About Me

I am a fifth year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences at the University of California, Berkeley, where I am advised by Professor Robert Pilawa-Podgurski. I work within the Berkeley Power and Energy Center on the design and control of high-performance multilevel power converters for single-phase DC-AC/AC-DC systems. I have a particular interest in characterizing and addressing critical challenges such as electromagnetic interference for multilevel topologies. My research has been generously supported by the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship.

Prior to starting my degree at Berkeley, I graduated summa cum laude with my B.S in Engineering Science and Mathematics from Smith College. Here, I was engaged in undergraduate research related to both engineering education and water resources.



Francesca Giardine

  • (Expected, 2026) Ph.D. Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, University of California, Berkeley
  • (2020) B.S. Engineering Science and Mathematics, Smith College