IEEE Siouxland Section Computer Society Speaker Event

Title: Toward Cyber-Resilient Distributed Energy Resources at Grid Edge
Current electric power grid is undergoing transition due to the rapid penetration of distributed energy resources (DER) in distribution and subtransmission systems. Geographically, broadly dispersed DERs, with complex communication and computation systems, are expected to improve the power grid resilience if these smart DER capabilities are secured and coordinated with power system management. However, new cybersecurity vulnerabilities and challenges arise due to extensive information exchanges between DERs and multiple stakeholders to manage the DERs interconnected with electric grid, which will expand the power grid attack surfaces that in turn can cause severe disturbances in grid operations. However, it is still challenging to model and manage a cross-layered security perimeter due to a large number of DER devices accessible to the multiple stakeholders. Moreover, a standout threat is advanced attackers who keep trying to attack the systems using malware and possess extensive knowledge of the systems encompassing insider threats as well as create quantum computing attacks, which have not been well mitigated by existing defense strategies. Furthermore, hardening DER device security by design and implementing robust resilience for mission- and time-critical operation of DERs are critical challenges facing DER-rich resilient power systems. In this seminar, major threats, key defense challenges, and current defense technologies will be introduced. Besides, examples of new defense technologies incorporating blockchain and security-enhanced DER inverters will be presented.
Short Bio of the Speaker: Dr. Taesic Kim received M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and Ph.D. degree in Engineering (Specialization in Computer Science and Engineering) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2012 and 2015, respectively. In 2009, he was with the New and Renewable Energy Research Group of Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI), South Korea. He was also with Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories, Cambridge, MA, USA in 2013. Currently, he is an associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Texas A&M University-Kingsville (TAMUK). He directs the Cyber-Physical Power and Energy Systems (CPPES) group and focuses on research in cyber-physical power and energy systems, including cyber-physical system and security, blockchain, and cyber-resilient power electronics and power systems. He has received more than $9M grants as PI and Co-PI from U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation, Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute, IEEE Foundation, Institute for Information and Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation, and Microsoft. He holds 2 U.S. patents and more than 100 papers in refereed journals and IEEE conference proceedings in the field of CPPES. He is a recipient of Dean’s Award in Excellence in Research as well as Professor of Year in 2021 from TAMUK, IEEE Myron Zucker Student-Faculty Grant Award in 2018, two Best Paper Awards in the 2021 IEEE PES ISGT-ASIA and the 2017 IEEE International Conference on Electro Information Technology, and the First Prize Award in the 2013 IEEE IAS Graduate Student Thesis Contest.
Co-sponsored by: Jerome J. Lohr College of Engineering, SDSU
Speaker(s): Taesic Kim
Room: 370, Bldg: Daktronics Engineering Hall, 1250 8th street, South Dakota State University, Brookings, South Dakota, United States, 57007