Director Power Electronic Systems Laboratory
ETH Zurich
ETH Zurich
Zurich, Switzerland
Johann W. Kolar (M´89–F´10) received his M.Sc. and Ph.D. degree (summa cum laude) from the University of Technology Vienna, Austria, in 1997 and 1999, respectively. Since 1984, he has been working as an independent researcher and international consultant in close collaboration with the Vienna University of Technology, in the fields of power electronics, industrial electronics and high performance drive systems. He was appointed Assoc. Professor and Head of the Power Electronic Systems Laboratory at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich on Feb. 1, 2001, and was promoted to the rank of Full Prof. in 2004. Dr. Kolar has proposed numerous novel converter concepts incl. the Vienna Rectifier, the Sparse Matrix Converter and the Swiss Rectifier, has spearheaded the development of x-million rpm motors, and has pioneered fully automated multi-objective power electronics design procedures. He has graduated 80+ Ph.D. students, has published 900+ journal and conference papers and 4 book chapters, and has filed 200+ patents. He has presented 30+ educational seminars at leading international conferences and has served as IEEE PELS Distinguished Lecturer from 2012 – 2016. He has received 40+ IEEE Transactions and Conference Prize Paper Awards, the 2014 IEEE Power Electronics Society R. David Middlebrook Achievement Award, the 2016 IEEE PEMC Council Award, the 2016 IEEE William E. Newell Power Electronics Award, the 2021 EPE Outstanding Achievement Award and 2 ETH Zurich Golden Owl Awards for excellence in teaching. He was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering as an international member in 2021. The focus of his current research is on ultra-compact/efficient WBG converter systems, ANN-based design procedures, Solid-State Transformers, ultra-high speed drives, and bearingless motors.
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