The System Analytics for Communications and Energy (SACE) Lab focuses on creating advanced probabilistic and data-driven models, in order to enable the prediction of critical cyber-physical infrastructures' performances, i.e. smart grids. As an example, one of the goals of the SACE Lab is to advance the fundamental understanding of the vulnerability, reliability and security of smart grids while capturing the interdependencies among the underlying communication network (SCADA), the transmission grid, and the human-computer interactions. Such fundamental knowledge is essential in the design of future smart grids so that they are resilient in the presence of natural and malicious physical disturbances (e.g., hurricanes, cyberattacks, acts of sabotage, etc.) that would normally lead to cascading failures and large blackouts.

The models created in the SACE Lab are also essential for developing optimal strategies for defensing cyber-physical infrastructure in the presence of actions by adversaries. For instance, in the event of cascading failures instigated by cyber attackers, adaptive preventive strategies can be designed to mitigate cascading failures by optimizing the gaming interplay between the cyber threat and the smart-grid’s corrective decisions.

The SACE Lab has a dedicated space of approximately 1000 sq. ft. in Engineering Hall, 471. It houses HP Z6 G4 [Intel Zeon Silver 4114 CPU @2.2 GHz (40 CPUs)] workstations for performing both AC and DC power-flow simulation and cascading-failures simulations on power grid test systems (e.g., Polish power grid, IEEE 118, IEEE 300, etc.). In addition, the lab is also used to design experiments in analog and digital communication using a number of NI’s ELVIS III and Emona communications board.

SACE Lab at Marquette University actively collaborates with researchers from the University of New Mexico, University of South Florida, and the University of Florida. Its director, Majeed Hayat, welcomes new opportunities for collaborations. 

Learn more about the SACE Lab on their website.

SACE Lab Location
Engineering Hall 471
1637 W. Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53233

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Contact: 

Dr. Majeed Hayat

Chair and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering 
(414) 288-6820
majeed.hayat@marquette.edu