Training and research collaboration in power electronics

The collaboration aims to foster academic and professional training of students and nurture research for technological innovation.

Key to a sustainable energy future, power electronics manage the flow of electric energy inside all systems and applications by supplying the appropriate voltages and currents to power the electronics we use in all end products. Addressing the challenge to improve efficiency, reduce loss, and optimise costs, ST and the University of Catania have agreed to collaborate in the development and teaching of multi-disciplinary courses, as well as the coordination of research projects, graduation theses and post-graduate internships in power electronics.

The joint activities are set to investigate application topologies and the development of power devices using innovative methodologies on both currently used materials and new ones. Moreover, it will also look at reliability analysis and advanced modelling of power modules, and manufacturing-process simulation and characterisation.

“The collaboration between ST and the University of Catania has roots in the past and has produced excellent results in many sectors, while making significant contributions to growth in the Etna Valley. Today, this new framework agreement marks a turning point in relations with ST and a further qualitative leap towards a strategic alliance in one of the crucial sectors for the trends expected in the coming years: power electronics.

"Focusing on innovative research in power electronics, this agreement extends the long-term, successful collaboration between ST and the University of Catania while building opportunities for our students in valuable technological disciplines and sharing results with ST,” said Francesco Priolo, Rector of University of Catania.

“Working side-by-side, this cooperation will contribute to significantly raise the University’s national and international profile in research areas such as power-based electronics and innovative materials.”

“Power electronics is at the heart of sustainable technology and products across all the applications of our personal and professional lives: they enable smart mobility, industrial systems, consumer electronics and communication infrastructure,” said Marco Monti, President, Automotive and Discrete Group, STMicroelectronics.

“This agreement with the University of Catania is an important step forward in promoting STEM curricula and encouraging young talents to pursue the exciting path of research and development of new power-electronics applications and devices that will help address the challenges of a more sustainable energy future."