SAE Recognizes Engineers for Automotive Electronics Research

WARRENDALE, Pa., Jan. 29, 2008 - Seven research engineers are recipients of SAE International's Vincent Bendix Automotive Electronics Award. They will be presented the award during the SAE 2008 World Congress Award Ceremony held April 15, 5-7:30 p.m., at Cobo Center in Detroit.

The award, established in 1976, recognizes the authors of the best paper relating to automotive electronics engineering that was presented at an SAE International meeting.

The following authors will be recognized for co-authoring, "The Potential of Switched Reluctance Motor Technology for Electro-Mechanical Brake Applications" (SAE paper #2006-01-0296), which summarizes research done at Delphi in conjunction with the University of Akron.

Suresh Gopalakrishnan
Gopalakrishnan is a researcher at General Motors Research & Development in Warren, Mich., where he works in the Electrical & Controls Integration Laboratory. Previously, he was a senior research engineer at Delphi Research Laboratories.

Gopalakrishnan is the author or co-author of more than 25 conference and journal papers for SAE International and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). One of his papers was honored with an award from the Electrical Machines Committee of the IEEE-Industry Applications Society. He is a member of SAE International and a senior member of IEEE.

Gopalakrishnan holds a bachelor's in electrical and electronics engineering from Annamalai University in India, a master's in electrical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras, India, and a doctorate in electrical engineering from Texas A&M University. He resides in Farmington Hills, Mich.

For more information on Gopalakrishnan, please contact Angele Shaw at General Motors, angele.shaw@gm.com.

Iqbal Husain
Husain is a professor in the Electrical & Computer Engineering department at the University of Akron in Ohio. Previously, he was a visiting professor at Oregon State University and a lecturer at the Texas A&M University. He also was a consulting engineer for Delphi and a researcher for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Laboratories.

Husain is the author or co-author of more than 80 technical papers for journals of SAE International and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). He also published the book Electric and Hybrid Vehicles: Design Fundamentals, a reference used in several universities. His papers have been honored with four awards from the IEEE-Industry Applications Society (IEEE-IAS). He is also the recipient of the IEEE Third Millennium Medal and the IEEE-IAS Outstanding Young Member Award. He is a member of IEEE.

Husain holds a bachelor's in electrical engineering from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology in Dhaka, and master's and doctorate degrees in electrical engineering from Texas A&M University.

For more information on Husain, please contact Kathleen Welsh at the University of Akron, welshk@uakron.edu

Ahmed Khalil
Khalil is an embedded software engineer in the motion and power control division of Caterpillar, Inc., in Peoria, Ill. His research interests include diesel engines and electric motors control and their applications for electric and hybrid electric vehicles and trucks.

Khalil holds bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering from Cairo University in Giza, Egypt, and a doctorate in electrical engineering from the University of Akron in Ohio. He resides in Dunlap, Ill.

For more information on Khalil, please contact Sandi McCartney at Caterpillar, MCCARTNEY_SANDRA_L@cat.com.

Harald Klode
Klode is a senior electronics engineer at Goodrich Corporation in Troy, Ohio. He works in the area of aircraft wheels and brakes. Previously, he held positions at General Motors Research & Development, Delco Products, Delphi Chassis, ITT Automotive and VALEO. He was also a research assistant with the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at the University of Colorado.

Klode holds 17 patents and is the co-author of nine technical papers in the field of electric motors and mechatronics.

Klode earned his master's in electrical engineering from the Rheno-Westphalian School of Technology in Aachen, Germany. He resides in Centerville, Ohio.

For more information on Klode, please contact Christy Stringer at Goodrich, Christy.Stringer@Goodrich.com.

Bruno Lequesne
Lequesne is the manager of the Advanced Automotive Mechatronics group at Delphi Powertrain Systems in Shelby Township, Mich. Previously, he was a senior staff research engineer at General Motors and Delphi Research Laboratories.

Lequesne holds 42 patents in the field of automotive electrical systems. His research has earned him two awards from SAE International and seven awards from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers-Industry Applications Society (IEEE-IAS). He is also the recipient of three "Boss Kettering" awards from General Motors and Delphi for work on engine sensors and electric power steering. A Fellow of IEEE, he serves as vice-president of the IEEE-IAS.

Lequesne holds an engineering degree from the Ecole Supérieure d'Electricité in France and a doctorate in electrical engineering from the University of Missouri-Rolla. He resides in Troy, Mich.

For more information on Lequesne, please contact John Wray at Delphi, john.wray@delphi.com.

Avoki Omekanda
Omekanda is a staff research engineer in the Advanced Engineering division at Delphi Powertrain Systems in Shelby Township, Mich. Previously, he was a senior research engineer at the General Motors and Delphi Research Labs and a research engineer at Faculté Polytechnique de Mons in Belgium.

Omekanda is the author or co-author of nearly 50 publications in refereed journals, transactions and conference proceedings. He holds 16 U.S. patents and 11 foreign patents. Omekanda has been honored with a number of awards for his research and was named an Innovation Hall of Fame inductee in 2006. A Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), he also serves the Institute as Technical Committee Program Chair of the Electric Machines Committee for the IEEE-Industry Applications Society. He is also a member of SAE International.

Omekanda holds a bachelor's in physics from Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco, and a doctorate in electrical engineering from Faculté Polytechnique de Mons. He resides in Rochester, Mich.

For more information on Omekanda, please contact John Wray at Delphi, john.wray@delphi.com.

Samuel Underwood
Underwood is a software engineer at US Hybrid in Torrance, Calif. His main focus is on the design of analog and digital circuits for power converters for electric and hybrid vehicles. Previously, Underwood was a research assistant at the University of Akron and an intern at Delphi Saginaw Steering Systems.

Underwood is the co-author of three publications and a member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Underwood holds a master's in engineering from the ESIEE Amiens, France, and a doctorate in engineering from the University of Akron. He resides in Torrance, Calif.

For more information on Underwood, please contact Aryan Papoli at US Hybrid, aryan@ushybrid.com.

For more information on SAE International's Vincent Bendix Automotive Electronics Award, please contact pr@sae.org.