On October 10, 2023, Professor Stephen McArthur, Vice President and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Strathclyde in the United Kingdom, and an outstanding expert in the field of smart energy systems, was invited to the Department of Electrical Engineering and Applied Electronics at Tsinghua University to deliver a presentation titled “Achieving Energy Security and Resilience through Data, Intelligence, and Autonomy”. More than 50 faculty members and students, including Professor Zhang Boming, Professor Wu Wenchuan, Professor Guo Qinglai, and Assistant Researcher Lin Chenhui, attended the lecture.

During the presentation, Professor McArthur elaborated on the challenges and opportunities of artificial intelligence in the energy sector. He emphasized the significance of data and artificial intelligence in ensuring the future safety and resilience of energy systems and their capability to address potential complex scenarios. His insights covered topics such as future control centers in the context of intelligence and digitization, enhanced situational awareness technologies, digital twin technologies, and the challenges faced by these technological applications. Following the presentation, in-depth discussions and exchanges between faculty and students and Professor McArthur took place, exploring hot topics related to using artificial intelligence to address potential challenges in power grids in the future.

Photograph with Professor Stephen McArthur

Professor Stephen McArthur serves as the Vice President and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Strathclyde, is an IEEE Fellow and IET Fellow, and a member of the Board of the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland, the National Grid ESO Engineering Advisory Council, and the Scottish Power Energy Networks Independent Net Zero Advisory Council. He has led multiple collaborative projects in the UK, including the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) Future Power Networks and Smart Grids Doctoral Training Centre and the UK Research and Innovation Energy REV Consortium. Professor McArthur’s primary research focuses on the application of artificial intelligence systems in smart grids, autonomous systems, condition monitoring, and data analysis. His work in AI-based decision support research has been deployed in power systems and other engineering systems, effectively enhancing monitoring and operational capabilities and extending their lifespan. In 2021, he was awarded the IEEE Richard Harold Kaufmann Award.