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Ha Thu Le, College of Engineering
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Ha Thu Le

Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering
College of Engineering

Expertise:

Engineering Education, Solar Energy, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Wind Energy, Power Transmission and Distribution, Smart Grids, Energy Storage, Power System Stability, Power Quality, Distributed Generation, Electric Vehicles, Fast Charging Systems, Energy Optimization and Efficiency

Ha Thu Le is a leading researcher in renewable energy innovation and smart grid technologies with a strong track record of securing more than $2.5 million in federal funding as PI, Co-PI, Developer and Key Personnel. As a principal investigator and collaborator on diverse U.S. projects, her recent work explores ways to enhance power system resilience and efficiency via the use wind and solar energy, electric vehicles, energy storage, artificial intelligence, and other smart technologies. Her research is regularly published in top peer-reviewed journals and showcased at major conferences of Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

 

Le integrates community service into her engineering work through innovative student-led projects. High-impact projects include:

  • Supervising a senior design team to develop and build a Smart Simulation Board for fault detection and service restoration in power grids. The board was donated the region’s primary electric utility company, Southern California Edison, which has been using it for public education since 2019.
  • Launching a senior capstone design course (ECE 467S Team Project III) with a community engagement component in 2018. That year, she collaborated with Ganesha High School in Pomona to provide Cal Poly Pomona student-participants with service-learning experience. Her student team designed and donated a $1,700 solar-powered charging station, which supports school operations and serves as a hands-on learning tool for renewable energy. For this student-led service-learning project, Le was recognized by the Pomona Unified School District and Cal Poly Pomona’s Center for Community Engagement.

Recent Grants and Fellowships:

  • “Collaborative Research: CISE-MSI: DP: IIS RI: Research Capacity Expansion via Development of AI Based Algorithms for Optimal Management of Electric Vehicle Transactions with Grid”, Funded by U.S. National Science Foundation, Award No. 2318611 and 2318612, 2023-2026; Role: PI; $600,000
  • “Industry 4.0: Career Advancement through Research and Education in Modeling and Simulation (iCARE-M&S)”, Funded by U.S. Department of Education, 2024-2027, Role: Key Personnel, PI: Behnam Bahr, $1,151,080
  • “Role of the Smart Grid in Alleviating Electrical Power System Stress Conditions Through Demand Response”. University-industry collaborative R&D project on a smart-grid concept with smart end-use energy management, optimized demand response, energy conservation and renewable energy, funded by U.S. National Science Foundation, Award No. 1114314, 2011-2013; Role: Key developer of proposal and Co-PI; $600,000
  • “US-Egypt Cooperative Research: Managing Grid Integration of Large-Scale Wind Power Parks using Energy Storage Technology and Demand Response”. Cooperative research between Virginia Tech and University of Cairo (Egypt) on large-scale wind power integration, energy storage systems, and demand response, funded by U.S. National Science Foundation (Award No. 1104023, 2011-2013); Role: Key developer of proposal and U.S. team researcher;  $250,000
  • “Increasing Capacity Credits and Firming Wind Power using Energy Storage Systems”. PhD research project on wind power integration, grid stability and energy storage systems, funded by U.S. National Science Foundation (Grant No. 0725548, 2007 – 2010). Role: Contributor to proposal and researcher; $200,000

Selected Publications:

(*) denotes students

Education:

M.S., Electrical and Computer Engineering; Ph.D., Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas at Austin
M.E., Electrical Engineering, University of Queensland, Australia
B.S., Electrical Engineering, Odessa College, Ukraine

Languages:

English, Vietnamese

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