Dennis Michaelson is a member of the Mistawasis Nêhiyawak (First Nation), and his maternal family are from the Métis community of Lily Plain/St. Catherines. He grew up in Vancouver, BC, where he attended Simon Fraser University for his BASc degree in automation engineering in 1993. He earned his Ph.D. degree in electrical and computer engineering from Western University in 2017. He was a Postdoctoral Associate and Research Engineer at Western, and prior to that held the position of Vice-President of Engineering with EK3 Technologies, Inc., where he led a team developing secure networked embedded systems for multimedia applications. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Western University, and is the Past Chair of the IEEE London Section and the IEEE Power and Energy Society London Chapter. 

His research interests include renewable energy microgrids, small modular reactors, energy management, embedded real-time systems, and Indigenous engineering education. Dennis’ work investigates sustainable energy systems, with a focus on low-carbon electrification to move away from fossil fuels. 

Dr. Michaelson also has a passion for Indigenous engineering education. He served on the Canadian Indigenous Advisory Council to the American Indian Science and Engineering Society  and brings this culturally-informed mentorship and community building experience to Western Engineering as a faculty member.