Prakash Ranganathan
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Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering, SEECS
- Big Data, Cyber Security, Smart Grids
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Director for Cyber Security Research, College of Engineering & Mines
- Cyber Security, AI
Contact Info
- Email: prakash.ranganathan@UND.edu
- Office: 701.777.4431
- Dept: 701.777.5790
Office Address
Upson II Room 366G
243 Centennial Drive Stop 7165
Grand Forks, ND 58202-7165
243, Centennial Drive, Stop 7165
Office Hours
By Appointment
Websites
Biography
Dr. Prakash Ranganathan is a Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and the Director of the Data Energy Cyber and Systems (DECS) Laboratory at the University of North Dakota (UND). He is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Driven by his passion for cutting-edge research, Dr. Ranganathan focuses his efforts on addressing complex challenges in areas such as smart grids, cyber security, data science, and uncertainty quantification in renewable energy.
In addition to his role as the DECS Laboratory Director, Dr. Ranganathan serves as the Director for the Center for Cyber Security Research (C2SR) at UND, demonstrating his commitment to advancing the field of cybersecurity. His dedication and contributions have earned him numerous accolades, including the 2024 Outstanding Advisor Leadership Award, 2019 Founders Day Award for Creative work, the College of Engineering and Mines (CEM) Dean's Outstanding Faculty Award in 2018, and the North Dakota Spirit Faculty Achievement Award in 2013, bestowed upon him by the UND Alumni Foundation. These honors reflect his exceptional accomplishments in teaching, research, and service.
With an impressive publication record that surpasses 130+ peer-reviewed articles and a patent to his name, Dr. Ranganathan stands as a leading authority in the fields of engineering and computer science. He possesses over 18+ years of experience in higher education, shaping the minds of future engineers and computer scientists while actively pursuing research in Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) and Optimization. Dr. Ranganathan's impact extends beyond academia, as he has played a pivotal role as Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI for multiple grants totaling over $10 million in external funding from federal, state, industry, and local sources. Furthermore, his commitment to fostering growth in the field is evident through the mentorship of eight postdoctoral scholars, as well as numerous graduate and undergraduate students.
Notably, Dr. Ranganathan also serves as a site director for NSF funded IUCRC: Infrastructure Security In The Era of Artificial Intelligence (ISEAI) center focusing industry driven research. He also assumes a leadership position in cyber educational and research initiatives for the North Dakota University System (NDUS), reinforcing his dedication to advancing cybersecurity education. His remarkable achievements and dedication to his craft were recognized by the Center for Community Engagement, which honored him with the Public Scholar Award in 2014.
Dr. Ranganathan earned his Ph.D. in Software Engineering and Electrical Engineering from North Dakota State University (NDSU). Throughout his career, he has demonstrated his commitment to fostering diversity and inclusivity by serving as a mentor to numerous Native American students and tribal college faculty across the tribal reservations in the State of North Dakota for over 18+ years. His mentorship has helped these individuals realize the vast benefits and significance of pursuing careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
Through his exceptional research, leadership, and dedication to the field, Dr. Prakash Ranganathan continues to shape the landscape of electrical engineering, cybersecurity, and renewable energy, leaving an indelible mark on academia, research, and the broader community.
Taught at UND
- EE 101 – Introductions to Electrical Engineering.
- EE 201 – Digital Electronics – A digital logic based design course.
- EE 206 (EE Majors) – Circuit Analysis – A sophomore level course covering basic circuit analysis techniques.
- EE 206 (Non EE Major) – Developed Labs for non-electrical engineering students.
- EE 304 – Computer Aided Measurements and controls – A junior level course covering computer based control using LabVIEW, MATLAB and C++ environment.
- EE 313 – Linear Electric Circuits.
- EE 314 - Signals and Systems
- EE 480 – Senior Design I
- EE 481 – Senior Design II
- Engr 100 – Introduction to Engineering for undecided students
- Engr 102 – Professional Assessment and Evaluation
Laboratories Taught and Developed
- EE 202 – Digital Electronics Lab
- EE 304 – C++ Laboratory
- EE 306 – Circuit Analysis l Lab
- EE 307 – Circuit Analysis II Lab (In progress)
- EE 308 – Junior Laboratory I
- EE 309 – Junior Laboratory II
Graduate Courses Taught/Under Development
- EE 490/590 – Wireless Sensor Networks
- EE 490 /590 - Advanced Linear Programming Models
- EE 490 / 590 - Smart Grid Architectures, and Control
- EE 490 / EE 590 -LabVIEW Fundamentals and Programming
- EE 611 - Emerging Cyber Threats and Defenses
- EE 623 - Introduction to Smart Grid
EE 750 - Intrusion Detection Algorithms
Smart grids, Cyber Security, data mining, forecasting, and Operations Research
Please refer to Google Scholar for updates on recent papers
?Prakash Ranganathan Ph.D.? - ?Google Scholar?
Book
Book Chapters
R. Vallakati, P. Ranganathan, Fault monitoring, detection and correction using synchrophasor measurements in modern power systems, IET Book titled " Synchronized Phasor Measurements for Smart Grids" ISBN: 978-1-78561-011-0, March 2017. IET Book Link!
A. Mukherjee, P. Ranganathan, Optimal reliability criterion index (ORC) for optimal placement of phasor measurement Units (PMU), " Synchronized Phasor Measurements for Smart Grids" ISBN: 978-1-78561-011-0, March 2017. IET Book Link!
P. Ranganathan and Kendall Nygard, "Design Models for Resource Allocation in Cyber-Physical Energy Systems" under the title Sustainable ICTs and Management Systems for Green Computing, pp, 111-121, IGI Global Publishers, May 2012. IGI Book Link!
UND Foundation/McDermott Faculty Award for Excellence in Research and Creative Activity, 2025
Outstanding Advisor Leadership Award, UND, 2024
UND'S Founder's Day Award for Interdisciplinary Collaboration in Research and Creative Activity, 2019
College of Engineering and Mines (CEM) Dean's Outstanding Faculty Award, 2018.
North Dakota Spirit Faculty Achievement Award, 2013.
North Dakota Public Scholar Award, 2014.
Ph.D. in Software Engineering, North Dakota State University, Fargo.
M.S. in Electrical Engineering, North Dakota State University, Fargo.
B.E. in Electronics and Communications Engineering, University of Madras, Chennai, India.
UnderGraduate Director, Electrical Engineering Aug 2013- May 2018.
NSF Smart Grid Project - (Sep 2015 to Aug 2018)
Award Abstract #1537565
PI: Dr. Prakash Ranganathan, Co-PI: Dr. Naima Kaabouch
Topology Aware Resource Optimization and Uncertainty Quantification Energy Models for the Power Grid
The project focuses on the development, implementation, and evaluation of new and effective policies for topology aware resource allocation of energy resources under uncertainty. When a malfunction occurs in an electricity provisioning system, it is vitally important to quickly diagnose the problem and take corrective action to prevent outages. This project will support fundamental research to enhance both the proactive and reactive reliable operation of the smart grid without costly infrastructure investments. Specifically, this research project will show that controlling the grid's topology can enhance the grid's reliability and better manage resources. In addition, this research will develop the procedures required to find the most reliable grid topology in response to changes in energy demand. Thus, the primary societal impact of this research is to increase the capability to prevent and resolve unexpected blackouts, which account for approximately $90 billion in losses each year for U.S. businesses and consumers. This research involves several disciplines including power systems, parallel computing and optimization.
Integer Linear Programming models can overcome several limitations in the current topological aware models such as capacity planning, re-allocation and scheduling of resources. The research team will study a collection of mixed integer linear programming models designed to identify optimal combinations of supply sources, demand sites to serve, and the pathways along which the reallocated power should flow. The models explicitly support the uncertainty associated with alternative sources such as wind power. A simulator configured with multiple intelligent distributed software agents will be developed to support the evaluation of the model solutions. Applications of interest include (but are not restricted to) generator and load scheduling applications in energy management and service systems; pricing and revenue management problems; and inventory control.
- Project Participants: Arun Sukumaran, Ph.D. student
National/International
- 2018, Invited Panelist, CyberCon, Bismarck, North Dakota
- 2018, Invited Panelist, UAS Expo, Grand Forks, North Dakota
- 2018, Invited Panelist, Drone Focus, Fargo, North Dakota,
- 2018, IEEE COMSNETS, Bangalore, India, Feb 2018.
- 2017, Cyber Security Conference, NDSU, Panelist on a session titled "Filling the Demand and the Need for an Educated Cyber Security Workforce.
- 2016, Invited Member to discuss hosting Midwest Data Hub and group discussion on fostering Industry-Academic partnership on smart grid education and research, Applications of Analytics and Machine Learning in Energy Industry-Academia Workshop September 6, 2016 at the Georgia Institute of Technology.
- 2015, Grid Protection Alliance (GPA) Users Forum, Atlanta, GA, Aug 4-5 2015. Link/ppt
- 2014, NAPS Conference, Pullman, WA.
- 2013, IEEE Smart Tech Metro Series workshop, Minneapolis, MN.
- 2013, IEEE International ADCOM Conference, Chennai, India, - Invited as a Panel Member on Adaptive Computing Workshop.
- 2012, IEEE Electric Power & Energy Conference (EPEC), London Ontario, Canada.
- 2011, IEEE, Electric Power & Energy Conference, Winnipeg, Canada.
- 2010, National Institute of Science & Technology (NIST), Gaithersburg, Maryland. 2009,
- 2009, ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, June 14 -17, Austin, Texas.
- 2008, ASEE North Midwest Sectional Conference October 16-18 2008, Platteville, Wisconsin.
- 2006, 'Inquiry based Engineering and Math', Best Teaching Practices in STEM (Science, Technology Mathematics and Engineering) Education, Turtle Mountain Community College, Belcourt, ND.
- 2003, Proc. Frontiers of Power - International Conference Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Regional
- 2008 ASEE Conference, Invited presentation on "LEGO Engineering in Undergraduate education", Informal Session, Platteville, Wisconsin.
State/Local
- 2016, Cyber Security Educational Initiative Meeting, December 7, 2016, Bismarck, ND.
- 2011, North Dakota EpScoR conference.
- 2010, 'Challenges and Research directions in Smart grid', Dept. of Computer Science, North Dakota State University, Fargo.
- 2009, 'Secure Time Synchronization problem in WSN's, North Dakota State University, Fargo.
- 2004, Departmental Seminar on Flicker Evaluation, North Dakota State University, Fargo.