May 06, 2020

Name
Samira Shamsir

Hometown
Dhaka, Bangladesh

Major
PhD, Electrical and Computer Engineering

Faculty Advisor
Syed Kamrul Islam 

Where did you complete your undergraduate study (and additional graduate study if applicable)?
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology  

Why did you choose Mizzou for your graduate program?
The state-of-the-art facilities at the University of Missouri, along with the highly qualified faculty members. The opportunities to work with some of the leading researchers in the world have motivated me to pursue my graduate study at this university. I strongly believe that this great opportunity will endow me a chance to hone my skills and help me to contribute significantly to the rapidly developing field of nanotechnology. In addition, I really appreciate the commitment to diversity and the opportunity to engage with the internal and external campus community to support a diverse campus community at the University of Missouri. I believe the opportunity to pursue my graduate study in Electrical Engineering at the University of Missouri will surely enable me to advance towards my dream of a successful career in the future.

Tell us about your graduate research.  What are some potential outcomes or applications?
Wide bandgap (WBG) semiconductors such as Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) are emerging as promising alternatives to Silicon (Si) for the new generation of power devices. GaN has attracted a lot of attention recently because of its superior material properties suitable for high power, high frequency and high-temperature applications. GaN-based power electronic modules are capable of operating at higher ambient temperature compared to Si counterparts allowing reduction of requirement for existing thermal management schemes. In addition, power electronic modules with smaller passive components can be designed by taking advantage of high-frequency switching of GaN transistors. Although several works on GaN power transistors and circuit topologies for power electronic applications have been reported in the literature, modeling and device characterization efforts are relatively inadequate. However, proper device modeling plays a very important role to simulate the device in a circuit simulator to verify its operation and improve the design efficiency for a particular power electronics application. In view of these issues, this research outlines some aspects of modeling and characterization of GaN transistors and validation of the model in practical high power and high-temperature application for automotive including the electric vehicles (EV) and the hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV). The overall proposal focuses on four key areas such as physics-based analytical modeling, empirical modeling, electrothermal modeling, and system-level impact analysis. The outcome of this work will serve as the foundation for GaN-based high power and high-temperature power electronic devices and circuits for automotive applications.

What are some accomplishments you’ve achieved at Mizzou that you’re especially proud of?
During my graduate study at the University of Missouri, I have received several accolades for which I am proud of. This year I have received the 2020 Electrical and Computer Engineering Outstanding Ph.D. students award. I have also received the Pursuit of Excellence in Engineering Diversity and Inclusion Student Award in 2019 and 1907 Women in Engineering Student Award in 2018 from the Office of Diversity and Outreach Initiatives at the College of Engineering, University of Missouri. I have also received the 2019 Graduate Fellowship Award from the IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Society. I along with other graduate students in my research group attended the 2019 IEEE International Sensors and Measurement Student Contests and won the 1st prize for their project. We also received the 3rd place among all the departments of the College of Engineering in the University of Missouri for our research demonstration during 2019 Mizzou Engineers’ Week. In addition, I have published my research works on several peer-reviewed journals and conferences which includes IEEE Transaction on Electron Device, IEEE International Instrumentation and Measurement Technology Conference (I2MTC), IEEE Medical Measurements and Applications (MeMeA) conference. In 2019, I have also received the travel grant from the College of Engineering of the University of Missouri to participate in the Grace Hopper Celebration.

What do you hope to do after you complete your degree?
After completing the doctoral program, my long-term objective is to seek teaching and/or research position in a research or academic institution where I can share my experience and knowledge with others. I strongly believe that the knowledge and skills that I am going to acquire throughout my doctoral study at University of Missouri will help me develop a successful career in academia.