Dr Yuan Gao

Dr. Yuan Gao received his PhD degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering (EEE) from the University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK, in 2021. He studied his masters in Aeronautical Engineering at the Beihang University, Beijing, China, 2014-2017. He finished his Bachelor of Transportation Engineering degree in 2013 at the Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, China.

From Feb 2023, He is with the School of Engineering at the University of Leicester, Leicester, UK, as a lecturer (assistant professor) in EEE. Prior to that, he was a postdoc research associate in hybrid autonomous system engineering, Department of Aerospace Engineering, at the University of Bristol, Bristol, UK. 

At the University of Bristol, he was the project leader of EUROCONTROL Point Merge system modelling and simulation by using multi-agent systems, both centralized and decentralized control were implemented. In 2020, He participated in Electrical Machines and Drives for Next Generation Aircraft (EMINEO) Project, funded by Clean Sky 2, Horizon 2020, at the University of Nottingham. He was responsible for designing DC/AC input/output filters for the electrical power systems onboard aircraft. And his PhD programme is about design and control of electric drive systems onboard aircraft by using search and machine learning algorithms.

He is a recipient of a highly prestigious Chinese National Award for Outstanding Students Abroad in 2021. He serves as a Guest Editor for the IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, an Associate Editor for Electronics and Signal Processing, and a reviewer for multiple IEEE Transactions journals. He also serves as the financial chair of ISEEIE 2024, a Session Chair of ESARS-ITEC 2024, and a Session Co-Chair of the AIAA/IEEE EATS 2020.

Selected Journal Papers:

(1) Electrical power system, motor/motor-drive system, Artificial intelligence-aided design

Y. Gao, B. Cheong, S. Bozhko, P. Wheeler, C. Gerada, T. Yang, Surrogate role of machine learning in motor-drive optimization for more-electric aircraft applications, Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, Vol. 36 (2), 2023, Pages 213-228. (IF: 5.3, Q1)

Y. Gao, C. Jausseme, Z. Huang and T. Yang, Hydrogen-Powered Aircraft: Hydrogen–electric hybrid propulsion for aviation, IEEE Electrification Magazine, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 17-26, June 2022. (Invited, IF: 2.5, Q2)

Y. Gao, T. Yang, S. Bozhko, P. Wheeler, T. Dragicevic, C. Gerada, Neural Network aided PMSM multi-objective design and optimization for more-electric aircraft applications, Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, Vol. 35 (10), 2022, Pages 233-246. (IF: 5.3, Q1)

Y. Gao, T. Yang, S. Bozhko, P. Wheeler, T. Dragicevic. Filter Design and Optimization of Electro-Mechanical Actuation Systems Using Search and Surrogate Algorithms for More-Electric Aircraft Applications, IEEE Transactions on Transportation Electrification, vol. 6, no. 4, pp. 1434-1447, Dec. 2020. (IF: 7.2, Q1)

Y. Gao, T. Yang, T. Dragičević, S. Bozhko, P. Wheeler and C. Zheng, Optimal Filter Design for Power Converters Regulated by FCS-MPC in the MEA, IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 36, issue 3, pp. 3258-3268, March 2021. (IF: 6.6, Q1) 

(2) Artificial intelligence-aided control and maintenance

Y. Gao, S. Wang, H. Hussaini, T. Yang, T. Dragičević, S. Bozhko, P. Wheeler and S. Vazquez. Inverse application of artificial intelligence for the control of power converters, IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 38, no. 2, pp. 1535-1548, Feb. 2023. (IF: 6.6, Q1)

F. Guo, Y. Gao, et al., "A Simple ANN-Aided Virtual-Space-Vector PWM Strategy for Three-Level NPC Traction Inverters With Coordinate-Data Mapping," in IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications, Early Access, doi: 10.1109/TIA.2025.3556650 (IF: 4.2, Q2)

Z. Li, Y. Gao, X. Zhang, B. Wang, H. Ma. A Model-Data-Hybrid-Driven Diagnosis Method for Open-Switch Faults in Power Converters, IEEE Transactions on Power Electronics, vol. 36, no. 5, May 2021. (IF: 6.6, Q1)

S. Wang, T. Dragicevic, Y. Gao*, S. Chaudhary, R. Teodorescu. Machine Learning based Operating Region Extension of Modular Multilevel Converters under Unbalanced Grid Faults, IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics, vol. 68, issue 5, May 2021. (IF: 7.5, Q1)

S. Wang, T. Dragicevic, Y. Gao*, R. Teodorescu. Neural Network based Model Predictive Controllers for Modular Multilevel Converters, IEEE Transactions on Energy Conversion, vol. 36, no. 2, pp. 1562-1571, June 2021. (IF: 5, Q1)

(3) Review papers on artificial intelligence applications

Y. Gao, S. Wang, T. Dragičević, P. Wheeler, and P. Zanchetta. Artificial Intelligence Techniques for Enhancing the Performance of Controllers in Power Converter-based Systems – An overview, IEEE Open Journal of Industry Applications, vol. 4, pp. 366-375, 2023. (IF: 7.9, Q1)

Z. Huang, J, Gong, X, Xiao, Y, Gao*, Y, Xia, P. Wheeler, B. Ji. Artificial Intelligence and Digital Twin Technologies for Power Converter Control in Transportation Applications: A Review. IET Power Electronics, Feb 2025, https://doi.org/10.1049/pel2.70013, (IF: 1.7, Q3)

Z. Huang, X. Xiao, Y. Gao*, Y. Xia, T. Dragičević, P. Wheeler. Emerging Information Technologies for the Energy Management of Onboard Microgrids in Transportation Applications. Energies. 2023; 16(17):6269. (IF: 3, Q3)

(4) Multi-agent autonomous system, system of systems engineering

Y. Gao, J. Cheng, Y. Tian and H. Liu, "Machine Learning-Based Evaluation of the Contribution Effectiveness in SoS Missions," in IEEE Systems Journal, vol. 17, no. 4, pp. 5877-5888, Dec. 2023. (IF: 4, Q2)

Y. Gao, Y. Tian, H. Liu, J. Hu. Entropy based inverse design of aircraft mission success space in system-of-systems confrontation, Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, Vol. 34 (12), 2021. (IF: 5.3, Q1)

Y. Gao, Y. Tian, H. Liu, X. Sun. Gaussian fitting based optimal design of aircraft mission success space using multi-objective genetic algorithm, Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, Vol. 33 (12), 2020. (IF: 5.3, Q1)

Y. Gao, H. Liu, Y. Tian. Inverse design of mission success space for combat aircraft contribution evaluation, Chinese Journal of Aeronautics, Vol. 33 (8) 2020.  (IF: 5.3, Q1)

J. Cheng, Y. Gao*, Y. Tian and H. Liu, "GA-LNS optimization for helicopter rescue dispatch," in IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Vehicles, vol. 8, no. 7, pp. 3898-3912, July 2023. (IF: 14, Q1)

Y. Xue, Y. Gao*, Y. Tian, H. Liu, and X. Wang, Helicopter Rescue for Flood Disaster: Scheduling, Simulation, and Evaluation, Aerospace 9, no. 12: 822, 2022. (IF: 2.1, Q2)

I'm 2nd supervisor of Mr P. Yu, who started his PhD Oct 2022. His project is about the online health monitoring of power electronic devices.

I'm 2nd supervisor of Mr J. Akinwumi, who started his PhD Jan 2024. His project is about the model predictive and artifical intelligence-aided control for converters.

I'm 2nd supervisor of M. Salman, whose project is about the machine learning for communication Light Fidelity (LiFi) technology.

I'm also supervising or supervised postgraduates at Beihang University, Nanchang University, Southeast University, China Three Gorges University.

I warmly welcome PhD proposals on topics falling within my research areas.

1. Artificial intelligence-based design of motor drive or power electronic systems.

2. Advanced intelligent control and maintenance for electrical power systems onboard all transportation platforms.

3. Multi-agent-based modelling and simulation for air-traffic planning and management.

4. Communications and cooperation between robots / autonomous systems.

For applicants requiring a scholarship to fund their studies, I would be happy to support the application.

I'm responsible for joint education programmes with the China Three Gorges University for 2nd and 3rd year undergraduates.

Main modules are:

CTGU2.6 Signals and Systems

CTGU2.7 Electromagnetism

CTGU3.2 Communications

CTGU3.3 Automatic Control Theory

Also responsible for one module at Dalian University of Technology, Leicester Institute, Panjin, China:

ENG1122 Digital Electronics and Communications

Guest Editor of Special Section, "AI-enhanced power electronic systems: design, control, and maintenance", IEEE TPEL Letters (IF: 6.6)

Professional Activities Officer, IEEE UK and Ireland Power Electronics Chapter, 2025

Associate Editor, Electronics and Signal Processing, 2025

Guest Editor, Special Issue on “Aircraft Electric Power System: Design, Control, and Maintenance”, Aerospace Journal (IF: 2.1)

Guest Editor, Special Issue on "Advanced Sensors and Artificial Intelligence for Condition Monitoring of Power Electronic Systems", Sensors Journal (IF: 3.4)

Invited webinar, IEEE Power Electronics Society, 14 Nov 2024

Co-Chair of Special Session, ESARS-ITEC 2024

Keynote Speaker, ICMLAI 2024

Secondment at Zhejiang University, Dec 2023 - Jan 2024

Finance Chair, ISEEIE 2024

Guest Editor, Special Issue on “Advanced Operation and Control of Electrical Power Systems in Transportation Applications”, Energies Journal (IF: 3.0)

Technical and Training Committee, DORNA Project, School of Engineering, University of Leicester

Membership: IEEE, IEEE Power Electronics Society, IEEE Intelligent Transportation Systems Society

Reviewer of Top Journals: IEEE TTE, IEEE TIE, IEEE TPEL, IEEE TII, IEEE TEC

Vice Executive Chair, Beihang AIAA Student-Branch Association (BASA), Beihang University, 2016-2017

1. Outstanding Presentation Awards, Track: Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Attack, ABCP annual conference, July 2024

2. Congratulations from Elsevier, for publishing 5 open access articles with Elsevier between 2020–2022!
One of them was linked to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Nov 2023.

3. Chinese National Award for Outstanding PhD Students Abroad, China Scholarship Council,  2021

4. Graduate School Travel Prize for visiting the Aalborg University, University of Nottingham, April 2019

5. China Tuition Fee Research Scholarship, University of Nottingham, 2017

6. Dean Medal in School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering, Beihang University, 2016

7. The First Academic Scholarship, Beihang University, 2016

8. The GuangHua Educational Scholarship, Beihang University, 2015

9. The First Academic Scholarship, Beihang University, 2015

10. China National Computer Rank Examination certificate, Rank 3 for Network Technology (C programming), 2012

Conference talks or visits:

(1) Visit the School of Control Science and Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, 12 Dec 2024

(2) Invited to give a webinar about AI-aided studies, IEEE Power Electronics Society, 14 Nov 2024

(3) Seminar about AI-enhanced motor drive systems in Transportation, China Three Gorges University, 10 Oct 2024

(4) ABCP annual conference, 5 July 2024

(5) Visit the Energy and Power Electronics lab at Anhui University, 28 Dec 2023

(6) Visit the Transportation motor drive system lab at Nanchang University, 27 Oct 2023

(7) Development of High Reliability Motor Drives for Next Generation Propulsion Applications, DORNA summer school, University of Nottingham, 24-28 July, 2023

(8) Artificial intelligence in transportation: Advanced energy storage systems and vehicle powertrains, WMG, University of Warwick, 4 July 2023

(9) International Conference on Electrical Systems for Aircraft, Railway, Ship Propulsion and Road Vehicles (ESARS) and International Transportation Electrification Conference, Venice, 28-31 March 2023

(10) Perspectives in Hybrid Autonomous Systems Engineering, Workshop, University of Bristol, 28-30 June 2022

Conference Papers:

[1] G. Liu, J. Jiang, H. Yang, Y. Gao and X. Wang, "Digital Twin Approach for Three-phase Interleaved Parallel Buck Converters Based on Improved PSO," 2024 International Symposium on Electrical, Electronics and Information Engineering (ISEEIE), Leicester, United Kingdom, 2024, pp. 143-148
[2] J. O. Akinwumi, Y. Gao, G. T. West and H. S. Ruiz, "Optimisation Algorithms in Multi-Step Prediction Horizon MPC for Two-Level Inverters," 2024 International Symposium on Electrical, Electronics and Information Engineering (ISEEIE), Leicester, United Kingdom, 2024, pp. 115-122
[3] F. Guo, Y. Gao et al., "ANN-Aided Virtual-Space-Vector PWM Strategy for Three-Level NPC Inverter Using Sextant-Coordinate Mapping for Heavy-Duty EV Applications," 2024 IEEE Transportation Electrification Conference and Expo (ITEC), Chicago, IL, USA, 2024.
[4] H. Hussaini, T. Yang, Y. Gao, C. Wang, G. Bai, and S. Bozhko, Droop Coefficient Design and Optimization Using Genetic Algorithm-A Case Study of the More Electric Aircraft DC Microgrid, IECON 2022 – 48th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society, 2022, pp. 1-6.
[5] G. -H. Liu, X. -C. Huang, Y. Gao, and W. Wang, An Optimization Energy Management Strategy for Hybrid Emergency Power Supply System of More Electric Aircraft Based on Machine Learning, 2022 IEEE International Power Electronics and Application Conference and Exposition (PEAC), 2022, pp. 1336-1341.
[6] J. Zhang, W. Hua, Y. Gao, Y. Wang and H. Zhang, An improved Kriging surrogate model method with high robustness for electrical machine optimization, 2022 IEEE Transportation Electrification Conference and Expo, Asia-Pacific (ITEC Asia-Pacific), 2022, pp. 1-6. (Recommended to IEEE TIA)
[7] H. Hussaini et al., Accurate Line Resistance Estimation in a Multi-source Electrical Power System of the More Electric Aircraft: An Intelligent and Data-Driven Approach, 2022 IEEE Transportation Electrification Conference & Expo (ITEC), 2022, pp. 1254-1258.
[8] H. Hussaini, T. Yang, Y. Gao, C. Wang, T. Dragicevic, S. Bozhko. Droop Coefficient Design in Droop Control of Power Converters for Improved Load Sharing: An Artificial Neural Network Approach. 2021 the 30th International Symposium on Industrial Electronics, 20-23 Jun 2021, Kyoto, Japan.
[9] H. Hussaini, T. Yang, Y. Gao, C. Wang, M. A. A. Mohamed and S. Bozhko, Artificial Neural Network Aided Cable Resistance Estimation in Droop-Controlled Islanded DC Microgrids, IECON 2021 – 47th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society, 2021, 13-16 Oct. 2021, Toronto, ON, Canada.
[10] G.H. Liu, Y.B. Chen, Y. Gao, J.N. Zhu, B.X. Wang, and T. Yang, Component Based and Machine Learning Aided Optimal Filter Design for Full-Bridge Current Doubler Rectifier, IECON 2021 – 47th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society, 2021, 13-16 Oct. 2021, Toronto, ON, Canada.
[11] Y. Gao, T. Yang, X. Wang, S. Bozhko, P. Wheeler. Machine Learning Based Correction Model in PMSM Power Loss Estimation for More-Electric Aircraft Applications, 23rd International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems (ICEMS2020), 24-27 Nov. 2020, Hamamatsu, Japan.
[12] X. Wang, Y. Gao, J. Atkin, S. Bozhko. Neural Network based Weighting Factor Selection of MPC for Optimal Battery and Load Management in MEA, 23rd International Conference on Electrical Machines and Systems (ICEMS2020), 24-27 Nov. 2020, Hamamatsu, Japan.
[13] Z. Li, Y. Gao, H. Ma, X. Zhang. A Simple ANN-Based Diagnosis Method for Open-Switch Faults in Power Converters, the 46th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society (IES) (IECON 2020), 18-21 Oct. 2020, Singapore.
[14] Z. Xu, Y. Gao, X. Wang, X. Tao, Q. Xu. Surrogate Thermal Model for Power Electronic Modules using Artificial Neural Network. 45th Annual Conference of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society (IECON 2019), Lisbon, Portugal, 14-17 Oct. 2019.
[15] C. Yang, H. Liu, Y. Gao. Load Planning of Transport Aircraft Based on Hybrid Genetic Algorithm. In: 2018 2nd International Conference on Mechanical, Material and Aerospace Engineering, Wuhan, China, 10-13 May 2018.
[16] Y. Guo, Y. Gao, H. Liu, W. Gao. Mission simulation and stealth effectiveness evaluation based on fighter engagement manager (FEM). In: DEStech transactions on computer science and engineering, Sanya, China, 25-26 June 2017.
[17] Y. Gao, H. Liu, Y.L. Tian, X. Huang. A framework of distributed simulation platform based on system of systems oriented design, 2015 IEEE International Conference on Information and Automation, Li Jiang, China, 8-10 Aug 2015.