The ultimate goal of clean and sustainable transportation is to meet the requirements of different electric-vehicle applications and improve the performance of power electronics systems.
Uma Sankar Rout, our next pathbreaker, Engineer (Power Electronics) at the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI, Taiwan), works on power converters, traction inverters (motor controllers), PCB designs, and power semiconductor devices.
Uma Sankar talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about his PhD which was focused on improving the power density and performance of Silicon Carbide (SiC)-based traction inverters for electric vehicles.
For students, try early, learn from mistakes, and keep moving forward. Failure is not the biggest problem; never trying can mean missing an opportunity to learn and grow.
Uma Sankar, Your background?
I was born in Balasore, Odisha, India, and grew up in a middle-class family with my parents and my elder sister. My father worked as an electrician at the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), and my mother was a homemaker who devoted her life to caring for and encouraging my sister and me. My father passed away in 2020, but my mother continues to motivate our family.
I was an average student academically, but I was very active outside the classroom. I played hockey, took part in science projects, and participated in cultural and other extracurricular activities. I sometimes spent several months in a year travelling for school activities and competitions. My parents supported these experiences and taught me values inspired by Sanatana Dharma. They encouraged me to learn from my own mistakes and from the mistakes of others.
One lesson from my parents has stayed with me: do not be afraid to try. If you try and fail, you can still learn something. If you never try, you lose the chance to succeed. Today, I am more afraid of not trying early enough than of failing.
What did you do for graduation and post-graduation?
I completed a diploma in Electrical and Electronics at MS Ramaiah in Karnataka, India, followed by a bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Anna University in Chennai. I also completed a power-training course at NPTI in Nagpur, focused on areas related to power generation, distribution, and maintenance.
Later, I moved to Taiwan and completed my master’s degree in Electrical Control Engineering at National Chiao Tung University (NCTU). I joined my PhD programme in 2017 and completed it in 2026 at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU), in Electrical and Computer Science. My PhD research focused on high-power-density SiC traction inverter design.
What made you choose this career?
My interest in electrical engineering began with my father, who worked as an electrician at ISRO. At first, I mainly associated electricity with wires and wiring. During my diploma, I learned more about electrical systems and motors, which encouraged me to study engineering. During my bachelor’s degree, I discovered power electronics, and during my master’s degree I learned about designing converters such as DC–DC converters.
I have also long been interested in renewable energy and reducing pollution. I wanted to use electrical engineering to support a more sustainable world. In Taiwan, I found that power electronics could be a practical way to contribute to that goal, even if I could not work directly in power generation. Electric vehicles also help support cleaner transportation, so working on motor controllers fit my interest in green technology. I hope to continue contributing to technologies that can make a meaningful environmental impact.
How did you plan your career path?
After completing my master’s degree at NCTU, I prepared a list of companies whose work matched my interests and applied to them. I chose ITRI because it was in the same city as the university where I wanted to pursue my PhD. I wanted to continue learning while working, rather than studying full-time without industry experience.
At ITRI, I began working on a 50 kW inverter in 2016. Over time, I worked on higher-power inverter projects, including 120 kW, 150 kW, 180 kW, 200 kW, 250 kW, and 300 kW systems. I also worked on a 6.6 kW on-board charger and DC–DC converter technologies. My work has included IGBT, MOSFET, SiC, and now GaN devices. Alongside my job, I pursued my PhD on traction inverter technology.
My work at ITRI focuses on developing power converters for electric vehicles, especially traction inverters, which control the electric motors that drive the vehicles. The purpose of developing inverters at different power levels, from 50 kW to 300 kW, was to meet the requirements of different electric-vehicle applications and improve the performance of power electronics systems. These projects allowed us to develop, test, and improve inverter designs for practical applications, including improving efficiency, reducing size and weight, increasing power density, and ensuring reliable operation. For example, a 250 kW inverter I worked on was used in an electric bus application. The ultimate goal was to turn research ideas into practical technologies that could be used in electric vehicles and transferred to industry, supporting cleaner and more sustainable transportation.
My work at ITRI and my PhD research were closely related, but they had different objectives. At ITRI, my main responsibility was to develop and validate practical power electronics systems for real-world applications. My PhD focused on improving the power density and performance of silicon carbide (SiC)-based traction inverters for electric vehicles. The main problem I addressed was how to make traction inverters smaller, lighter, and more efficient while meeting the electrical, thermal, and reliability requirements of high-power electric vehicles. My research involved inverter structure and power-circuit design, component arrangement, thermal management, simulation, and experimental validation. Working at ITRI while pursuing my PhD allowed me to connect academic research with practical engineering challenges.
I was offered PhD scholarships by both my university and ITRI, but I decided not to accept them. The university scholarship required me to pursue my PhD without working, while the ITRI scholarship required me to continue working for a period longer than the number of semesters supported by the scholarship. I chose to continue working at ITRI while pursuing my PhD, allowing me to gain practical industry experience alongside my research.
Why did you choose Taiwan which is a very offbeat choice?
Before choosing Taiwan, I had also received offers from universities in Germany and Italy. I chose Taiwan because the cost of living was relatively lower while the quality of education and research remained high. It offered a good balance between affordability and research opportunities. Later, I also found an opportunity to work at ITRI while pursuing my PhD, which allowed me to gain practical industry experience alongside my studies. Looking back, Taiwan was a good choice for both my academic and professional development.
How did you get your first break?
After finishing my master’s degree at NCTU, I applied to companies that matched my technical interests. I chose ITRI because its work aligned with my interests and because its location allowed me to work while pursuing a PhD at the nearby university. That opportunity helped me build practical engineering experience while continuing my education.
What were the challenges, and how did you address them?
One of my biggest challenges was adapting to life and work in Taiwan. The language, culture, workplace environment, and ways of working were different from what I was used to. Many meetings, documents, and instructions were in Chinese. At first, it was difficult to follow technical discussions and explain my own ideas clearly. When working with external PCB manufacturers and other companies, I sometimes had to communicate with technicians who did not speak English.
I worked on this by adapting the way I spoke English, paying attention to colleagues’ accents, and trying to explain technical ideas more clearly. I learned the company’s standard operating procedures and observed how people worked. I also began using recording and AI translation tools to review meeting discussions. I can now manage the working environment much more comfortably, although complex technical conversations in Chinese can still be challenging.
Another difficult period came when I had typhoid before my tenth-standard examinations in 2003. After recovering, I had difficulty writing with my right hand and worried about preparing for the exams. With support from my parents and teachers, I worked through the situation and completed matriculation with first division.
Losing my father in 2020 was also deeply painful. Because of the COVID-19 travel restrictions, I could not return to India to take part in his final rites. I still feel his absence. My mother continues to encourage my sister and me to move forward.
These experiences taught me to adapt, seek help when needed, keep learning, and continue trying even when circumstances are difficult.
Where do you work now, and what do you do?
I work at the Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) in Taiwan, in power electronics and electric vehicle-related technology development. ITRI focuses strongly on research and technology development rather than mass production. We take concepts that may have been presented in research papers, develop and test prototypes, and mature the technology. When the technology is ready, we can transfer it to small and medium-sized industries to support their development.
My work involves power converters, traction inverters (motor controllers), PCB designs, and power semiconductor devices. I have experience with IGBT and MOSFET devices, then SiC, and now GaN. The work requires electrical engineering knowledge, practical testing, problem-solving, teamwork, and the ability to learn new technologies. A major part of the job is turning research ideas into prototypes that can be tested and improved.
How does your work benefit society?
My work supports the development of electric-vehicle technology, which can contribute to cleaner transportation. For example, a 250 kW inverter I worked on is used in an electric bus application. By helping develop power electronics for electric vehicles, I hope to contribute to reducing pollution and supporting more sustainable transportation. ITRI’s technology-transfer work can also help local industries adopt and develop new technologies.
Tell us about a memorable piece of work.
One achievement I am proud of is the progression of my work from a 50 kW inverter when I started in 2016 to inverter projects reaching 300 kW. I have also worked on a 6.6 kW on-board charger and DC–DC converter technologies. More recently, I have worked with SiC devices and am now working with GaN devices.
I have also contributed to four patents, including work related to a Rogowski coil for current measurement. What makes these experiences meaningful to me is that I have been able to keep learning and working with technologies as they develop from IGBT to SiC and now GaN. I enjoy being challenged by new areas and finding ways to turn ideas into practical technology.
What advice would you give students?
Do not be afraid to learn something new. Do not stop just because you have learned a little. Keep exploring, practising, and improving. You do not need to know everything before you begin. Try early, learn from mistakes, and keep moving forward. Failure is not the biggest problem; never trying can mean missing an opportunity to learn and grow.
What are your future plans?
In my personal life, I hope to spend more time with my family. I have lived away from my parents since 2003, and being able to have family members together is important to me.
Professionally, I want to continue working on advanced power electronics and emerging technologies, building on my experience with IGBT, SiC, and GaN devices. I hope my work can make a useful contribution to cleaner and sustainable technology.