Tony Davies High Voltage Laboratory and Electrical Power Engineering Research Group team bring global dielectrics community together at the 6th IEEE International Conference on Dielectrics
The Tony Davies High Voltage Laboratory and Electrical Power Engineering Research Group at the University of Southampton successfully hosted the 6th IEEE International Conference on Dielectrics (ICD 2026), bringing together researchers, academics, industry professionals and students from across the world.
Held under the theme “Next Generation Sustainable Dielectrics”, the conference provided an international forum for sharing the latest advances in dielectric materials, electrical insulation systems and technologies supporting the global transition towards more sustainable energy and electrification.
ICD 2026 attracted more than 400 submissions from around the world and welcomed 350+ delegates representing 28 countries. The technical programme featured nine oral and six poster sessions, covering topics including space charge, electrical ageing and degradation, nanodielectrics, multifunctional materials, diagnostics, modelling and power electronics.
The conference programme included two distinguished lectures. The E.O. Forster Lecture, delivered by Gilbert Teyssedre, explored recent developments in understanding electrical ageing mechanisms in polymeric insulation. The T.W. Dakin Award Lecture, presented by Giovanni Mazzanti, examined recent advances in electro-thermal life modelling for HVDC cables.
A dedicated workshop on “High Voltage DC and Dielectrics for Electrified Aircraft” brought together experts from the aerospace and dielectric insulation communities, highlighting the growing importance of high-voltage technologies for future transport electrification.
Supporting early-career researchers was an important part of ICD 2026. The Young Professionals Lunch and Panel Discussion provided an opportunity for emerging researchers to exchange experiences and engage with established members of the community, while the Young Researcher Contest recognised three outstanding contributions presented at the conference.
Alongside the technical programme, delegates enjoyed a welcome reception, gala dinner, guided historical walks around Southampton and visits to local cultural attractions, providing valuable opportunities for networking and strengthening international connections.
The successful delivery of ICD 2026 was a major collaborative effort involving academic staff, professional and administrative colleagues, students, technicians and other support staff from the University of Southampton, alongside the wider IEEE DEIS community.
Istebreq Saeedi, General Chair of ICD 2026, expressed her sincere thanks to IEEE DEIS, the conference reviewers, the local organising committee and all the volunteers whose dedication, professionalism and hard work contributed to the success of the event.
The conference showcased the University of Southampton’s strength in high-voltage engineering, dielectric materials and electrical insulation, while providing an important platform for collaboration between academia, industry and research organisations from around the world. Papers presented at IEEE ICD 2026 will be published in the conference proceedings.