Building Hurricane-Resilient Urban Grids by Climate-Informed System Hardening Optimization
Mr Shuo Li, City University of Hong Kong

Abstract: Climate-driven hurricanes pose escalating threats to urban electricity distribution networks, undermining energy security and community wellbeing. A key challenge lies in developing integrated resilience strategies that effectively address emerging climate patterns—including fewer but more intense hurricanes and increasingly prevalent compound wind-rainfall hazards—alongside the spatial heterogeneity of risks and diverse vulnerabilities across urban and rural contexts. This seminar presents ongoing research efforts focused on building hurricane-resilient urban grids through climate-informed optimization frameworks. Specifically, the presentation will cover three complementary themes: (1) Long-term grid hardening and modernization, where high-resolution hurricane modeling is integrated with synthetic distribution networks to enable exposure-tiered reinforcement strategies that optimize infrastructure investments according to spatially diverse risk profiles; (2) Pre-event resilience planning, which addresses compound wind-rainfall hazards and trajectory uncertainties through stochastic optimization of emergency measures tailored to distinct urban-rural network characteristics; and (3) Post-disaster resilient restoration, which explores the integration of social vulnerability metrics alongside economic factors to achieve more equitable and effective recovery outcomes. Through interdisciplinary integration of electrical engineering and earth science, this work aims to contribute practical frameworks for enhancing grid resilience in hurricane-prone regions.

Speaker's Bio: Shuo Li received the B.S. degree in electrical engineering from Tianjin University, Tianjin, China, in 2023. He is currently pursuing dual Ph.D. degrees with the Department of Electrical Engineering, City University of Hong Kong, and the School of Electrical and Information Engineering, Tianjin University. His research interests include modeling and optimization of hurricane impacts on urban grids, resilience assessment and planning, and interdisciplinary integration of climate science and power systems engineering.

____________________________________
October 31, 2025, Friday, 4:30pm
Room FYW-3316
Zoom ID 859 8869 4437
Password 123456

Resilient Control and Stealthy Attack for Neworked Switched Systems
Dr Rui Zhao, Tianjin University, Tianjin

Abstract: This presentation focuses on resilient control and stealthy attack design for networked switched systems, addressing critical cybersecurity challenges in cyber-physical systems (CPS). The work addresses these challenges through a comprehensive framework that includes attack detection, system resilience, and attack strategy analysis. 1) Developed a new method to detect different types of cyberattacks. 2) Designed a defense strategy to counteract DoS attacks and deception attacks which fully utilizes the switching signal. 3) Devised stealthy attacks for switched systems when considering that the switching signal is unknown.

Speaker's Bio: Rui Zhao received the bachelor’s degree in automation and PhD in control science and engineering with the School of Electrical and Information Engineering, Tianjin University, China. Her research interests include event-triggered control, switched system, and network security.

____________________________________
November 14, 2025, Friday, 4:30pm
Room FYW-3316
Zoom ID 859 8869 4437
Password 123456

Optimal Control of Hydrogen Fuel Cells
Dr Yulin Liu, Hong Kong Polytechnic Univertsity

Abstract: This seminar focuses on the application of advanced machine learning techniques in the optimal control of hydrogen fuel cells. The proposed methods possess the merits of superior control performance, model independence, low computational burden, and guaranteed closed-loop stability, which make them attractive for industrial applications that require robustness under uncertainty and low computational cost.

Speaker's Bio: Yulin Liu received the B.E. degree in automation from the Southwest University, China, in 2018. He received his MPE degree in electrical and electronic engineering from The University of Western Australia (UWA), Australia, in 2020. He received his PhD degree in electrical and electronic engineering from UWA, Australia, in 2024. From 2024-2025, he was a postdoctoral research associate in the UWA, Australia. He joined the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), China, as a postdoctoral fellow in 2025. His research focuses on the intelligent control of energy storage systems in renewable energy power grids, and his research interests have recently extended to intelligent manufacturing.