Parsa Beheshti received his bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering and Management from McMaster University in April 2022. He joined the CERC@MARC program in May 2022 and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. under the supervision of Dr. Ali Emadi. His research is focused on high-power traction inverters for switched reluctance motors in electrified vehicle applications.
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From a young age, Parsa tinkered with computers and mechanical toys. He was taught basic circuitry and soldering at a very young age by his father, who sparked his passion for electrical systems and programming. Growing up, he favoured STEM-oriented elements of the curriculum. They complemented his curiosity about the inner workings of machines and systems, especially automobiles. Combined with his love for math and physics, he chose to pursue an undergraduate degree in Engineering at McMaster University.
Throughout his first year, Parsa’s love for cars and engineering design was affirmed through his course work and extracurricular activities. After attending a presentation by Dr. Ali Emadi on the paradigm shifts in transportation electrification, Parsa found an exciting path forward for his career, eventually leading him to pursue Electrical Engineering. Parsa’s passion for cars and interest in electrified transportation led him to MAC Formula Electric in 2018. In his final year Parsa worked with three of his fellow teammates to develop the electrical architecture of their vehicle, which won first place at the ECE Capstone Expo.
In addition to extracurricular engagements, Parsa worked as a Research Assistant with CERC@MARC in 2017, and with MMRI as a Lab Assistant in 2018. Through these roles, Parsa experienced applied research environments that complemented his hands-on learning style. They also helped him develop practical skills for future endeavours. In 2019, Parsa joined L3Harris WESCAM with the NPI group where he spent 16 months as an Electrical Engineering Co-op. Provided with an opportunity to incubate his electrical engineering and hardware design skills, he returned to the final two year of studies with a new passion for his discipline.
After completing undergraduate course work in Power Electronics, Parsa was motivated to pursue graduate research in the application of Silicon Carbide (SiC) power devices in electrified transportation applications. This led him to join the CERC@MARC group and pursue an M.A.Sc. in Electrical and Computer Engineering under the supervision of Dr. Ali Emadi. After his first year of studies, Parsa wanted to explore his passion in further detail, motivating him to transfer into the Ph.D. program. His work focuses on the application of SiC power electronics in electrified vehicles, with a focus on traction inverters for switched reluctance motors (SRMs).
