TVA Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering Aaron Cramer has been named the next chair of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Kentucky Stanley and Karen Pigman College of Engineering. Cramer will assume this role effective Jan. 1, 2024.
Cramer, who has served as a member of the UK Board of Trustees since 2022, is leaving his role of trustee effective Dec. 31 in order to serve the department. The role of department chair is an administrative appointment such roles are unable to hold trustee positions at the same time.
During his time as a UK trustee, Cramer provided faculty perspective and advocacy. In addition to his service on the UK Board of Trustees, Cramer also serves on the University Senate Council, where he held the the title of chair from 2020-2022.
As department chair, Cramer looks forward to working directly with the faculty, staff and students in his home department.
“As chair, I hope to help build community in the department to enable it to respond to the opportunities and challenges that we will experience,” Cramer said. “It is hard to imagine a future in which electricity and computing will not be even more important than they are today. By intentionally working together and pursuing our shared goals, we will be even better situated to continue advancing the Commonwealth and beyond.”
Cramer is a member of the The Power and Energy Institute and an active researcher, most recently receiving a $398,746 award from the Office of Naval Research. His research interests are in the area of power and energy, specifically on the simulation, control, and optimization of power and energy systems, including electric machinery, power electronics, and power systems.
Cramer joined UK as faculty in 2010 and served his department as director of graduate studies from 2018-2020. Since joining the University, he has received several teaching awards, including the College of Engineering Dean’s Award for Excellence in Service and Outstanding Electrical and Computer Engineering Teacher Award.
He earned his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Purdue University in 2007 and his bachelor of science in electrical engineering from UK in 2003.
Cramer succeeds Michael T. Johnson, who was named Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education and Student Success on July 1.