INSU CHANG

• Senior Researcher, General Motors Global R&D, Warren, MI, USA

• A technical leader with a proven track record in advanced control, estimation, and optimization, driving end-to-end development and deployment of complex engineering systems, including battery management systems (BMS), thermal management (EV, ICE, and PHEV), and connected and automated vehicles (CAVs). 

Education

• Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA, 2016

  • Area of Specialization: Control, estimation, optimization, and dynamics

• M.S. in Astronomy (equivalent to Astronautics in USA), Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea, 2008

  • Area of Specialization: Spaceflight dynamics and control / orbital mechanics

• B.S. (Magna cum Laude) in Astronomy, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea, 2006

  • Area of Specialization: Spaceflight dynamics

Professional Experience

• Senior Researcher, General Motors Global R&D, Warren, MI, USA (04/2019 -- present)

• Senior Controls System Engineer, General Motors Global R&D, Pontiac/Warren, MI, USA (03/2018 -- 03/2019)

• Senior Controls System Engineer, General Motors GPS, Milford, MI, USA (11/2016 -- 03/2018)

• Controls Engineer, Caterpillar Inc., Mossville, IL, USA (07/2014 -- 10/2016, 01/2013 -- 07/2013, 06/2012 -- 08/2012)

Research Interests

1.  Control Theory

   • Nonlinear system analysis / dynamics and control of multi-agent systems / distributed consensus

   • Stochastic control / robust control / adaptive control / optimal control

   • Model predictive control (MPC) 

   • Fault tolerant control (FTC)

   • Linear parameter-varying (LPV) control / state-dependent Riccati equation (SDRE) control

   • Linear matrix inequalities (LMI) / constrained optimization / input-to-state stability (ISS) / contraction analysis

   • Particle swarm optimization (PSO) / genetic algorithms (GA) / iterative feedback tuning (IFT)

   • Data-based optimal gain tuning / auto-tuning / gain scheduled PID controllers

2.  Estimation/Determination of Dynamical Systems

   • Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF), Extended Kalman Filter (EKF)

   • Moving horizon estimation / particle filter

   • Trajectory optimization

   • System identification / parameter estimation

3.  Artificial Intelligence / Machine Learning

   • Supervised/unsupervised machine learning, reinforcement learning

   • Artificial neural network

   • Deep learning

4.  Applications

   • Thermal system design and control for battery electric vehicles or internal combustion engine vehicles

   • Battery management system (BMS)

   • High-fidelity vehicle speed control with uncertain environments

   • Position and motion estimation of industrial machines

   • Hardware implementation

   • Trajectory maneuver, attitude tracking/synchronization of the vehicles in a formation

   • Multi-vehicle control in UAVs and spacecraft with time-delayed and underactuated systems

   • Guidance, navigation, and control of spacecraft, UAVs and missiles

   • Orbit maintenance and reconfiguration of satellite formation flying systems

   • Spacecraft attitude and (precise) orbit determination

Professional Societies and Service Activities

1.  Affiliations

   • Sigma Xi, Member (2017--present)

   • Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Student Member (2009--2015), Member (2016--2019), Senior Member (2019--present)

   • IEEE Control Systems Society (CSS), Student Member (2009--2015), Member (2016--present)

   • IEEE CSS Technical Committee on Automotive Controls, Member (2019--present)

   • IEEE CSS Technical Committee on System Identification and Adaptive Control, Member (2019--present)

   • IFAC Technical Committee on Automotive Control, Member (2017--present)

   • American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), Member (2024--present)

   • ASME Dynamic Systems & Control Division (DSCD) Technical Committee on Automotive and Transportation Systems (ATS), Member (2024--present)

   • Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), Member (2024--present)

2.  Editorial Board

   • Associate Editor, ASME Journal of Autonomous Vehicles and Systems (2025--present)

   • Associate Editor, ASME DSCD Conference Editorial Board: MECC 2025, ACC 2026, MECC 2026

3.  Seasonal Conference/Session Organizer

   • American Control Conference (ACC): Invited sessions (2025, 2026)

   • Modeling, Estimation and Control Conference (MECC): Invited sessions (2024, 2026)

4.  Reviewer: Journal Articles

   • Automatica

   • IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control

   • IEEE Transactions on Control Systems Technology

   • IEEE Transactions on Transportation Electrification

   • IEEE Transactions on Industry Applications 

   • IET Control Theory & Applications

   • AIAA Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics

   • Aerospace Science and Technology

   • ASCE Journal of Aerospace Engineering

   • Asian Journal of Control

   • Journal of the Franklin Institute

   • Multidimensional Systems and Signal Processing

5.  Reviewer: Conference Proceedings

   • IEEE Conference on Decision and Control (CDC)

   • IEEE Conference on Control Technology and Applications (CCTA)

   • American Control Conference (ACC)

   • European Control Conference (ECC)

   • Modeling, Estimation and Control Conference (MECC)

   • ASME Dynamic Systems and Control Conference (DSCC)

   • SAE World Congress Experience (WCX)

   • International Conference on Control, Decision, and Information Technologies (CoDIT)

   • AIAA Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) Conference

   • AIAA SPACE Conference

Awards and Honors

• 2025 Lloyd Reuss Collaborative Award, General Motors Global R&D, 11/2025, with N. Shidore, et. al. 

• Finalist for the 49th Boss Kettering Award, General Motors, 10/2025, with D. Edwards, M. Sun, S. Quelhas, Y. Hu, S. Moorman, and K. Irrer

• Finalist for the ATS Best Paper Award at the 5th Modeling, Estimation and Control Conference (MECC 2025), 10/2025, with S. Gupta, B. Hegde, I. Haskara, and S.-Y. Shieh

• Semi-finalist for 2018 Innovation Challenge, General Motors Global R&D, 10/2018, with E. Masters, Z. Li, D. Hwang, and D. Grimm

• Third Best Paper Award for the 59th POWID, 06/2016, with J. Bentsman, C. Taft, H. J. Sunaryanto, J. Sorge, and H. Zhao 

• First Prize for Research Excellence - 02/2004, Yonsei Univ.

• High Honors Student - 12/2000, 08/2005, Yonsei Univ.

• Second Prize for Skillful Tutor - 06/2005, Yonsei Univ.

• Third Prize for Skillful Tutor - 12/2004, Yonsei Univ.

• Brain Korea 21 (BK 21) Scholarship - Yonsei Univ., Outstanding Research Achievements, 02/2008

• LG Yonam Scholarship - LG Yonam Foundation, Academic and Research Excellence, 2006--2007

• Brain Korea 21 (BK 21) Scholarship - Yonsei Univ., Academic Excellence, 2006--2007

• Yonsei University Scholarship - Yonsei Univ., Academic Excellence, 7 of 8 semesters (1999--2000, 2004--2005)

Other Experiences

1.  Voluntary Member

   • Detroit Grand Prix Association (DGPA), 05/2022 -- present

2.  Voluntary Mentor

   • Academic/career counseling for undergraduates - Spring 2012, Korean Student Association, Univ. of Illinois

3.  Voluntary Tutor

   • Astrodynamics - Spring 2005, Tutor, Yonsei Univ.

   • Advanced Calculus - Fall 2004, Tutor, Yonsei Univ.

4.  Tau Beta Pi

   • The engineering honor society, The Illinois Alpha Chapter, Univ. of Illinois (2015)

5.  Club Activity

   • ASTROY (Aerospace society, Academic club), Yonsei Univ. (06/1999 -- 07/2008)

   • Founder and 1st president, 

   • Research on experimental solid rocket and cansat communication

   • Third prize in X-ROC, 2000

6.  Military Service

   • Sergeant, 2nd Infantry Division, Republic of Korea Army, Gangwon Province, South Korea (07/2001 -- 09/2003)

7.  Track-Type Tractor (TTT) Operation

   • Received an operator license (Small/Medium TTT) from PPG, Caterpillar Inc., Washington, IL, 05/2013

   • Developed advanced controllers and tested them by using TTTs (D3K, D5K), 05/2013 -- 03/2016