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Prof. Vijay Vittal

(MT/EE/1979)

Prof. Vijay Vittal is a Regents Professor and the Ira A. Fulton Chair Professor (since 2005), as well as the ASU Foundation Professor in Electric Power Systems at Arizona State University. He is internationally recognized for his contributions to electric power systems engineering, particularly in advancing the reliability, stability, and control of modern power grids.





Profile

Prior to joining Arizona State University, Prof. Vittal served as the Anson Marston Distinguished Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Iowa State University. He also held the Murray and Ruth Harpole Professorship and was Director of the university's Electric Power Research Center, in addition to serving as Site Director of the National Science Foundation IUCRC Power Systems Engineering Research Center (PSERC). From 1993 to 1994, he served as Program Director for Power Systems at the National Science Foundation Division of Electrical and Communication Systems in Washington, D.C. He was Editor-in-Chief of IEEE Transactions on Power Systems from 2005 to 2011.
Prof. Vittal earned his B.E. degree from B.M.S. College of Engineering, Bangalore, in 1977, followed by an M.Tech. from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur in 1979. He completed his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at Iowa State University, Ames, in 1982.
His research interests include robust control methods applied to power systems, emergency control strategies to prevent catastrophic failures, direct load control to enhance system reliability, sensor and measurement systems for large-scale power networks, the use of phasor measurements for online transient stability analysis, grid integration of renewable energy resources, and hybrid simulation.
Over the course of his distinguished career, Prof. Vittal has received numerous prestigious honors. He was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering in 2004 and is an IEEE Fellow (elected in 1997). He is also a recipient of the U.S. National Science Foundation Presidential Young Investigator Award (1985). His major recognitions include the IEEE Power and Energy Society Outstanding Power Engineering Educator Award (2000), the IEEE Herman Halperin Transmission and Distribution Technical Field Award (2013), and the IEEE PES Prabha S. Kundur Power System Dynamics and Control Award (2018). In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the field and his alma mater, he was conferred the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2021 by Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.

Achievements and Honors


  • SGSMA Best Paper Award 2024
  • IEEE Power and Energy Society, Prize Transactions Paper Award, 2022
  • Distinguished Alumnus Award, IITK, 2021.
  • Member of Iowa State University Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering Inaugural Hall of Fame, 2019.
  • IEEE Herman Halperin Electric Transmission and Distribution Award - IEEE Technical Field Award, 2013.
  • IEEE Power and Energy Society, Working Group Recognition Award, 2009.
  • IEEE Power Engineering Society, Technical Committee Prize Paper Award, 2007.
  • IEEE Power Engineering Society, Distinguished Service Award, 2005.
  • Anson Marston Distinguished Professor, Iowa State University, 2004.
  • Iowa State University Foundation Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research, 2003.
  • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Power Engineering Society Technical Council Committee of the Year Award, 2000-2001.
  • Outstanding Power Engineering Educator Award, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2000.
  • Warren B. Boast Undergraduate Teaching Award, 2000.
  • Young Engineering Faculty Research Award, Iowa State University, 1989.
  • Faculty Award of Excellence, NCR Corporation, 1988.
  • Presidential Young Investigator Award by the President of the United States, 1985.

Last updated Feb 24, 2026