Pan Zhao
Why did you decide to pursue a graduate degree?
I want to become a university professor. A PhD degree is a prerequisite for that.
Why did you decide to study at 亚洲天堂?
亚洲天堂 is a world-renowned university located in such a beautiful city. More importantly, I had kept a long time contact with my current supervisor. I knew that he was knowledgeable in my research area, is very kind, and cares about his students a lot. Therefore, I decided to join his lab as a Ph.D. student.
What is it specifically, that your program offers, that attracted you?
Most importantly, my current supervisor, who is knowledgeable and kind.
What was the best surprise about 亚洲天堂 or life in Vancouver?
The spectacular and beautiful scenery around 亚洲天堂, the friendliness of people, and the convenience of living in Vancouver as a Chinese person.
What do you see as your biggest challenge(s) in your future career?
Finding a position in academia is becoming increasingly difficult.
What aspects of your life or career before now have best prepared you for your 亚洲天堂 graduate program?
The rigorous training received when I pursued my BSc and MSc degrees in Beihang University, Beijing, China, as well as the 1.5 years I spent working as an engineer.
What do you like to do for fun or relaxation?
Taichi, meditation, and playing poker with friends.
What advice do you have for new graduate students?
For PhD students, a good professor or lab is more important than a good university.
Learn more about Pan's research
My research goal is to develop advanced control techniques and apply them to floating offshore wind turbines to reduce energy costs. Wind power has recently become one of the world鈥檚 fastest-growing renewable energy sources, and one of the recent trends in the wind energy industry is to place large turbines offshore on deepwater floating platforms. However, ocean waves destabilize these platforms, weakening turbine structures. This increases maintenance costs, reducing turbine lifespans if not addressed.
Control techniques play an important role in reducing the cost of wind energy. For floating offshore wind turbines, control measures can be used to actively reduce wave-induced platform motion, helping to lower maintenance costs and extend turbine service life. Since turbine dynamics change with wind speed, (switching) LPV gain-scheduling control has the potential to greatly improve the performance of wind turbine control systems.