Events
Machine Learning Control for Engineering Dynamic Systems
| Date: | Thursday 3 July 2025 11:00 - 12:00  |
| Location: | David Sizer LT, Bancroft building |
Professor Mahdi Shahbakhti, a Professor at the University of Alberta, Canada, is visiting the School of Engineering and Materials Science as a guest of Dr Amin Paykani, Lecturer in Sustainable Propulsion Systems, as part of the Royal Society's International Exchange Grant.
Title: Machine Learning Control for Engineering Dynamic Systems
Abstract:
This talk explores recent advancements in the integration of machine learning (ML) and control strategies for engineering dynamic systems. Specifically, it highlights five key areas where ML can be incorporated into model predictive control (MPC):
- ML in the model structure of MPC
- ML in the control structure of MPC
- ML in the optimization of MPC
- ML in the imitation of MPC
- MPC for safe learning-based control
These concepts will be illustrated through real-world applications, including vehicles, fuel cells, solar energy systems, smart buildings, and HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems. The examples demonstrate how the synergy between ML and MPC can yield powerful tools to enhance the performance and efficiency of energy systems, while ensuring compliance with operational constraints.
About the speaker:
Mahdi Shahbakhti is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alberta, Canada. He previously held faculty and research positions at Michigan Technological University (2012–2019) and the University of California, Berkeley (2010–2012). He earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alberta in 2009.
Dr Shahbakhti’s research focuses on data-driven and physics-based modeling, as well as model-based control of energy systems, with applications in vehicles, fuel cells, and buildings. He has authored over 250 peer-reviewed publications and has received research funding from organizations including Canada Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Alberta Innovates, the US National Science Foundation, ARPA-E, the US Department of Energy, and major automotive companies such as Ford, GM, Toyota, and Cummins.
He is the former Chair of the ASME DSCD Automotive and Transportation Systems Technical Committee (2020–2022) and the Energy Systems Technical Committee (2018–2020). He currently serves as Technical Editor for the IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics and has previously served as Associate Editor for the ASME Journal of Dynamic Systems, Measurement, and Control (2017–2023) and the International Journal of Powertrains (2014–2020).
URL: sites.ualberta.ca/~mahdi/
| Contact: | Amin Paykani |
| Email: | a.paykani@qmul.ac.uk |
| Research Centre: | Intelligent Transport |