Peter Dower
University of Melbourne
Rate Professor Peter Dower
One of the best lecturers I've ever had. He is genuinely inspiring. Because of his seemingly infinite knowledge on the subject material, I found that I had confidence in his teaching ability, and enjoyed the subject he taught (Electrical Device Modelling) greatly — far more than any other similar subject I have taken. He explains concepts in a great amount of detail, without losing sight of the objective or making the explanation confusing or convoluted.
Creates a positive and welcoming vibe.
Inspires growth and curiosity in every student.
Passionate about student development.
Makes every class a rewarding experience.
Great Professor!
About Peter
Professor Peter Dower serves as a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering within the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology at the University of Melbourne. He is a key member of the Control and Signal Processing research group. His primary research interest is optimal control. Dower contributes to significant research projects funded by prestigious organizations, including the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the U.S. Department of Defense, ARC Future Fellowship, and AFOSR. Notable projects encompass Efficient Computational Methods for Worst-Case Analysis and Optimal Control of Nonlinear Dynamical Systems, Extremum Seeking Control: A Systematic Design Framework, and Complexity-Manageable Methodologies and Efficient Computational Tools for Analysis and Design of Large-Scale Systems. Previously, he held the position of Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne from 2016 to 2019 before advancing to full Professor.
Dower has an extensive publication record in control theory and related fields. Key publications include Belief Propagation as a Dynamical System: The Linear Case and Open Problems; Gradient-Enhanced Deep Gaussian Processes for Multifidelity Modeling; Hypersonic Vehicle Co-Design for Multi-Stage Mission Planning; A Reduced Complexity Min-Plus Method for Synchronisation of Qubits; Computational Comparison Principles for Large-Scale System Stability Analysis; An Efficient Numerical Method for Optimal Control Problems with Low Dimensional Nonlinearities; Bidirectional Adversarial Autoencoders for High Precision Metasurface Design (2025); and Approximate Reachability for Feedback Linearisable Systems (2025). He received the 2017 SIAM SICON Best Paper Prize. Additionally, Dower teaches courses such as Electrical Device Modelling (ELEN30011) and Electrical Engineering Research Project (ELEN90083). His work demonstrates impact in areas like nonlinear dynamics, large-scale systems, and advanced control applications.
Professional Email: pdower@unimelb.edu.au