Dr. Xin Chen
Dr. Xin Chen, assistant professor in Texas A&M University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, received the National Science Foundation (NSF) Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Award for his research on using artificial intelligence to improve coordination across modern power grids.
The CAREER Award is one of the highest honors a young professor can receive in science and engineering. Winners are selected based on their potential to serve as academic role models and leaders in research and education. The award also includes major funding to help recipients build research teams, purchase equipment, train students and test new ideas.
Chen’s project — “AI-Enabled Autonomous Coordination of Ultra-Large-Scale Converter-Based Distributed Energy Resources in Power Networks” — focuses on safely and efficiently managing large numbers of connected energy devices. These devices include solar panels, batteries, electric vehicles and other technologies that are integrated into the power grid.
Chen’s research could play an important role in improving grid stability, as utilities across Texas and the United States face increasing energy demands and rapidly growing electricity consumption. He aims to improve the reliability, efficiency and intelligence of future power networks while supporting the transition toward cleaner and more flexible energy systems.
The project also supports Chen’s broader vision of integrating research and education. By bringing together artificial intelligence, automation, problem-solving and power systems, the work will create opportunities for students to gain interdisciplinary training in technologies that are central to the future of energy systems.
A notable part of this work is an AI tool he is developing called X-GridAgent. The tool is being designed to help grid operators manage complex analysis tasks, potentially saving engineers a significant amount of time and effort.
“AI gives us a powerful new way to manage the complexity of modern power grids,” Chen said. “As millions of distributed energy resources connect to the grid, we need autonomous coordination methods that can make fast, reliable and safe decisions while respecting the physical limits of power systems.”
Chen is collaborating with Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to ground his research in real systems and enable his results to have a potential deployment path.
