Rate My Professor Vanika Sharma

Dr. Vanika Sharma is a Lecturer in Electrical Engineering at Adelaide University, based at the Mawson Lakes Campus in the School of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and Information Technology. She earned her PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of South Australia, Master of Engineering in Power Engineering from Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College, India, as a Gold Medalist, and Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering from DAV Institute of Engineering and Technology, India, also as a Gold Medalist. Prior to her current role, she was a Lecturer in Power Engineering at the University of South Australia from 2021 to 2025. Her research focuses on renewable energy integration with the power grid, solar photovoltaic systems, battery energy storage, household energy cost minimization, electric vehicles, electrical power generation and distribution systems, operation and control of power systems, virtual power plants, and microgrids. Key publications include "Reducing Overvoltage-Induced PV Curtailment Through Reactive Power Support of Battery and Smart PV Inverters" (IEEE Access, 2024), "Smart inverter and battery storage controls to reduce financial loss due to overvoltage-induced PV curtailment in distribution feeders" (Sustainable Energy Grids and Networks, 2023), "Energy Economy of Households With Photovoltaic System and Battery Storage Under Time of Use Tariff With Demand Charge" (IEEE Access, 2022), "Effects of high solar photovoltaic penetration on distribution feeders and the economic impact" (Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2020), and "Energy cost minimization for net zero energy homes through optimal sizing of battery storage system" (Renewable Energy, 2019). Her research has received over 365 citations and featured in 9 News, The Advertiser, and PV Magazine.

Dr. Sharma teaches Advanced Renewable Energy Integration, Power System Fundamentals, and Renewable and Distributed Power Generation. She is eligible to co-supervise Masters and PhD students and currently co-supervises a PhD project on designing microgrids for remote areas of South Australia incorporating PV, wind, and energy storage. Professionally, she chairs the IEEE Power & Energy Society South Australia Chapter since 2024, previously served as Treasurer in 2022 and IEEE South Australia Joint Technical Program Representative from 2023 to 2024, and advises the IEEE UniSA Student Branch since 2021. She has organized seminars, technical site visits, and webinars through her IEEE leadership.