Poria Fajri and Nima Lotfi, two Missouri S&T graduate students, won first place in a design competition held at the 2013 IEEE International Electric Machines and Drives Conference (IEMDC) in Chicago last month. The pair won for an educational small-scale hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) test bench they developed.

The test bench includes all key components of an actual hybrid electric vehicle that have been scaled down to provide a test platform to evaluate and study hybrid power trains and emulate electric and HEV systems. It will help familiarize and educate students on various aspects of electric and HEVs and can be taken to schools and community events as a demonstration and education unit.

Fajri is a Ph.D. student working with of Dr. Mehdi Ferdowsi, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering. Fajri’s research interests include electric and hybrid electric vehicles, power electronics, electric motor and dynamometer test bench, and renewable energy. Lotfi is a Ph.D. student working with of Dr. Robert G. Landers, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering. Lotfi’s research interests include control theory and design, alternative energy systems including fuel cells and lithium-ion batteries, and hybrid electric vehicles.