One of the most exciting aspects of power electronics for me is the incredible range of different technologies which are critical to creating state-of-the-art power conversion equipment, including power semiconductors, switching circuit topologies, electric machines and actuators, digital real-time control, and sensors.I have research interests in all of the these areas, and I am particularly interested in novel approaches for combining new developments in these constituent technologies into attractive system solutions for real-world applications. My several years of industrial experience have convinced me that major opportunities for power electronics in key consumer markets such as automobiles and home appliances will be fulfilled only if the associated technology can be sufficiently improved to meet demanding cost and reliability requirements.The new NSF-funded Center for Power Electronic Systems (C-PES) provides a unique opportunity for squarely addressing these challenges, and I look forward to playing an active role in achieving its key research objectives.