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Ph.D. Candidate • University of Alabama

Md Samiul Islam Sagar

Graduate Research Assistant in Electrical Engineering • Energy and Power Electronics Systems and Devices Laboratory

Specializing in Intelligent Battery Management Systems (BMS) for DER and BESS, online State of Charge (SoC) and State of Health (SoH) estimation, observer design, and predictive health monitoring. Contributor to U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) and National Science Foundation (NSF) projects focused on battery modeling, intelligent control, and secure integration of storage into power electronics-dominated grids.

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Md Samiul Islam Sagar — Electrical Engineering Researcher
Yes, thats me...
18+
Peer-Reviewed Papers
Journals (IF up to 6.3) & IEEE Conferences
160+
Research Citations
AI, Battery Health, Antenna & Gas Sensors
DoE & NSF
Federally Funded R&D
Grid Storage & Intelligent BMS
100KHz+
SiC and GaN based HVDC Architecture
EV Fast-Charging R&D
Energy & Power Electronics Systems and Devices Laboratory
[Credit: Innovate UA (For full content, click here)]
Research Thrusts & Technical Arsenal

Interdisciplinary Research & Laboratory Capabilities

Bridging machine learning, electrochemical impedance diagnostics, Silicon Carbide (SiC) power electronics, and Class 100 cleanroom microfabrication.

DoE & NSF Funded Doctoral Research

1. AI-Driven Battery Health (SoH) & SoC Estimation

At the University of Alabama (supervised by Dr. Jaber A. Abu Qahouq), my research advances intelligent Battery Management Systems (BMS) and health-aware charge control schemes:

  • Consecutive CC Charging Segments: LSTM-ensembled deep learning frameworks for online SoH estimation in batteries with moderate to high degradation.
  • Impedance & Voltage Relaxation: Partial Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), multi-view cross-geometry SoH estimators, and ML-based Equivalent Circuit Model (ECM) parameter identification across SoCs and cycling temperatures.
  • Hybrid Observer Design: Gradient-Boosted Extended Kalman Filters (GB-EKF) as well as linear and non-linear observers for real-time state estimation.
Arbin, Squidstat, and Gamry EIS Battery Testing Setup
Arbin, Squidstat & Gamry EIS Testing Setup
./research/photos/bms-testing-setup.jpg
Microfabrication, RF & Smart Sensing

2. Harsh-Environment Ceramic Antennas & E-Nose AI

At Washington State University Vancouver (supervised by Dr. Praveen Sekhar), I integrated cleanroom fabrication, additive printing, and machine learning:

  • High-Temperature YSZ Ceramic Antennas: Class 100 cleanroom fabrication (photolithography, sputtering, etching) of microstrip patch antennas on 3-mole Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) substrates and RF T-resonator characterization.
  • Inkjet-Printed Flexible Antennas: Designed and fabricated 7 flexible and rigid UWB, mmWave 5G/6G, and circularly polarized antennas using nanoparticle inkjet printing and LPKF milling.
  • Gas Sensor Drift Compensation: Developed AI models to compensate for long-term drift in gas sensors.
YSZ Ceramic and Inkjet-Printed Flexible Antennas
YSZ Ceramic & Inkjet-Printed Antenna Prototypes
./research/photos/cleanroom-ysz-antenna.jpg
Experimental Data Acquisition & AI SoH Estimation Workflow
./research/videos/soh-estimation-demo.mp4

Battery Systems & Electrochemistry

  • Arbin & Squidstat (Admiral): Cell and module-level battery cycling and testing.
  • Gamry Potentiostat: Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS).
  • GT-Suite: Battery modeling, aging prediction, and thermal performance evaluation.
  • Algorithms: AI-based SoC/SoH estimation, linear and non-linear observer design.
Arbin Squidstat Gamry EIS GT-Suite

AI, Machine Learning & Programming

  • Languages: C, C++, Python, MATLAB, SQL.
  • AI Frameworks: TensorFlow, PyTorch (LSTM ensembles, R-CNN, Deep RL, Gradient Boosting).
  • Data Science: NumPy, SciPy, Pandas for large-scale sensor and clinical biomarker datasets.
TensorFlow PyTorch Python MATLAB

Power Electronics & Control

  • Converter Control: DC-DC converter control algorithms with hardware implementation.
  • Wide-Bandgap HVDC: 1 MW, 1500 Vdc Silicon Carbide (SiC) EV fast-charging station simulation.
  • PCB Design & QA: Altium Designer for layout; LPKF S104 for rapid prototyping, QA, and testing.
SiC 1500 Vdc Altium Designer LPKF S104

Cleanroom Fabrication & Prototyping

  • Class 100 Cleanroom: Photolithography, etching, and sputtering.
  • Substrates: Flexible substrates and high-temperature tolerant ceramics (3-mole YSZ).
  • Additive & Milling: Fujifilm Dimatix inkjet printing and LPKF S104 PCB/antenna milling.
Class 100 Cleanroom YSZ Ceramics Inkjet Printing

Modeling, Simulation & CAD Tools

  • Power & Circuits: MATLAB/Simulink, LTspice, and PLECS for circuit and control simulation.
  • Electromagnetics: ANSYS HFSS for mmWave, UWB, and 5G/6G antenna design.
  • Mechanical CAD: SolidWorks for mechanical/electrical CAD integration.
ANSYS HFSS PLECS / LTspice SolidWorks

IoT & Embedded Systems

  • Embedded Platforms: TI 28379D (C2000 DSP), Arduino, Raspberry Pi.
  • Smart Grid Systems: IoT-based energy metering, bypass protection, and demand-side load management.
TI 28379D Raspberry Pi Arduino
Scholarly Output (2019–2026)

Peer-Reviewed Publications & Conference Presentations

18 peer-reviewed journal and IEEE conference papers plus 4 international conference presentations. Use the filter buttons or live search bar below to explore by topic.

Graphical Abstract: LSTM-Ensembled Online Battery Health Estimation
Featured Journal Highlight: Batteries 2026 (IF ~6.3)
./publications/photos/batteries-2026-graphical-abstract.jpg
IEEE APEC 2026 Research Presentation (San Antonio, TX)
./publications/videos/apec-2026-presentation.mp4
[1] Online Health Estimation of Batteries with Moderate to High Degradation Utilizing LSTM-Ensembled Learning Framework from Consecutive CC Charging Segments
Sagar, M. S. I., Saberi, S., & Abu Qahouq, J. A.
Batteries, 12(9), 331, 2026.
Impact Factor: ~6.3 LSTM Ensemble • Battery SoH
[2] Review—Modern Data Analysis in Gas Sensors
Sagar, M. S. I., Allison, N. R., Jalajamony, H. M., Fernandez, R. E., & Sekhar, P. K.
Journal of The Electrochemical Society, 169(12):127512, 2022.
Impact Factor: ~4.2 Cited 21 times
[3] Application of Machine Learning in Electromagnetics: Mini-Review
Sagar, M. S. I., Ouassal, H., Omi, A. I., et al.
Electronics, 10(22):2752, 2021. • DOI: 10.3390/electronics10222752
Impact Factor: ~2.4 Cited 64 times
[4] High Temperature Antennas: A Review
Younes, B., Sagar, M. S. I., Omi, A. I., et al.
Progress in Electromagnetics Research B, 2022.
Impact Factor: ~2.1 Cited 15 times
[5] Inkjet Printed Flexible Dual-Band Dual-Sense Circularly Polarized Patch Antenna
Hossain, A. R., Sagar, M. S. I., Mertvyy, A. A., Sekhar, P. K., & Karacolak, T.
IEEE Access, 12, 2024.
Impact Factor: ~3.9 Cited 20 times
[6] Inkjet Printed Flexible High Isolation Patch Antenna for 5.8 GHz Full-Duplex Applications
Hossain, A. R., Sagar, M. S. I., Tran, N., Sekhar, P. K., & Karacolak, T.
Progress in Electromagnetics Research C, 127, 2022.
Impact Factor: ~1.6 Cited 2 times
[7] Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia Based Patch Antenna for Harsh Environment Applications
Mertvyy, A., Sagar, M. S. I., Renk, N., Sekhar, P. K., & Karacolak, T.
Progress in Electromagnetics Research C, 131, 2023.
Impact Factor: ~1.6 Cited 1 time
[8] Simulation Study on an ICT-Based Maritime Management and Safety Framework for Movable Bridges
Komol, M. M. R., Sagar, M. S. I., et al.
Applied Sciences, 11(16):7198, 2021. • DOI: 10.3390/app11167198
Impact Factor: ~2.8 Cited 16 times
[9] Region-Based Convolutional Neural Network for Smart Driving Monitoring System
Dey, S., Sagar, M. S. I., & Alam, M. A.
Proc. IEEE ICAEE, 2019.
IEEE ICAEE 2019 Cited 2 times
[10] A New Analytically Designed UWB Microstrip Patch Antenna for Future 5G and 6G Applications
Omi, A. I., Sagar, M. S. I., et al.
Proc. USNC-URSI NRSM, 2023.
USNC-URSI 2023 Cited 15 times
[11] A Physically Compact Coplanar Waveguide (CPW)-Fed Flexible Antenna for mmWave 5G Applications
Younes, B., Omi, A. I., Sagar, M. S. I., Sajeeb, M. M. H., Karacolak, T., & Sekhar, P.
2022 12th International Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering (ICECE) (pp. 196–199). IEEE, 2022.
IEEE ICECE 2022 Cited 5 times
[12] Microstrip Antennas Utilizing Yttria-Stabilized Zirconia for Extreme Environments
Mertvyy, A., Sagar, M. S. I., Hridhon, A. H., Sekhar, P., & Karacolak, T.
2024 IEEE INC-USNC-URSI Radio Science Meeting (Joint with AP-S Symposium) (p. 335). IEEE, 2024.
IEEE AP-S / URSI 2024
[13] RF Characterization of Zirconia Ribbon Ceramic Using T-Resonator Method
Hridhon, A. H., Mertvyy, A., Sagar, M. S. I., et al.
Proc. USNC-URSI NRSM, 2024.
USNC-URSI NRSM 2024
[14] Analysis of Cycling Effect at 15°C on ECM Parameters for Different SoCs of Li-ion Batteries
Sagar, M. S. I., Al-Smadi, M. K., & Abu Qahouq, J. A.
2025 IEEE Conference on Power Electronics and Renewable Energy (CPERE), Aswan, Egypt, 2025, pp. 1–5. • DOI: 10.1109/CPERE65146.2025.11240084
IEEE CPERE 2025 Cited 1 time
[15] Modeling of a LSTM-based SoH Estimator for Li-ion Batteries Utilizing Partial EIS Data
Sagar, M. S. I., & Abu Qahouq, J. A.
2026 IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC), San Antonio, TX, USA, 2026, pp. 3510–3514. • DOI: 10.1109/APEC51134.2026.11516734
IEEE APEC 2026 Partial EIS • LSTM
[16] A Machine Learning based Approach of Estimating Equivalent Circuit Model Parameters at Different SoCs of Li-ion Batteries from Voltage Relaxation
Sagar, M. S. I., Islam, M. N., & Abu Qahouq, J. A.
2026 IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC), San Antonio, TX, USA, 2026, pp. 1185–1191. • DOI: 10.1109/APEC51134.2026.11516796
IEEE APEC 2026 Voltage Relaxation • ECM
[17] Modeling Multi-View Impedance Based Cross-Geometry SOH Estimator for Li-ion Batteries
Bakr, A., Sagar, M. S. I., Al-Smadi, M. K., Saberi, S., & Abu Qahouq, J. A.
2026 IEEE Applied Power Electronics Conference and Exposition (APEC), San Antonio, TX, USA, 2026, pp. 3562–3567. • DOI: 10.1109/APEC51134.2026.11516813
IEEE APEC 2026 Cross-Geometry SoH
[18] A Hybrid State of Charge Estimation Technique using Gradient Boosted Extended Kalman Filter for Li-ion Batteries
Jaman, A., Islam, M. N., Fuad, A. S., Sagar, M. S. I., & Abu Qahouq, J. A.
2026 IEEE Transportation Electrification Conference & Expo (ITEC) & Electric Aircraft Technologies Symposium (EATS) (pp. 1–6). IEEE, 2026.
IEEE ITEC+EATS 2026 GB-EKF SoC
[P1] Optimization Planning of Charging Stations for Future Electric Vehicles Utilizing Dual Model Machine Learning
ASCE International Conference on Transportation & Development, 2022.
Conference Presentation
[P2] Navigation Control Scheme for Movable Bridge Using IoT Based Ship to Bridge Vehicle Communication
ASCE International Conference on Transportation & Development, 2022.
Conference Presentation
[P3] Riot Perception and Safety Navigation of Autonomous Vehicles using Deep Reinforcement Learning
ASCE International Conference on Transportation & Development, 2022.
Conference Presentation
[P4] Machine Learning based Correlation Determination among Fuel Economy Factors in Transportation Systems
ASCE International Conference on Transportation & Development, 2022.
Conference Presentation
Career & Academic Trajectory

Professional Experience & Education

Academic research, industry power electronics engineering, and data science experience.

Graduate Research Assistant

August 2024 – Present
University of Alabama • Energy and Power Electronics Systems and Devices Laboratory (Tuscaloosa, AL)
  • Contributing to multiple federally funded research projects, including Department of Energy (DoE) and National Science Foundation (NSF) initiatives.
  • Handling project management tasks, including due diligence, technical documentation, and progress reporting for funding agencies.
  • Collaborating with cross-disciplinary teams within the Energy and Power Electronics Systems and Devices Laboratory.

Power Electronics Engineer – Level 1

November 2023 – April 2024
Ohmitron Inc. (Irvine, CA)
  • Investigated Silicon Carbide (SiC) based HVDC charging station rated for 1 MW, 1500 Vdc supply, supporting next-generation EV infrastructure.
  • Simulated high-frequency switching devices to optimize efficiency and reliability.

Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant

August 2021 – May 2023
Washington State University (Vancouver, WA)
  • Developed an AI model for gas sensor drift compensation, reviewing 5 years of research; co-authored 2 review articles in reputable journals.
  • Designed and fabricated 7 flexible and rigid ultra-wideband antennas using inkjet printing and milling technologies, resulting in 7 high-impact publications.
  • Created a high-temperature tolerant antenna on 3-mole Yttria-stabilized Zirconia substrate using cleanroom fabrication, published in a peer-reviewed journal.
  • Mentored 2 undergraduate students in inkjet printing and research methodology; supported instructors in 3 undergraduate and 1 graduate courses.

Junior Data Analyst

February 2021 – July 2021
CMED Health Ltd. (Dhaka, Bangladesh)
  • Processed health data from 200,000+ individuals to identify biomarkers for acute diseases and support preventive care.
  • Compiled the 2020 national health report, segmenting data from 64 districts by demographics and health metrics, and prepared presentations for NGO funders.

Research Engineer

November 2020 – January 2021
AIMS Lab, United International University (Dhaka, Bangladesh)
  • Led Bolte Chai: an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) technology project supporting communication for nonverbal children.
  • Directed a mobile app development team, assisted in securing government and international funding, and contributed to winning 2 national-level awards.
Expected May 2028

Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering

University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL

Topic: AI-driven intelligent Battery Management Systems (BMS) and health-aware charge control schemes to enhance battery life and reduce the risk of battery failure.
Supervisor: Dr. Jaber A. Abu Qahouq

May 2023 • GPA: 4.00 / 4.00

M.S. in Electrical Engineering

Washington State University, Vancouver, WA

Thesis: Intelligent Devices for IoT Applications
Supervisor: Dr. Praveen Sekhar
Coursework: Advanced Power Electronics; Analysis of Power Systems; Power System Economics; Wide Bandgap Semiconductors; Finite Element Analysis.

March 2019 • GPA: 3.57 / 4.00

B.S. in Electrical & Electronics Engineering

Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET), Bangladesh

Thesis: Design and Construction of IoT-Based Energy Meter with Complete Bypass Protection and Demand-Side Load Management
Supervisor: Dr. Md. Rafiqul Islam

Laboratory Research and Teaching Highlights
Laboratory & Academic Mentoring Highlights
./experience/photos/ua-epesd-lab.jpg
Hardware & Laboratory Walkthrough
./experience/videos/lab-walkthrough.mp4
Hardware & Software Systems

Featured Research & Engineering Projects

Representative projects spanning AI battery management, 1 MW SiC EV fast chargers, mmWave/UWB antennas, and smart IoT hardware.

University of Alabama

LSTM-Ensembled BMS & Partial-EIS SoH Estimator

Online State of Health (SoH) and ECM parameter estimation for Li-ion batteries utilizing consecutive constant-current charging segments, voltage relaxation, and partial EIS data.

AI-Ensembled BMS Project
./projects/photos/bms-soh-project.jpg
Ohmitron Inc.

1 MW, 1500 Vdc SiC HVDC EV Charging Station

High-frequency wide-bandgap Silicon Carbide (SiC) power electronics simulation and efficiency optimization for megawatt-level 1500 Vdc EV charging infrastructure.

1 MW SiC HVDC Charger Project
./projects/photos/sic-hvdc-charger.jpg
WSU Vancouver

YSZ Ceramic & Inkjet-Printed UWB/mmWave Antennas

Class 100 cleanroom YSZ ceramic patch antennas and 7 flexible/rigid inkjet-printed UWB and 5G/6G antennas (including a 4.68–110 GHz CPW-fed super wideband design in ANSYS HFSS).

UWB and YSZ Antennas
./projects/photos/uwb-ysz-antennas.jpg
AIMS Lab • 2x National Awards

Bolte Chai: AAC Assistive Communication Platform

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) mobile platform supporting nonverbal children, informed by educator and parent feedback.

Bolte Chai AAC App
./projects/photos/bolte-chai-aac.jpg
KUET Undergraduate Thesis

IoT Smart Energy Meter with Bypass Protection

IoT-based energy meter engineered with complete anti-tamper bypass protection and automated demand-side load management.

IoT Energy Meter Prototype
./projects/photos/iot-energy-meter.jpg
Mechatronics & Embedded

Robotic Arm, Algae Green Car & 3D Printer

Color-based object recognizer robotic arm, biological algae CO2-scrubbing automobile exhaust system, gyroscopic Bluetooth car, and DVD-stepper 3D printer.

Robotics Prototypes
./projects/photos/robotics-prototypes.jpg
Hardware & Simulation Demonstration Reel
./projects/videos/project-demo.mp4
Honors, Mentors & Contact

Awards, Advisors & Direct Contact

2026 • University of Alabama

2nd Place — Research Poster Competition

Awarded 2nd place in the Research Poster Competition at the University of Alabama (2026).

2025 • Certification

Low-Voltage Compliant Certification

Certified in low-voltage compliance and electrical laboratory safety standards (2025).

2021 • National Innovation

Bangladesh Innovation Award 2021

National award recognizing the Bolte Chai AAC assistive technology project.

2020 • National ICT

BASIS National ICT Awards 2020

National ICT recognition for assistive communication software engineering.

2015 & 2017 • KUET

Academic Competitions

• 1st Runners-up: Project Presentation Competition by IEM, KUET (2017)
• 2nd Runners-up: Intra-University Math Olympiad, KUET (2015)

Academic Advisors

Research Supervisors

• Dr. Jaber A. Abu Qahouq (Ph.D., University of Alabama)
• Dr. Praveen Sekhar (M.S., Washington State University)
• Dr. Md. Rafiqul Islam (B.S., KUET)

Connect

Get In Touch

Open to research collaborations in AI-driven battery management systems, power electronics, electrochemical modeling, and smart sensors.

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University of Alabama Research Poster Competition Award 2026
2nd Place Research Poster Competition (UA, 2026)