Qing-Chang Zhong has been elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
Dr. Qing-Chang Zhong, an IES member and Max McGraw Endowed Chair Professor in Energy and Power Engineering and Management, Illinois Institute of Technology, has been elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, one of the world’s largest general scientific societies and the publisher of the journal Science.
A tradition dating back to 1874, election as an AAAS Fellow is among the most prestigious honors in science and engineering, recognizing individuals whose contributions have advanced their fields in significant and enduring ways. Among the 449 scientists and engineers elected in 2025, only 36 are from engineering.
Dr. Zhong is being recognized “for inventing the Synchronized-and-Democratized (SYNDEM) architecture by merging synchronization principles in natural sciences and democracy concepts in social sciences, and for pioneering Virtual Synchronous Machines (VSM) technologies to revolutionize power systems.”
This is a great milestone, as Dr. Zhong has been a member for over 20 years and an IEEE Fellow since 2017. His foundational paper on Synchronverters (the first generation of VSM) was published in IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics (April 2011) and he delivered a plenary lecture on Power-Electronics-Enabled Autonomous Power Systems: Next-Generation Smart Grids at IECON 2020, based on his IEEE-Wiley book in the same title. He also led the development of IEEE Std 2988-2024 on Virtual Synchronous Machines, from ideation to publication. His work on SYNDEM and VSM was recently featured in IEEE Spectrum.
A Foundational Shift in Power System Architecture
Dr. Zhong’s work establishes the first engineering paradigm for power systems that integrates synchronization with decentralized coordination principles observed in social systems (democracy), effectively bridging natural and social sciences in an integrated engineering framework. Together, the SYNDEM architecture and its enabling Virtual Synchronous Machines (VSM) establish a unified architectural and technological foundation for resilient power systems worldwide.
In contrast to conventional approaches that rely on communication and centralized control, the SYNDEM architecture enables millions of heterogeneous and distributed energy resources to synchronize autonomously, advancing system-wide stability, scalability, and resilience without reliance on centralized control or extensive communication.
These contributions establish a new foundation for coordinating large-scale engineered systems, defining a new direction for the field of power systems. By introducing synchronization to address a fundamental limitation in coordinating large-scale systems — long recognized in economics through Arrow’s Impossibility Theorem — this approach reshapes how future power systems are conceived, structured, and operated. As power systems scale to include millions of independent participants, such physics-based coordination is essential for ensuring stable and reliable operation.
More broadly, SYNDEM provides a generalizable framework for the design and operation of complex systems, extending beyond power systems to other large-scale infrastructures.
Enabling Technology: Virtual Synchronous Machines (VSM)
To realize this architectural vision, Dr. Zhong pioneered Virtual Synchronous Machines (VSM), enabling power electronic converters to behave as grid-forming synchronous machines.
He invented synchronverters as the first practical realization of this concept and subsequently invented universal droop control and self-synchronized control without phase-locked loops, significantly enhancing robustness, interoperability, and scalability.
His foundational work has had lasting influence. His seminal paper on synchronverters in IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics is among the top three most cited original contributions in the journal’s 44-year history, and his 2016 IEEE Power Electronics Magazine cover story on VSM is also among its top three most influential works.
Today, VSM technologies are increasingly recognized by industry and system operators as essential for maintaining grid stability with high penetration of power electronics.
From Foundational Theory to Global Standardization and Impact
Dr. Zhong’s contributions extend from foundational theory to global impact. He chaired the working group that developed IEEE Std 2988-2024, with participation from members affiliated with major global manufacturers and system operators, including GE, Siemens, Hitachi, ABB, Schneider Electric, NERC, ERCOT, MISO, Southern California Edison, and National Grid. This standard establishes the first globally recognized framework for physics-based coordination in power-electronic-dominated systems, providing a unified technical foundation for large-scale integration of distributed energy resources and flexible loads.
He has delivered 200+ plenary and invited talks in 20+ countries, including a semi-plenary lecture at the 2017 IFAC World Congress, the world’s largest systems and control conference.
Through Syndem LLC, these technologies are being translated into practical deployment across utility and industry. Dr. Zhong and his collaborators have built a smart grid comprising 108 interconnected physical power converters, demonstrating large-scale experimental validation of system-level autonomous coordination, stability, and scalability in a hardware platform representative of real-world distribution networks. This bridges the gap between foundational principles and field deployments.
“Sooner or later, this will be deployed worldwide,” said Michael Pesin, Deputy Assistant Secretary at the U.S. Department of Energy. This reflects growing industry recognition of physics-based synchronization as a viable foundation for future power systems worldwide.
Addressing a Defining Challenge of the 21st Century
As electrification accelerates and artificial intelligence drives unprecedented growth in electricity demand, power systems are evolving into highly distributed networks with millions of independent participants.
In this context, coordination — not just control — has emerged as the central engineering challenge. Dr. Zhong’s work provides a scalable, physics-based solution to this challenge, establishing a principled pathway for building resilient, stable, and scalable power systems in an increasingly electrified and distributed world.
“Dr. Zhong’s inventions are the sort of breakthrough that helps to push an industry from one era to the next,” said Keith Schneider, a veteran correspondent for The New York Times, in Canary Media. “Dr. Zhong’s work is a game changer for the grid.”
A Vision for the Future of Energy
“I am deeply honored to have been elected a Fellow of AAAS,” said Dr. Zhong. “This recognition affirms the vision of merging synchronization principles in natural sciences with concepts of democracy in social sciences to address a fundamental challenge in power systems, and of advancing Virtual Synchronous Machines as a vital pathway toward grid reliability, energy equity, and energy freedom.”
Congratulations Dr. Zhong!