1. NIRANJAN VENKATRAMAN
Contact
Information
800 W Forest Meadows Rd, Apt 290 mobile: +1 (352) 381-8022
Flagstaff, AZ 86001 e-mail: niranjan.venkatraman@gmail.com
Highlights &
Interests
More than 10 years hands on experience in Dynamics Modeling using various tools (theoretical
and software), Control Systems design (Linear system theory, Nonlinear Control, Optimal Control,
Stochastic Control, Adaptive Control, etc) and Signal Processing (DSP, System modeling, Kalman
filtering); Tenured faculty; Team player (interdisciplinary projects involving Engineering and the
sciences), Embedded control, Strong fundamentals in electrical engineering subjects; Experience in
product development from design to implementation, and troubleshooting; Experience in leading
multidisciplinary teams in time-critical research and development projects.
Professional
Experience
Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona
Associate Professor August 2011 – present
Assistant Professor August 2004 – May 2011
• Active and past research interests cover topics in Control Systems Applications, Error Correc-
tion Codes, Mathematical Control Theory, Signal Processing and Pedagogy. Currently Advisor
and Committee Chair to 4 graduate students, Committee Member for 2 other graduate students.
• Taught classes in Advanced Control Systems, Signal Processing, FPGA programming, Micro-
controllers, and Power Systems. Mentor and technical advisor to a number of undergraduate
capstone student teams.
• Extensive service resposibilities as Member/Chair of multiple University & College Committees,
Faculty Advisor to the IEEE student body and two other student clubs.
University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
Graduate Research & Teaching Assistant August 2000 – August 2004
Education University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph. D.) January 2003 – August 2004
Electrical & Computer Engineering
• Advisor: Dr. Jacob Hammer, Professor
• Thesis: On the Control of Asynchronous State Machines with Infinite Cycles
Master of Science (M. S.), August 2000 – December 2002
Electrical & Computer Engineering
College of Engineering, Guindy (Anna University), Chennai (Madras), India
Bachelor of Engineering (B. E.) June 1996 – May 2000
Electrical & Electronics Engineering
Skills • Extensive experience in modeling, design and analysis of various types of control systems;
• Strong knowledge of system identification and modeling techniques, with their simulation and
validation;
• Strong experience in solving Signal processing problems;
• Experience in product development from concept to prototype;
• Strong knowledge of implementing control algorithms for SISO as well as MIMO systems;
• Extensive knowledge of advanced control systems design, such as Robust Control, Optimal Con-
trol, Nonlinear Control etc.
• Strong programming knowledge; developed and taught courses inVHDL, Verilog, C and C++;
• Strong knowledge of Matlab/Simulink and related toolboxes, Mathematica, MathCAD, R;
• Experience working in cross-disciplinary teams to deign and develop products; and
• Quick learner - grasps concepts and can implent them very quickly.

2. Publications
& Patents
Available on Request
Significant
Projects
• Self-powered sensors using MSMAs: Part of a team consisting of a mechanical engineer and
traffic engineer to develop self-powers sensors using Magnetic Shape Memory Alloys (MSMAs).
Sensitive circuits will be designed to power wireless communications and a microprocessor using
the energy generated by MSMAs. Ongoing project, funded for 2014-2015.
• Quadcoptor Modeling, Simulation and Path Optimization: Thesis with graduate student, Edward
Kemper, on the path-energy optimization of a quadcoptor controlled using the Raspberry Pi.
Energy optimization algorithms will be implemented to execute a search pattern using nonlinear
dynamics and constrained path optimization. The work details the efforts of energy optimization
using cutting edge nonlinear optimization techniques as well as traditional PID based controller
design. Completed May 2014.
• Embedded Control of Delay Line: Thesis with graduate student, David Allen, on the design
and embedded control with a custom TI MSP430/Cyclone III FPGA/Arm microcontroller of a
short delay line at the Naval Prototype Optical Interferometer (NPOI) telescope at the Naval
Observatory in Flagstaff, AZ. The delay lines are used to delay incident light by reflection on
mirrors, which are then used to create interference patterns. A series of interference patterns
are used to reconstruct the image of a star or planet. The short delay line requires a triangular
stroke input, which is distorted by mechanical elements in the short delay line cart, including
hysteresis due to a piezo stack used in feedback control. The distorted wave is cleaned up by
using a Chebychev Filter. Completed May 2014.
• Muscle Modeling: Part of an interdisciplinary team with a biologist and a mechanical engineer
working on a revolutionary new model of the leg muscles. The model has been patented by
the biologist, and the project was to contruct a prototype to test the working of the model and
collect data to validate the model. The biological model also needs to mapped on to a feasible
electromechanical model. Currently, a Labview motor control setup is being used; in the future,
an MSP430 will be used to control the motors to emulate the working of the muscle model.
Completed October 2013.
• Handheld Diagnostic Reader: Part of an interdisciplinary team of a biologist, a biochemist and
a mechanical engineer working on building a prototype handheld diagnostic reader. The reader
will be used to test multiple variables (chemical concentrations) using multiple lateral flow as-
says (LFA). An imaging system using a beagle board was used to image the array of LFAs, and
image processing algorithms were developed to calculate the values of the chemical concentra-
tions.The design has been submitted for a patent and is being marketed for licensing and future
development. (Provisional Patent No. 61/637,791, 4 disclosures). Completed June 2013.
• Fuzzy Logic Control of an Artificial Heart: Thesis with graduate student, Sudan Basnet, on the
design of a Fuzzy Logic Control algorithm to implement a novel living tissue based control of
the artificial heart. Present day two-chamber models of the artificial hearts do not utilize the
electrical information generated by the SA node in conjunction with the perspiration rate of the
individual to fine tune the pumping effeciency of the artificial heart. This project sets forth a
novel model to implement an algorithm based on fuzzy logic to take into account both of the
above information. Completed December 2008.
Honors
& Activities
• Graduate Students – 5 advised, 3 graduated, 4 in progress.
• Thesis committee member – 12 students, 8 graduated, 4 in progress.
• Member, University Graduate Committee (Since 2007; Chair, AY 2010–2011).
• Member, Steering Committee for the Bachelor of Undergraduate Studies (BUS) program (Since
2009; Chair, AY 2012–2013).
• Member, University Assessment Committee (Since 2008; Chair, AY 2013–2014).
• Faculty Advisor, Student Body of the IEEE, Student body of the NSCS, NAU Tennis Club.
• Academic advising for over 150 undergraduate and 7 graduate students.
• Member, IEEE, since January 2000; Member, ASEE, since January 2006.
• Dr. T R Natesan award for Best Under Graduate Project in Electrical and Electronics Engineer-
ing, 2000.
Immigration
Status
Green Card Holder (Permanent Resident).