IEEE Foundation Establishes Fund to Honor Swarn Kalsi’s Legacy
The IEEE Foundation has launched the EPICS in IEEE Dr. Swarn S. Kalsi Community of Projects fund, a new initiative aimed at fostering collaboration among engineering students to tackle local community challenges. Established in memory of the late Swarn S. Kalsi, a pioneer in temperature-superconducting magnet technology, the fund reflects his commitment to education and innovation. Kalsi passed away on March 2, 2023, at the age of 85.
The EPICS (Engineering Projects in Community Service) initiative allows students to engage in service learning while collaborating with engineering professionals and community organizations. The fund, created by Kalsi’s family, is designed to support projects that inspire multidisciplinary teams of students to create solutions for pressing local needs. Kalsi’s son, Sonny Kalsi, emphasized his father’s belief in the transformative power of education, stating, “Dad believed that education, especially an engineering degree, had the power to change lives.”
A Lasting Legacy in Engineering
With a background that began in Kanpur, India, Kalsi earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering in 1962 from the Indian Institute of Technology in Kharagpur. He later completed a master’s degree at Benaras Hindu University in 1963 and pursued his doctoral studies at Imperial College London, receiving his Ph.D. in 1970. Kalsi later moved to the United States, where he enjoyed a distinguished career with leading companies including AMSC (American Superconductor), General Electric, and Northrop Grumman.
Throughout his 50-year career, Kalsi specialized in designing and building superconducting magnets for a variety of applications, such as motors, generators, power cables, and fault current limiters. His work at AMSC was particularly notable for its contributions to the development of high-temperature superconducting (HTS) technology. According to Alex J. Malozemoff, an IEEE Life Fellow who collaborated with Kalsi, “One of his major contributions was HTS rotating machines including motors, generators, and synchronous condensers.”
Kalsi was granted over 30 U.S. patents during his career and authored the book “Applications of High Temperature Superconductors to Electric Power Equipment,” published in 2011. After retiring in 2007, he founded Kalsi Green Power Systems, a consulting firm based in Princeton, New Jersey, where he continued to advance the field through consulting work.
Supporting Future Generations
The EPICS initiative has enabled over 12,000 students from 39 countries to engage in service-learning projects since its inception in 2009. Each project team can receive funding of up to USD 10,000 along with resources and mentorship, focusing on areas such as education, the environment, accessibility, and human services. The Kalsi family made the largest pledge in the history of the EPICS program, underscoring their commitment to continuing Kalsi’s legacy.
Marko Delimar, president of the IEEE Foundation, expressed pride in establishing the fund, noting, “It will recognize both Kalsi’s outstanding and indelible contributions to our industry throughout his renowned career, as well as inspire and support ongoing innovation by future generations.”
The fund has also garnered support from Kalsi’s former colleagues and mentees, including James Storey, a senior scientist at the Robinson Research Institute in Lower Hutt, New Zealand. Storey highlighted Kalsi’s collaborative spirit, stating, “Swarn was the team’s most valuable collaborator, informing our superconducting motor research programs for more than a decade.”
The IEEE Foundation’s memorial funds are designed to honor individuals while fostering future generations of engineers. Karen Galuchie, the Foundation’s executive director, remarked, “The creation of the new EPICS in IEEE Dr. Swarn S. Kalsi Community of Projects fund is a beautiful example of how an IEEE member’s impact can extend well beyond their lifetime.”
For more information about the fund or to contribute, visit the IEEE Foundation’s website.
