Jian Cao received his B.S. degree in automation from Beijing University of Technology, Beijing, China, in 2004, and his M.S. degree in electrical engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago, Illinois, in 2007.  He is now a Ph.D. student at the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department in IIT. His master’s thesis was titled “Efficiency and Loss Models for Key Electronic Components of Hybrid Electric Vehicles’ Electrical Propulsion Systems,” which was sponsored by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. His Ph.D. research concentrates on propulsion battery systems and long string battery solutions for electric, hybrid electric, and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Specifically, this research includes balancing, protection, and management of energy storage systems. His field of interests also includes drive train design and control strategy development for hybrid electric vehicles.