Current members
Doctoral researchers
Sajjad Uddin Mahmud
PhD candidate, Spring 2022
My current research focuses on devising efficient techniques and solutions to ensure the resilience of power grids and uphold the consistent delivery of energy, especially under severe weather conditions. Besides, I gained extensive experience in designing and implementing grid-integrated rooftop solar systems, solar irrigation systems, and solar home systems in Bangladesh. I obtained my Master of Science (M.Sc.) and Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degrees from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Bangladesh, in 2020 and 2015, respectively. Website. Email. GitHub. LinkedIn.
Ninad Kiran Gaikwad
PhD candidate, Spring 2022
I am originally from Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. I received my BTech in Electrical Engineering from Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI), Mumbai, in 2012, my MTech in Power Electronics and Power Systems from Sardar Patel College of Engineering, Mumbai, in 2016, my MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Florida, Gainesville, in 2021, and my MS in Computer Science from Washington State University (WSU) in 2026. I am currently a PhD candidate in Electrical Engineering at WSU, conducting research in the SCALE Lab, and also work as a Lead Power Systems Developer at iGridSim. My research focuses on physics-informed and data-driven modeling, reduced-order thermal modeling, Model Predictive Control (MPC), Reinforcement Learning (RL), co-simulation, and intelligent control of grid-interactive buildings and energy systems. My broader interests lie at the intersection of power systems, control, optimization, and artificial intelligence. In the future, I am interested in joining academia as a faculty member and developing an independent research program in intelligent and autonomous energy systems. Outside of research, I enjoy long road trips, playing table tennis, and playing the guitar. Email, Website, LinkedIn, GitHub
Aryan Ritwajeet Jha
PhD candidate, Fall 2022
My research focuses on computationally efficient multi-period optimization of power distribution systems, particularly with energy storage. Internships across an electric reliability organization, corporate R&D, and an original equipment manufacturer have reinforced my interest in combining an industry career with continued research. I enjoy the journey from practical engineering needs to modeling requirements, understanding their computational complexity, and developing algorithms that make these problems tractable -- ultimately delivering useful tools for power system engineers.
I received my BE in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, in 2020 and pursued graduate work in Power System Operation and Control at IIT Delhi from 2020 to 2022.
My appreciation for my friends, colleagues, and professors has only grown throughout this journey. I believe research requires inspiration, and inspiration flourishes where people feel happy, respected, and supported. Cultivating that environment is part of doing good research -- through kindness, shared curiosity, and helping one another grow. Outside research, I enjoy badminton, films, reading, and visiting art museums. If you are considering SCALE Lab, please feel free to reach out -- I would be happy to share my experience of our research and lab culture.
Preliminary exam: Conducted on 5 November 2025.
Preliminary exam — lab photo · View photo: Aryan with SCALE Lab members at his preliminary exam on 5 November 2025
Preliminary exam — committee photo · View photo: Aryan with his committee at his preliminary exam on 5 November 2025
Charlotte Wertz
PhD candidate, Fall 2023
I am a PhD candidate in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Washington State University. My research interests are in the intersection of power system resiliency and energy equity. I am part of the Distinguished Graduate Research Program (DGRP), a fellowship that enables me to collaborate with Pacific Northwest National Laboratory for my dissertation. I am currently funded by Graduate Assistance for Areas of National Need (GAANN) fellowship and being trained on applying computer science principles to power engineering. I received my bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering with a focus on power systems from Washington State University in May 2023. Github. LinkedIn.
Athul Jose P
PhD candidate, Fall 2023
I am a PhD candidate in Electrical Engineering at the School of EECS at Washington State University. I received my Bachelor of Technology from Govt Engineering College Thrissur, India, and a Master of Technology in Power Systems from National Institute of Technology Calicut, India. My current research interests center around the flexibility and aggregation of Distributed Energy Resources, utilizing optimal control and reinforced learning for flexibility market applications. I am an enthusiastic badminton player during leisure. Email, Website, LinkedIn, GitHub.
Anup Parajuli
PhD, Fall 2023
I am a Graduate Research Assistant in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at WSU, Pullman. I received my bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the Institute of Engineering (I.O.E), Pulchowk Campus, Nepal in 2021. My research interests include Power System Optimization and Resiliency, Integration of DERs, etc. My current research focuses on multi-period optimal power flow (MPOPF) in distribution systems with battery energy storage. Email, GitHub. LinkedIn.
Kunal Shankar
PhD candidate, Spring 2024
I am a PhD candidate in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Washington State University, Pullman. I received my B.Tech. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Birla Institute of Technology Mesra, India, in 2023. Before joining WSU, I worked as a Deputy Manager and Energy Analyst at Schneider Electric.
My research centers on system identification and estimation, with a particular focus on scientific grey-box modeling of buildings. Building on this work, I am developing smart-grid modeling and demand-response approaches that use building-level flexibility to support grid reliability, capacity, and decarbonization. I am a member of the Energy Systems Innovation Center (ESIC) and am advised by Dr. Anamika Dubey.
Outside of research, I enjoy working out and playing ping pong.
ESIC Student Spotlight: Kunal’s Journey in Power Engineering.
Yashvardhan Singh Raghuwanshi
PhD, Fall 2024
I am pursuing my PhD at Washington State University (WSU), specializing in optimal power flow and reinforcement learning for distribution system regulation and restoration. I come from Madhya Pradesh, India. I am always excited to solve difficult problems in the domain and beyond. At WSU, I am under the supervision of Dr. Anamika Dubey and Dr. Anjan Bose. Before this, I did both B.Tech. and M.Tech. (5-year dual degree course) from an institute of national importance and eminence, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhubaneswar, under the supervision of Dr. Chandrashekhar N. Bhende. I enjoy collaborating with others and approaching research problems that transcend branch-boundaries of engineering and science.
Co-advisors: Dr. Anjan Bose and Dr. Anamika Dubey.
Apsara Adhikari
PhD, Fall 2024
I am a Graduate Research Assistant in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. I received my bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Institute of Engineering (IOE), Pulchowk Campus, Nepal, in 2021.
My research interests include power-system optimization, wildfire resilience, distributed energy resource integration, and the reliable operation of electric power systems under extreme events. My current research focuses on developing optimization- and data-driven approaches to improve power-system resilience against wildfire-related risks, including the evaluation of transmission system vulnerabilities and operational strategies for maintaining reliable service during disruptions.
Casey Dettlaff
PhD, Spring 2025
I am pursuing my PhD in electrical engineering at Washington State University. My research interests include the integration of renewables, smart-grid technology, and machine learning. I’m currently working on applying machine-learning concepts to building power consumption modeling. I also intern at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories with a focus on power system protection. My ultimate goal is to make power safer, more sustainable, and more equitable. Email, LinkedIn, GitHub.
SCALE Lab community
Alumni
Our former students and researchers, and where their work has taken them.
Daniel Glover
PhD alumnus, Summer 2021 to Spring 2026
received my B.S. in Electrical Engineering and an M.S. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Oklahoma Gallogly College of Engineering in 2020 and 2021. I completed my Ph.D. at Washington State University in the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science. My doctoral research focused on the application of AI and deep reinforcement learning for grid-edge device coordination in distribution systems, with a focus on safety and robustness by examining methods to mitigate the simulation-to-reality gap and domain shift phenomena for improved policy transfer. I am also a National Intel Scholar, member of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), Climate Change AI volunteer, and National GEM Fellow. LinkedIn. Email. GitHub.
Shishir Lamichhane
PhD alumnus, Spring 2023 to Spring 2026
I am currently working as a Senior Engineer in the Planning & Strategic Initiatives team at Dominion Energy, where my responsibilities primarily focus on transmission system planning and analysis. My current work involves developing an integrated planning framework for grid-enhancing technologies (GETs) to improve transmission system utilization and flexibility, as well as conducting hosting capacity analyses to evaluate the grid’s capability to accommodate growing electricity demand and new generation resources.
Chandra Kant Jat
Former Postdoctoral Research Associate, Spring 2025 to Spring 2026
As a Postdoctoral Research Associate at SCALE Lab, I worked on multi-period energy storage optimization and reinforcement learning for power system operation and control. I earned my Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from KU Leuven, Belgium, in 2024, following an M.Tech. in Power Systems from IIT Bombay and a B.Tech. from IIT Roorkee. My doctoral work focused on modeling and optimization of hybrid AC/DC power systems, developing power flow and optimal power flow models for the unbalanced operation of bipolar HVDC grids. I have contributed to multiple European projects -PROMOTioN, NEPTUNE, and FLEXPLAN- and spent time as a Visiting Scholar at Los Alamos National Laboratory in 2023. Before my M.Tech., I worked as a System Operator at PGCIL’s Kolar HVDC station in India. LinkedIn. Email. GitHub.
Abodh Poudyal
PhD alumnus, Fall 2020 to Spring 2024
Abodh Poudyal is a Senior Software Power Systems Engineer at Electric Power Engineers, where he leads efforts in developing automated solutions for grid modernization, resilience, and reliability. Abodh is passionate about advancing the future of power systems through innovative software solutions. With over ten years of experience, Abodh specializes in automating grid operations and developing scalable tools for utilities. His expertise spans power system analysis, operations research, machine learning, high-performance computing, and software development. Before joining EPE, Abodh worked as a researcher with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (now known as the National Laboratory of the Rockies), starting in March 2024. He is also a co-chair of the IEEE Modern and Future Distribution Systems Planning Working Group.
Lab dates: August 2020 to May 2024.
Subho Paul
Former Postdoctoral Research Associate, Fall 2022 to Fall 2023
I received the M.E. degree in electrical engineering with power systems specialization from Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India, in 2016, and the Ph.D. degree in electrical engineering from the Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Roorkee, Roorkee, India, in 2021. I worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA, from 2022 to 2023. I am currently working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (BHU) Varanasi, Varanasi, India. My research interests include power system optimization, distribution network optimal power flow, microgrid energy management, power system resiliency, and application of artificial intelligence techniques in power systems. I received the University Gold Medal for standing first in order of merit in the M.E. degree and the Grid India Power System Award 2024 under the doctoral category of outstanding work by the Grid Controller of India Ltd. I have been awarded the “Prime Minister Early Career Research Grant 2025 (PM-ECRG)” by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), India.
Surendra Bajagain
PhD alumnus, Spring 2019 to Fall 2023
Surendra Bajagain (Member, IEEE) received his MS from the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, in 2017, and his PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, in 2023. His research interests include distribution system state estimation and distribution system modeling and planning.
Thesis: Enhancing Distribution System Situational Awareness Using Smart Meters
Rabayet Sadnan
PhD alumnus, Spring 2023
Rabayet’s research focuses on scalable optimization, distributed control and coordination, and power system modeling and analysis. He earned his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology in 2015 and 2017, followed by an M.Sc. in Mathematics and a Ph.D. in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Washington State University in 2021 and 2023.
Thesis: Distributed Computation and Optimization for Electric Power Distribution Systems
Lusha Wang
PhD alumna, Spring 2022
Lusha’s research focuses on electric vehicles and distributed energy resources in power distribution and transportation systems, including modeling, optimization, resilience, and control. She received her Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, with a minor in Computer Science, from Washington State University in 2022 and her B.E. in Electrical Engineering from Wuhan University in 2016. After a postdoctoral appointment at Argonne National Laboratory, she joined the University of Alabama as an Assistant Professor in 2023.
Thesis: Optimal Planning and Operation of Distribution Systems with Massive Electric Vehicles
Co-advised with Dr. Noel Schulz.
Gayathri Krishnamoorthy
PhD alumna, Fall 2018 to Spring 2022; MS alumna, Fall 2016 to Spring 2018
Gayathri received her Ph.D. and M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Washington State University in 2022 and 2018, respectively. She earned her B.E. in Electronics and Communications Engineering from Anna University, India, in 2016.
PhD thesis: Frequency regulation service provision from distribution Connected battery energy storage systems
MS thesis: An Iterative Co-simulation Framework for the Integrated Transmission and Distribution System Analysis
Mohammad Ostadijafari
PhD alumnus, Spring 2018 to Fall 2021
Mohammad received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Washington State University in 2021. He earned his M.Sc. and B.E. in Electrical Engineering from Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran, in 2015 and 2013, respectively.
Thesis: Coordination of Demand-side Flexibility in Power Distribution Systems
Andrew Ian Cannon (Drew)
MS alumnus, Fall 2021
Drew earned his B.S. in Physics from Washington State University in 2019 before completing his master’s studies in electrical power engineering at WSU in 2021.
Thesis: Distributed Algorithms to Accurately Share Reactive Power in Islanded Microgrid Systems
Rahul Jha
PhD alumnus, Fall 2016 to Fall 2020
Rahul Jha is a Senior Engineer at ComEd. He began his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at Washington State University in Fall 2016 and graduated in Fall 2020. His expertise spans distribution system optimization, DER integration, inverter-based resources, and real-time power system simulation. He has led and contributed to utility and industry initiatives focused on advancing grid reliability, resilience, and operational efficiency.
Thesis: Network-Level Optimization for Volt/Var Control in Unbalanced Electric Power Distribution Systems
Shiva Poudel
PhD alumnus, Fall 2016 to Summer 2020
Shiva’s research covers distribution system modeling and analysis, restoration, resilience assessment, and software applications for modern power distribution systems. He received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from Washington State University, his M.S. in Electrical Engineering from South Dakota State University, and his B.E. in Electrical Engineering from the Institute of Engineering. He joined Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 2020 after summer internships at Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories in 2018 and EPRI in 2019.
Thesis: Quantifying and Improving Resilience in Power Distribution Systems
Arun Abhishek Imayakumar
MS alumnus, Fall 2019
Arun received his M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Washington State University in December 2019 and his B.E. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Valliammai Engineering College, Anna University, India, in May 2016.
Thesis: Anomaly Detection for Primary Distribution System Measurements using Principal Component Analysis
Co-advised with Dr. Anjan Bose.
Anandini Bharadwaj
MS alumna, Spring 2019
Thesis: Operational Topology Estimation of Three Phase Unbalanced Power Distribution Systems with Outages
Scenery: Lucide; branches, rocks, and crab adapted from Lorc / Game-icons.net (CC BY 3.0), backgrounds removed and recolored.