I’m Melody Famil Rasoulian, a PhD student in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. My research is part of the Contextual Engineering Research Group (CERG), where I focus on developing sustainable energy solutions, particularly solar cells, and their integration with local community needs and environmental conditions.

I am passionate about designing energy systems that are not only technically robust but also adaptable and sensitive to the cultural and environmental contexts of the communities they serve. Currently, my research is centered on contextualizing the electrical energy needs and consumption patterns in the Bodaway Gap Navajo Nation. This work involves exploring how technology can be tailored to local contexts to ensure its effectiveness and sustainability. My efforts dive deep into understanding how community-specific factors—like daily energy usage patterns, socio-economic conditions, and local environmental challenges—can be seamlessly integrated into engineering design processes.

My journey in electrical engineering began with a focus on control systems during my undergraduate studies, where I developed a passion for applying engineering principles to real-world problems. This interest led me to pursue a master’s degree specializing in power systems, where I honed my skills in optimizing distribution networks with renewable resources. After my master’s, I worked with the PowerMatlab group, delving deeper into optimization and uncertainty models, while expanding my knowledge of power markets and pricing policies under competitive environments. This background has been instrumental in shaping my approach to integrating technology with human-centric design in my current research.

Education:

M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering – Power Systems, Science and Research University, Tehran, Iran,2014

B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering – Control Systems, Imam Khomeini International University, Qazvin, Iran,2018