WiSys has named University of Wisconsin-Platteville Professor of Electrical Engineering Dr. Nader Safari-Shad as a 2025 Carl E. Gulbrandsen Innovator of the Year. The award is bestowed annually and presented during the WiSys SPARK Symposium.
“Receiving the WiSys Innovator of the Year recognition is not only a great honor but also a catalyst for our research. It brings greater visibility to our research, opens doors to new collaborations, and provides validation that hopefully leads to further innovation,” Safari-Shad said.
Safari-Shad’s innovations come from seeing problems in his field and figuring out how to solve them. His involvement with WiSys includes multiple accepted predisclosures; one regarding Intermittent Ground Fault Detection for Stators in High-Impedance Grounded Generators and another for an Intermittent Ground Fault Testing Device. He was also previously awarded a Spark Grant for testing a system that protects the generator’s stator windings from intermittent ground faults. He later received a Launch Grant in 2024 to continue working on that prototype. Safari-Shad also regularly encourages his students to attend the SPARK Symposium and engage in other WiSys events throughout the school year.
“Dr. Safari-Shad’s research, innovation, and support of his students makes him a deserving candidate for this award,” said Arjun Sanga, WiSys President. “His groundbreaking work has gained traction, and we’re excited to see where it goes.”
“This recognition reinforces the impact and potential of our research, encouraging continued pursuit of solutions that make a real-world difference,” Safari-Shad said.
The award recognizes the achievements of Universities of Wisconsin faculty, staff, students, or community members who make exemplary contributions as a WiSys innovator and is named in honor of Carl E. Guldbrandsen, the former managing director of the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, who supported WiSys throughout his tenure.
Nader Safari-Shad received his Innovator of the Year award during the WiSys SPARK Symposium, which was held from July 23-35 in Madison. Pictures from the event and more about WiSys can be found here.