Anna Stefanopoulou facts for kids

Anna G. Stefanopoulou (born in 1968) is a brilliant Greek-American engineer. She is famous for her research on how to control fuel cells and make car engines use less fuel. Fuel cells are devices that create electricity from fuel. She is a special professor at the University of Michigan. She also leads the University of Michigan Energy Institute. Plus, she helps the university work towards not adding carbon to the air.

Anna's Journey in Engineering

Anna Stefanopoulou started her studies in Greece. She went to the National Technical University of Athens. There, she learned about marine engineering, which is about designing and building ships. She finished her first degree in 1991.

Then, she moved to the University of Michigan in the United States. She first studied marine engineering for her master's degree. But she soon became very interested in how to control car parts. So, she switched to studying electrical engineering and computer science. She earned her Ph.D. in 1996.

After her Ph.D., Anna worked for the Ford Motor Company for a year. She helped control car engines. In 1998, she became a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara. There, she started new research on automated braking systems for cars. These systems help cars brake by themselves. She was even chosen for a special meeting of top engineers.

In 2000, Anna returned to the University of Michigan. She became a professor of mechanical engineering. This is when she began her most famous work on fuel cells.

About Her Book

Anna Stefanopoulou also wrote a book. It is called Control of Fuel Cell Power Systems. She wrote it with Jay T. Pukrushpan and Huei Peng. The book teaches about how to control systems that use fuel cells to make power. It was published in 2004.

Awards and Honors

Anna Stefanopoulou has received many important awards for her work.

• In 2007, she became a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Being a "fellow" means you are a highly respected member.
• In 2009, she became an IEEE Fellow. This was for her great work in controlling energy systems.
• In 2018, she became a fellow of SAE International. This group focuses on automotive engineering.

She also won special awards for her achievements:

• In 2009, she received the Gustus L. Larson Memorial Award. This award is for amazing work in mechanical engineering.
• In 2016, she won the Control System Technology Award. This was for creating a smart system to manage car batteries. This system helps batteries work better and last longer.

The University of Michigan also honored her in 2017. They named her the William Clay Ford Professor. This is a very special title for a professor.