SPEARS Research Lab
SPEARS: Security, Protection, and Electrification of Advanced Renewable-rich Energy Systems
We develop data-driven and physics-informed methods for protection, monitoring, and control of renewable-rich power Grids, with a focus on Security.
Dr. Amir Ameli
Dr. Ameli is an Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Lakehead University and a licensed Professional Engineer in the province of Ontario. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Waterloo in 2019, where he also completed a postdoctoral fellowship.
His research focuses on cyber-resilient protection of renewable-rich power grids, leveraging data-driven methods, AI-based analytics, and cyber-physical system modelling. He is a Senior IEEE Member and recognised for research excellence and top reviewer contributions.
Read Full BiographyBridging Innovation & Real-World Grid Security
SPEARS Lab develops tools and methods that address the evolving cyber-physical landscape of modern power systems — from advanced cyber-physical security to AI-enabled demand management.
Read more about our researchSelected Publications
Published in top-tier IEEE journals and conferences. Click any paper to view on IEEE Xplore.
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Latest News
Updates on research milestones, awards, publications, and lab events.
Lab Director Receives Merit Award in Research from Lakehead University
The Director of the SPARES Research Lab received a Merit Award in Research from Lakehead University.
New NSERC Alliance Grant Approved: Reinforcement-Based LLMs for Energy Management Platforms
A new research project titled “Reinforcement-Based Large Language Models to Enhance Energy Management Platforms”, led by the SPARES Research Lab in collaboration with Edgecom Energy,
New Paper Accepted in IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement
A new journal paper titled “An Adaptive Penalized Weighted Least Squared Approach for Detecting and Mitigating Cyber-Attacks on Dynamic State Estimation” was accepted for publication
New Paper Accepted in IEEE Transactions on Smart Grid
A new journal paper titled “Securing FACTS-Based Wide-Area Damping Controllers Using Modified Conditional Generative Adversarial Networks” was accepted for publication in IEEE Transactions on Smart
Lab Director Receives Contribution to Teaching Award from Lakehead University
The Director of the SPARES Research Lab received the Contribution to Teaching Award from Lakehead University.
New Paper Accepted in IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security
A new journal paper titled “Mitigating Propagation of Cyber-Attacks in Wide-Area Measurement Systems” was accepted for publication in IEEE Transactions on Information Forensics and Security.
New Paper Accepted in IEEE Transactions on Vehicular Technology
A new journal paper titled “Detection, Identification, and Mitigation of False Data Injection Attacks in Vehicle Platooning” was accepted for publication in IEEE Transactions on
New NCC Grant Approved: Boosting Cyber-Resilience of Microgrids in Critical Infrastructures
A new research project titled “Boosting the Cyber-Resilience of Microgrids within Future Energy Critical Infrastructures” was approved for funding by the National Cybersecurity Consortium under
Interested in Joining the Lab?
We welcome motivated graduate students and researchers with a passion for power system protection, cyber-security, and AI-driven solutions. Fill out the form below and we will be in touch.
