Jiaqi Yuan received her B.S. and M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Beijing Jiaotong University, China, in 2016 and 2019, respectively. During her master’s studies, she worked on hardware–in-the-loop real-time simulation and modeling for high–switching frequency power converters. In September 2023, she earned her Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, under the supervision of Dr. Ali Emadi. She is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, with research interests in the control and design of power electronics and onboard chargers of electric vehicles.
Full Profile
Jiaqi has been passionate about engineering from an early age. She built a solid foundation in math and physics during high school, which led to her acceptance into the electrical engineering department of Beijing Jiaotong University. During her undergraduate studies from 2012 to 2016, she developed a deep interest in power electronics, recognizing its significant impact on automotive technology, power grids, and smart cities. Her enthusiasm and dedication earned her second place in the entrance examination for the master’s program in the same department.
From 2016 to 2019, Jiaqi focused on hardware-in-the-loop real-time simulation and modeling of power electronics converters, publishing two journal papers and two conference papers during her master’s studies. Her academic excellence earned her the opportunity to visit the Energy Systems Innovation Center at Washington State University in 2017. Additionally, in 2019, she attended the Winter Academic Program at Oxford and Cambridge Universities as a visiting student. These experiences, along with working with outstanding students, further fueled her passion for technology. During summer break, she also gained practical experience as a Hardware Test Engineer at HiRain Technologies for two months. This combination of academic and practical experiences solidified her decision to pursue advanced studies to contribute to the automotive industry.
In September 2019, Jiaqi began her Ph.D. program at McMaster University, joining the McMaster Automotive Resource Center (MARC) under the supervision of Dr. Ali Emadi. She defended her thesis on “Phase Shift Modulation Techniques for Bidirectional Onboard Chargers in Electric Vehicles” in September 2023. Following this, she started working as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at MARC, specializing in the design, control, and modeling of AC/DC and DC/DC converters for more electric aircraft and electric vehicle applications.
