrid systems, machine learning, and control. He is a Senior Member of IEEE, a Global Learning Faculty Fellow at WSU, the Chair of the IEEE Smart Buildings, Loads, and Consumer Systems Architecture Subcommittee, and serves on the Editorial Board of IEEE Technology Conferences.

Dr. Nazari has led several research projects as the Principal Investigator (PI) funded by prestigious organizations such as the NSF, ARPA-E, DOE, California Energy Commission (CEC), and DTE Energy. Notably, he and his colleagues from the University of Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech received an ARPA-E grant to compete in the Grid Optimization Challenge 3. He is also the PI of an NSF AMPS award from the Division of Mathematical Sciences (DMS) and the Co-PI of a DOE RACER award focused on developing energy resilience planning frameworks. He led the DTE E-Challenge project, where he designed and developed AI-enabled HVAC control systems for commercial and industrial buildings. He has published extensively in his field, including winning the Best Paper Award at the 2017 North American Power Symposium.

Before joining WSU, Dr. Nazari was a Post-Doctoral Fellow in Advanced Computational Electricity Systems at the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He earned his Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University, where he also completed an M.S. in Engineering and Public Policy. He was a visiting Ph.D. student in the Engineering Systems Division at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He holds another M.S. degree in Energy Systems from Sharif University of Technology and a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from K.N.Toosi University of Technology.

Research Interests

  • Modern Power Systems (MPS) and Cascading Contingency Analysis
  • Stochastic Hybrid Systems with Applications in MPS
  • Large-Scale Power Grid Optimization
  • AI-Enabled Community Resilience Assessment and Enhancement

Research Group

Current PhD Students

  • Erfan Mehdipour Abadi, Ph.D. student in Electrical Engineering (EE)
  • Hamid Varmazyari, Ph.D. student in Electrical Engineering (EE)
  • Antar Kumar Biswas, Ph.D. student in Electrical Engineering (EE)

Current Postdoc

  • Nina Fatehi, Ph.D. from Wayne State University under my supervision

Former PhD Students and Post-Doc

  • Nina Fatehi, Ph.D. in Computer Engineering (CE) at Wayne State University 2024
  • Dr. Siyu Xie, Post-Doctoral Fellow in ECE (Current Position: Assistant Professor of School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China)
  • Zhongyang Zhao, Ph.D. in ECE at Wayne State University 2020 (co-advised by me)
  • Duc Tran, Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at California State University Long Beach (CSULB) 2019 

Former MSc and Undergraduate Students

  • Li Lin, ECE Graduate Student, DTE E-Challenge team member
  • Martin Stobby, ECE Undergraduate Student, REOU Fellow
  • Douglas Henson, ECE Undergraduate Student, DTE E-Challenge team member
  • Alexander Politis, ECE Undergraduate Student, DTE E-Challenge team member
  • Erik Cabalum, ECE Undergraduate Student, DTE E-Challenge team member
  • Zachary Roberts, ECE Undergraduate Student, DTE E-Challenge team member
  • James Yoon, ECE Undergraduate Student, DTE E-Challenge team member

Research Projects

  • DOE RACER: Data-Driven Community-Centered Resilient Assessment and Planning Toolkit for Nexus of Energy and Water (DCRAPT-NEW). (PI: C. Wang, Co-PIs: M. H. Nazari, C. Miller)
  • NSF AMPS: Stochastic Algorithms for Early Detection and Risk Prediction of Hidden Contingencies in Modern Power Systems, sponsored by the National Science Foundation. (PI: M. H. Nazari, Co-PI: L. Y. Wang)
  • ARPA-E Grid Optimized Challeneg 3: Security-constrained optimal power flow (SCOPF) for large-scale power grids. (PI: M. Barati, Co-PIs: M. H. Nazari, S. Grijalva)
  • DTE E-Challenge: AI-enabled HVAC Control for Smart Buildings, sponsored by DTE Energy and engineering Society of Detroit. (PI: M. H. Nazari, Co-PIs: C. Wang, D. Zhu)
  • Large-scale Energy Efficiency Management System: Internet of Things and Ubiquitous Sensing in University Building Energy Management: Design Optimization and Technology Demonstration, sponsored by California Energy Commission. (PI: M. H. Nazari)
  • Communication-Failure-Resilient Distributed Optimization and Control Architecture for Smart Grids, (Nazari's Junior Faculty Start-up fund). 

Recent Journal Articles

  • Shuo Yuan, Le Yi Wang, George Yin, Masoud H. Nazari, “Contingency detection in modern power systems: A stochastic hybrid system method,” Sustainable Energy, Grids and Networks, Volume 39, 2024, 101414. (Link)
  • Zhao, Z.; Wang, C.; Nazari, M.H. “Revenue Analysis of Stationary and Transportable Battery Storage for Power Systems: A Market Participant Perspective,” Sustainability 2024, 16, 2370. (Link) 
  • N. Fatehi and M. H. Nazari, “Multi-Layer Model Predictive Optimization of Energy Efficient Building Microgrids,” in IEEE Access, vol. 12, pp. 13037-13045, 2024. (Link)  
  • Philip A. Ernst, Xiaohang Ma, Masoud H. Nazari, Hongjiang Qian, Le Yi Wang, and George Yin, “Numerical Solutions of Optimal Stopping Problems for A Class of Hybrid Stochastic Systems,” in Nonlinear Analysis: Hybrid Systems, Volume 53, 2024, 101507. (Link)
  • Siyu Xie, Masoud H. Nazari, Le Yi Wang, “Learning-based distributed optimal power sharing and frequency control under cyber contingencies,” International Journal of Electrical Power & Energy Systems, Volume 152, 2023. (Link)
  • Siyu Xie, Masoud H. Nazari, Le Yi Wang, George Yin, Xinyu Zhang, “Distributed Optimal Frequency Control under communication packet loss in multi-agent electric energy systems,” Automatica, Volume 154, 2023. (Link)
  • Lin, F., Wang, C., Nazari, M.H. et al. Supervisory control to maximize mean time to failure in discrete event systems. Discrete Event Dyn Syst 33, 105–127 (2023). (Link)
  • S. Xie, M. H. Nazari, F. Nezampasandarbabi and L. Y. Wang, “Leveraging Deep Learning to Improve Performance of Distributed Optimal Frequency Control Under Communication Failures,” in IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 746-756, Jan. 2023. (Link)  
  • S. Xie, M. H. Nazari, L. Y. Wang, and G. Yin, “Adaptive Step Size Selection in Distributed Optimization with Observation Noise and Unknown Stochastic Target Variation,” in Automatica, vol 135, 2022. (Link)
  • M. H. Nazari, S. Xie, L. Yi Wang, G. Yin, “Distributed Optimization with Markovian Switching Targets and Stochastic Observation Noises with Applications to DC Microgrids,” in Science China Information Sciences, 65, 222205 (2022). (Link)
  • M. H. Nazari, S. Xie, L. Yi Wang, “MIMO Architecture for Fast Convergence of Distributed Online Optimization in Smart Grids,” in International Journal of Electrical Power and Energy Systems, Volume 142, Part A, 2022. (Link
  • S. Xie, M. H. Nazari, L. Y. Wang, G. Yin and W. Chen, “Impact of Stochastic Generation/Load Variations on Distributed Optimal Energy Management in DC Microgrids for Transportation Electrification,” in IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems, pp. 1-10, 2021. (Link)  
  • M. H. Nazari, S. Xie, L. Yi Wang, G. Yin and W. Chen, “Impact of Communication Packet Delivery Ratio on Reliability of Optimal Load Tracking and Allocation in DC Microgrids,” in IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 2812-2821, July 2021. (Link)  
  • M. H. Nazari, L. Y. Wang, S. Grijalva and M. Egerstedt, “Communication-Failure-Resilient Distributed Frequency Control in Smart Grids: Part I: Architecture and Distributed Algorithms,” in IEEE Transactions on Power Systems, vol. 35, no. 2, pp. 1317-1326, March 2020. (Link)  
  • M. H. Nazari, L. Y. Wang, S. Grijalva and M. Egerstedt, “Communication-Failure-Resilient Distributed Frequency Control in Smart Grids: Part II: Algorithmic Implementation and System Simulations,” in IEEE Transactions on Power Systems, vol. 35, no. 4, pp. 3192-3202, July 2020. (Link)

Recent Book Chapters

  • Marija Ilic, Rupamathi Jaddivada, Masoud H. Nazari, Anupam Thatte and Le Xie, “Demystifying Dynamics of Decoupled Linearized P-w And Q-V Dynamics,” Chapter 13 of State Space Modelling and Primary Control of Smart Grid Components, in Cambridge University Press, Dec. 2024.
  • Marija Ilic, Masoud H. Nazari, Le Xie and Anupam Thatte, “Primary Control of Synchronous Machine,” Chapter 10 of State Space Modelling and Primary Control of Smart Grid Components, in Cambridge University Press, Dec. 2024.

Recent Papers in Conference Proceedings

  • M. H. Nazari and A. K. Biswas, “Decentralized P2P Trading based on Blockchain for Retail Electricity Markets,” 2024 IEEE Power & Energy Society Innovative Smart Grid Technologies Conference (ISGT), Washington, DC, USA, 2024, pp. 1-5. (Link)  
  • Erfan Mehdipour Abadi and Masoud H. Nazari, “Distributed Anomaly Detection in Modern Power Systems: A Penalty-based Mitigation Approach”, 2024 IEEE Power & Energy Society General Meeting (PESGM), Seattle, WA, Presented. (Link)
  • Xuesong Wang, Nina Fatehi, Caisheng Wang, Masoud H. Nazari, “Deep Learning-Based Weather-Related Power Outage Prediction with Socio-Economic and Power Infrastructure Data,” 2024 IEEE Power & Energy Society General Meeting (PESGM), Seattle, WA, Presented. (Link)
  • N. Fatehi, A. Politis and M. H. Nazari, “AI-Enabled Anomaly-Aware Occupancy Prediction in Grid-Interactive Efficient Buildings,” 2023 North American Power Symposium (NAPS), Asheville, NC, USA, 2023, pp. 1-6. (Link)  
  • M. H. Nazari, S. Xie and L. Y. Wang, “Leveraging Deep Learning to Improve Performance of Distributed Optimal Frequency Control under Communication Failures,” 2023 IEEE Power & Energy Society General Meeting (PESGM), Orlando, FL, USA, 2023, pp. 1-1. (Link)  
  • X. Ma, H. Qian, L. Y. Wang, M. H. Nazari and G. Yin, “Numerical Solutions for Detecting Contingency in Modern Power Systems,” 2023 4th Information Communication Technologies Conference (ICTC), Nanjing, China, 2023, pp. 390-395. (Link)  
  • N. Fatehi, A. Politis, L. Lin, M. Stobby and M. H. Nazari, “Machine Learning based Occupant Behavior Prediction in Smart Building to Improve Energy Efficiency,” 2023 IEEE Power & Energy Society Innovative Smart Grid Technologies Conference (ISGT), Washington, DC, USA, 2023, pp. 1-5. (Link)  
  • S. Xie, M. H. Nazari, L. Y. Wang, G. Yin and W. Chen, “Impact of Stochastic Generation/Load Variations on Distributed Optimal Energy Management in DC Microgrids for Transportation Electrification,” 2022 Power & Energy Society General Meeting, Denver CO, July 2022. (Link)
  • M. H. Nazari, S. Xie, L. Yi Wang, G. Yin and W. Chen, “Impact of Communication Packet Delivery Ratio on Reliability of Optimal Load Tracking and Allocation in DC Microgrids,” 2022 Power & Energy Society General Meeting, Denver CO, July 2022. (Link)
  • M. H. Nazari, L. Y. Wang, S. Grijalva and M. Egerstedt, “Communication-Failure-Resilient Distributed Frequency Control in Smart Grids: Part I: Architecture and Distributed Algorithms,” 2021 Power & Energy Society General Meeting, Virtual Event, Aug. 2021.
  • M. H. Nazari, L. Y. Wang, S. Grijalva and M. Egerstedt, “Communication-Failure-Resilient Distributed Frequency Control in Smart Grids: Part II: Algorithmic Implementation and System Simulations,” 2021 Power & Energy Society General Meeting, Virtual Event, Aug. 2021.
  • E. Samaniy, P. Khalediany, A. Aligholiany, E. Papalexakisz, S. Cun, M. H. Nazari and H. Mohsenian-Rad, “Anomaly Detection in IoT-Based PIR Occupancy Sensors to Improve Building Energy Efficiency,” 2020 IEEE Power & Energy Society Innovative Smart Grid Technologies (IGST), Washington, DC, Aug. 2020, pp. 1-5. (Link)

Awards and Honors

I have supervised graduate students who received following awards:

  • Research Opportunities for Engineering Undergraduate (REOU) award two years in a row, 2021 and 2022
  • Winner of the three-minute-thesis competition at the WSU College of Engineering, 2021.
  • Graduate Dean's List Recipient of Scholars and Artists CSU Long Beach, May 2018.
  • HOGAR Graduate Student Fellowship CSU Long Beach 2017.

Education

Courses taught by Masoud Nazari

Fall Term 2024 (current)

Fall Term 2023

Fall Term 2022

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