Development of a new power electronics curriculum relevant to tomorrow's power engineering challenges

This paper presents the results of an effort to develop a new power electronics and electric machines curriculum at two collaborating academic institutions, namely, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana¹, and Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa², hereinafter referred to as Institutions A and B, in a bid to enhance the relevance of this subject to the undergraduate population. This is achieved via identifying the role of power electronics and machines in addressing tomorrow's grand engineering challenge of sustainable energy use. This is a timely and important topic because of the increased demand for highly qualified personnel and the anticipated severe workforce shortage issue in the electric power industry.