Colorado State University

Dr. James Cale is an Associate Professor in the Systems Engineering Department at Colorado State University, with joint appointment in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department. His research focuses on the modeling, control and design optimization of energy sources and systems. His background and interests are in the areas of energy conversion, power-electronic drive systems, microgrids, finite-inertia power systems, computational and applied electromagnetics, design optimization, hardware-in-the-loop, and machine learning algorithms.

Prior to joining CSU, he led the Integrated Devices & Systems group at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado. Before that he worked in senior design engineering roles at Advanced Energy Industries and Orbital ATK (since acquired by Northrop Grumman). He earned his BSEE from Missouri University of Science & Technology (summa cum laude). He is a member of Tau Beta Pi and is a Senior Member of IEEE.

Some of Prof. Cale’s recent research projects have included:

• Mathematical modeling and software development for prediction of current harmonics currents in AC and DC distribution systems for comparing energy efficiency of DC vs hybrid AC/DC distribution
• Characterization of magnetic material properties and magnetic equivalent circuit representations of electromechanical devices
• Data analytics and dynamic reliability models for predicting failures in electrical batteries and motors

Note to Prospective Graduate Students

1) Advising (Ph.D. and M.S. Thesis students, off-campus): If you are looking for an advisor for enrollment in the distance Systems Engineering Ph.D. or M.S. with Thesis, send me an email with the following information: (1) your prior academic history (degrees awarded) and research papers, (2) your specific interest in energy systems and how it aligns with my background, (3) a general outline of what you’d like to research for your dissertation. Note: as of 8/01/20 I am at capacity on distance Ph.D. and M.S. students and will not be accepting further students. Check back periodically.

2) Advising (M.S. Plan B students): If you are looking for an advisor to oversee a Masters degree in Systems Engineering – Plan B option, send me an email with the following information: (1) your prior academic history (degrees awarded), work background, and any published papers, (2) your specific interest in energy systems and how it aligns with my background, (3) a general outline of what topic you’d like to pursue for your Plan B report.

3) Research Assistantships (Ph.D. students, on-campus): I am looking for one on-campus student, with GRA support for academic year 2020. Students with a background in electrical power engineering, knowledge of statistics and stochastic processes, and strong computer programming skills are encouraged to contact me. Send me an email with the following information: (1) your prior academic history (degrees awarded) and research papers, (2) your specific interest in energy systems and how it aligns with my background.

4) Serving on your graduate committee: If you already have a primary advisor and are looking for an additional faculty member for your committee, send me an email describing your thesis/dissertation topic, the name of your advisor, and how your research aligns with my background.