David G. Taylor was born and raised in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He received the B.S. degree from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, all in Electrical Engineering. He has been a faculty member at Georgia Institute of Technology since 1988, where he is now a full Professor. His teaching and research encompass the theory and application of control system design, with emphasis on electromechanics, electromobility, robotics, and sensing.
- Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign
- M.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana‑Champaign
- B.S., Electrical Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Professor Taylor’s research spans the theory and application of control systems, with emphasis on electromechanics, electromobility, robotics, and sensing. His recent research includes ultrasonic and radio frequency sensing for localization, powertrain optimization for energy efficiency and transient performance in hybrid and electric vehicles, perception and control for human driven and fully autonomous vehicles, and smart charging schemes for managing the convergence of electric vehicles and the electricity grid.
Professor Taylor’s teaching focuses on Control System Design, emphasizing several types of control algorithms and their implementation on microcontroller devices. The course features lab projects to expose students to theoretical foundations and practical applications. He also co-leads a cross-disciplinary student team that participates in funded Advanced Vehicle Technology Competitions. This team receives industry training as they design, build, and test energy efficient powertrains and autonomous driving features.
- NSF Research Initiation Award
- NSF Presidential Young Investigator Award
- Sigma Xi Thesis Advisor Research Awards
- Publications Chair of American Control Conference
- Senior Member of IEEE
- Paul V. Barsa et al., Adaptive Cruise Controller with Integral Action…, 2025.
- K.R. Cunningham, P.V. Barsa, D.G. Taylor, Optimized Acceleration and Braking…, 2025.
- C.E. Viteri, K.V. Sastry, M.J. Leamy, D.G. Taylor, Smart Charging of EV Fleets…, 2025.
- L.A. Leon, P.V. Barsa, D.G. Taylor, Comparative Assessment of Motion Trajectories…, 2024.
- D.B. Dickson, K.R. Cunningham, D.G. Taylor, Loss‑Minimizing Operation of Vehicle Powertrains…, 2024.