This award recognizes a young researcher who has made significant contributions to the advancement of the industrial electronics field and is within his/her first 10 years of professional experience from the date of his/her last academic degree. The awardee is selected based on the technical importance of the contribution, subject matter, originality, and prospects for future success. 

Saeedifard was selected for her outstanding research contributions in modulation and control of multilevel converters and voltage-sourced converter-based high-voltage DC (HVDC) transmission systems. She conducts research in the area of medium- and high-power energy electronics systems for utility and industrial applications. More specifically, her group is focusing on modeling and control of advanced converter topologies, protection of multi-terminal DC grids, and power electronic systems based on emerging wide-band-gap switching devices.

Saeedifard will be presented with this award during the banquet of the 2018 IEEE Industrial Electronics Society Conference (IECON), which will be held October 21-23 in Washington D.C.