Onoriode Ogidi-Ekoko ’15 ’16G was 5,400 miles from his native house when he effectively defended his doctoral dissertation in electricalal engineering in August 2021 to earn his Ph.D. from Lehigh College.
However the Nigerian-born Ogidi-Ekoko, who goes by Onos, Is true at house talking about his evaluation into power electronics and semiconductors.
“Power electronics is pervasive in our trendy world,” he says. “Electrical power is flowing On A daily basis in electricalal mannequins and methods All by way of us. That electricalal power has To change appropriately between completely different voltage ranges and between alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC) types As a Outcome of it flows by way of electricalal methods and mannequins.
“Mobile chargers that convert AC power from the wall socket to DC power that goes into our mobile mannequins are Simply one event of this conversion that We’re all Familiar with. An identical idea goes for extra complicated methods Present in electrical automobiles and electrical grids.”
The conversion course of Should happen as environment nicely as potential So as To attenuate affiliated power losses. With ever-growing power consumption, even modest positive elements in effectivity Might be very vital on A worldwide scale. Ogidi-Ekoko’s evaluation investigated the potential of A class of semiconductors referred to as III-nitrides for realizing extra environment nice, extra compact and faster power conversion mannequins That would assist understand A mannequin new period of power mannequins.
“As engineers, we On A daily basis care about effectivity and efficiency,” he says. “Gallium nitride, a III-nitride semiconductor, theoretically has vital potential On this area of power electronics As a Outcome of of some key properties it possesses. The question is, how do you make that a actuality? My evaluation work was To evaluation that experimentally.”
There is additionally the question of using new approaches for designing III-nitride photonic mannequins, notably LEDs and lasers, which Onos seemed into. The underlying fundamentals and physics Of these mannequins Might be pretty complicated. Traditionally, many photonics design breakby way ofs have been understandd by way of sheer human effort and creativity. However, with advances in computing know-how and machine researching, There is A necessity to levperiodge machine researching-based mostly methods to vastly enhance the design course of.
All by way of his Ph.D. research, Onos was suggested by Professor Nelson Tansu, previously Daniel E. ’39 and Patricia M. Smith Endowed Chair Professor Inside the Division of Electrical and Pc Engineering (ECE) at Lehigh. Tansu is a Fellow of the U.S. Nationwide Academy of Inventors and IEEE, and He is presently head of The varsity of Electrical and Digital Engineering (EEE) On the College of Adelaide, in Australia.
“Onos is A splendidly gifted evaluationer Who’s in a place to combine machine researching, system fabrication and system engineering to advance The subsequent-period options in renewable, power and photonics utilized sciences,” Tansu says. “His publication on making use of machine researching for photonics system design Shall be key to the progress in electricalal engineering and utilized physics.”
A member of Ogidi-Ekoko’s doctoral committee, Sushil Kumar, affiliate professor Inside the ECE Division at Lehigh, said he Can be An excellent addition to any evaluation facility. “If he chooses To enter evaluation … he Can be Amongst The numerous prime scientists, I’ve Little question about that.”
The youngest of three boys, Ogidi-Ekoko was born to a math professor father and a mom who is a well being educator and retired assistant director of nursing. He is from Uzere, Nigeria, however grew up …….