Ted Brekken

Ted K.A. Brekken is the director of the Pacific Marine Energy Center (PMEC) and a professor in energy systems at Oregon State University. His work focuses on integrating renewable energy sources — such as wind, wave, and solar — into power systems through advanced controls, power electronics, and energy storage. As co-director of the Wallace Energy Systems and Renewables Facility, he leads efforts to improve grid flexibility and resilience amid increasing demand and variable generation.

Brekken received the B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in 1999, 2002, and 2005, respectively. He studied electric vehicle motor design at Postech in Pohang, South Korea, in 1999. He also studied wind turbine control at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, Norway in 2004–2005 on a Fulbright scholarship. He is a recipient of an NSF CAREER award, the IEEE Power; Energy Society 2011 Outstanding Young Engineer award, and numerous teaching and research awards.