Dr Yuanbo Nie

School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Lecturer in Control and Systems Engineering

Employability Lead - Global Engineering Challenge

Yuanbo Nie
Profile picture of Yuanbo Nie
y.nie@sheffield.ac.uk
Amy Johnson Building

Full contact details

Dr Yuanbo Nie
School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering
Amy Johnson Building
Portobello Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
Profile

I am currently a Lecturer in Control and Systems Engineering at School of EEE, ±¬ÁÏTV. I received an MSc degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Delft University of Technology, and MSc degree in Advanced Computational Methods from Imperial College London, and a Ph.D. degree in Aeronautics from Imperial College London (Thesis: Numerical Optimal Control with Applications in Aerospace) in 2021.

Between 2012 and 2013, I was with the Institute of System Dynamics and Control, German Aerospace Center (DLR), and between 2021 and 2022, I was a postdoctoral research associate with the Rolls-Royce Control, Monitoring and Systems Engineering University Technology Centre.

Research interests

Numerical Methods for Dynamic Optimization:

  • Development of direct transcription methods (specifically integrated residual methods)
  • Creation of next-generation optimization software toolboxes for infinite-dimensional problems
  • Formulation of Dynamic Optimization Problems (DOPs) based on mission specifications

Optimization-based Control:

  • Design of control frameworks (e.g, Model Predictive Control) formulated directly from original problem specifications.
  • Ensuring solution guarantees and feasibility for real-world implementation in nonlinear or uncertain systems.

Aerospace Systems Control & Simulation:

  • Flight Management Systems: Automated tool-chains for trajectory optimization considering aerodynamics, propulsion, and air traffic restrictions.
  • Sustainable Aviation: Optimal energy management for electric, hydrogen, and hybrid aircraft concepts.
  • Multi-disciplinary Design: Optimal sizing/placement of control surfaces and integration of distributed propulsion.
  • Upset Recovery: Guidance and automatic control systems for safe recovery from extreme conditions (e.g., stall and spin).
  • Flight Simulation: Development of next-generation simulators for advanced pilot training.
Publications

Journal articles

  • Falugi P, O'Dwyer E, Zagorowska M, Kerrigan E, Nie Y, Strbac G & Shah N (2025) . Energy and Buildings, 346, 116144-116144.
  • Nie Y & Kerrigan EC (2025) . IEEE Control Systems Letters, 9, 1063-1068.
  • Jones M, Nie Y & Peet MM (2024) . IFAC-PapersOnLine, 58(17), 127-132.
  • Ramesh N, Kerrigan EC & Nie Y (2024) . IFAC-PapersOnLine, 58(18), 53-58.

Conference proceedings

  • Ramesh N, Drummond R, Monasterios PRB & Nie Y (2025) . 2025 IEEE 64th Conference on Decision and Control (CDC) (pp 905-910), 9 December 2025 - 12 December 2025.
  • Faro LH, Nie Y & Trodden P (2025) . 2025 IEEE 64th Conference on Decision and Control (CDC) (pp 2274-2280), 9 December 2025 - 12 December 2025.
  • Nie Y, Ko P & Drummond R (2024) . 2024 European Control Conference (ECC) Proceedings (pp 218-223). Stockholm, Sweden, 25 June 2024 - 25 June 2024.
  • Neuenhofen MP, Kerrigan EC & Nie Y (2024) . 2023 IEEE 62st Conference on Decision and Control (CDC) (pp 4285-4290). Marina Bay Sands, Singapore, 13 December 2023 - 13 December 2023.

Preprints

  • Jones M, Nie Y & Peet MM (2024) Model Predictive Bang-Bang Controller Synthesis via Approximate Value Functions.
Teaching activities
  • ACS6124 - Multisensor and Decision Systems
  • AER124 - Analysis and Modelling of Aerospace Systems
Professional activities and memberships
  • Member of IEEE
  • Member of the Optimal Control technical committee of IFAC
  • Member of Future Mobility Grand Challenge Committee of the EPSRC Automatic Control Engineering Network

Links

Control and Systems Engineering