Power supply: ASU engineering grad finds passion in the lab and classroom
Diego Puerta (left) and Mike Ranjram, an assistant professor in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University, review work on a power electronics project in the Miniaturized and Advanced Power Electronics Laboratory, or MAPEL. This spring, Puerta receives his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, part of the Fulton Schools. Photo by Erika Gronek/ASU
Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of profiles of notable spring 2026 graduates.
Early in his studies, nearly every subject quickly captured the interest of outstanding graduate Diego Puerta. While passionate about his course of study, he found it difficult to fall into one specialization.
Ultimately, power electronics proved to be the subject that fulfilled every part of his curiosity.
“The interdisciplinary nature of power electronics truly captivated me,” he says.
This spring, Puerta earns his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, part of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University.
In the Fulton Schools, Puerta dedicated himself to academic excellence and was recognized as a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. He led initiatives aimed at advancing the careers of his peers, serving as president of ASU’s chapter of IEEE-Eta Kappa Nu.
Puerta spent a significant amount of time working with Assistant Professor Mike Ranjram in his Miniaturized and Advanced Power Electronics Laboratory (MAPEL), where he gained his first exposure to research as part of the Summer Research Initiative.
“I had the opportunity to work under Dr. Ranjram for two years, and he is, without question, the best teacher I have ever had,” he says. “His outstanding teaching, mentorship and unwavering belief in my abilities have been pivotal to my success, and he inspired me to pursue a career in power electronics.”
Puerta gained industry experience during an internship at Texas Instruments, working with their high-speed amplifiers team. He will re-join Texas Instruments this summer for a second internship working on analog integrated circuit design.
Puerta is also deeply passionate about teaching. He was an undergraduate teaching assistant for multiple courses serving over 200 students, where he had the opportunity to create and deliver lectures and several exam review sessions.
“This semester, I had the privilege to develop a 75-minute lecture, which was one of my favorite experiences from the last four years,” he says. “I consider teaching to be a great privilege and one of the best ways I can serve the engineering community.”
After graduation, Puerta will pursue his PhD in electrical engineering and computer science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he will lead research in power electronics.
“My long-term professional goal is to become a leading researcher in power electronics and direct a world-class research group to deliver necessary innovations in renewable energy, data center power delivery and biomedical applications,” he says.
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