Mehrdad Salimitari

Bio:

I am an AI research scientist passionate about advancing the frontiers of technology and transforming human lives. I have a diverse background in Energy Systems, Autonomous Driving, and Communication Systems. 

Currently, as a Postdoctoral Research Scientist at the University of Denver, my primary focus is on Grid-induced Wildfire and Virtual Power Plants. My research centers on developing Multimodal Deep Learning algorithms to predict wildfire risk, generate real-time vegetation fuel maps, and model wildfire spread. Furthermore, I'm designing distributed systems that empower Virtual Power Plants to aggregate behind-the-meter data from prosumers, enabling a holistic approach to energy management optimization.

I received my Ph.D. from the University of Central Florida (UCF) under the supervision of Prof. Yaser Fallah with a focus on Computer Vision and Deep Learning algorithms for Autonomous Driving and sensor data perception. During my studies, I was fortunate to collaborate with the esteemed Center for Research in Computer Vision (CRCV) at UCF under the supervision of Prof. Nazanin Rahnavard. This invaluable experience allowed me to delve deeper into the realm of computer vision and deep learning, enabling me to develop cutting-edge algorithms and solutions with real-world impact.