Alexander Allca-Pekarovic completed his B.Tech. in automotive and vehicle engineering technology, from the W Booth School of Engineering Practice and Technology at McMaster University’s Faculty of Engineering. This program is an advanced diploma in mechanical engineering technology. He also earned a business certificate from Mohawk College.  Alexander joined the McMaster Automotive Resource Centre (MARC) in January 2019 as a master’s student in the department of mechanical engineering. He then transferred to the Ph.D. program in May 2020, under the supervision of Dr. Ali Emadi. His research focuses on emerging electric drive system components for automotive applications, with an emphasis on vehicle energy management controls. 

Full Profile

Thanks to his father, a lifelong car fanatic, Alexander first held a wrench at only four years old. Helping his dad around cars, attending automotive shows, and watching live racing events sparked an early fascination with mechanics and automobiles. These childhood experiences stayed with him and strongly influenced his choice of post-secondary education. Alexander enrolled in the Automotive and Vehicle Engineering Technology program at McMaster University and completed his undergraduate degree in 2018.

In his second year, he spotted a poster inviting students to join the MAC Formula Electric Team, a Formula SAE student team. He applied right away and earned a spot on the mechanical sub-team. Over the next two years, he devoted himself to the team. In his final year, he became project lead for the brake pedal tray assembly. The role gave him valuable design experience beyond his CAD courses. He also worked closely with the manufacturing sub-team, machining aluminum parts and learning the art of carbon-fibre layering. 

During his first year on the Formula team, Alexander accepted a co-op position as a manufacturing engineering intern at Magna International. Despite the demands of the role, he stayed involved with the team. Working in a Tier 1 automotive production facility exposed him to the fast-paced world of mass production. Over time, he was given increasing responsibility and became the lead manufacturing engineer for several existing and early-phase project launches. He also supported multiple departments—from production to design. His knowledge of statistics proved useful when assisting the plant comptroller with financial analysis. He also applied this expertise during his time with the Quality Assurance Department as a quality engineering intern. 

Alexander credits this co-op for motivating him to pursue graduate studies. While he valued the opportunities and experience gained, he realized that manufacturing alone could not satisfy his curiosity. He wanted to explore research and development. 

In January 2019, he joined the research group at the McMaster Automotive Research Centre (MARC) under the supervision of Dr. Ali Emadi. After completing his coursework within one year of starting his M.A.Sc. in mechanical engineering, he transferred to the Ph.D. program in May 2020. His work focuses on modelling electric vehicle drivetrain components. He has made extensive use of MARC’s state-of-the-art facilities, including the dynamometer and battery emulator labs. His current research explores energy management control strategies for select electric vehicle architectures.