Success Story: O1A Approved Despite RFE! We Helped A Chinese Staff Application Engineer Achieve Success with Premium Processing
Client’s Testimonial:
“Thank you so much for your hard work and good service!”
On February 11th, 2025, we received another O1-A (Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement) approval for a Staff Application Engineer in the Field of Electrical Engineering (Approval Notice).
General Field: Electrical Engineering
Position at the Time of Case Filing: Staff Application Engineer
Country of Origin: China
State of Residence at the Time of Filing: Michigan
Approval Notice Date: February 11th, 2025
Processing Time: 3 months, 11 days (Premium Processing Requested)
Case Summary:
We are proud to share the success of an O-1A petition approval secured for an electrical engineer whose pioneering research is transforming the field of direct current (DC) power systems. The client held a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering and was employed in a role focused on designing high-performance, reliable, and efficient power semiconductor devices. His work addresses core challenges in energy efficiency and infrastructure resilience across applications like data centers, electric vehicles, and advanced aviation systems.
Research with Substantial Merit and National Importance:
The client’s specialized research focuses on the development of ultra-fast and intelligent DC circuit breaker technologies using wide bandgap semiconductors such as Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Silicon Carbide (SiC). These innovations tackle critical limitations in fault prevention and system reliability for microgrids, solar energy networks, and future electric aviation systems. His work stands out for offering scalable solutions that enhance energy system stability, making it especially relevant to the advancement of sustainable and efficient power infrastructure in the United States.
Importantly, the client’s contributions were bolstered by funding support from the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), an organization renowned for backing transformative energy technologies. This endorsement highlights the national significance of his ongoing work.
Significant Publication Record and Citation Impact:
As of the petition filing, the client had authored 22 peer-reviewed scientific articles and contributed a book chapter, with several of his works published in top-ranked journals. His research has been cited 343 times according to Google Scholar, reflecting broad recognition and uptake across the global engineering community. Notably, multiple papers ranked within the top 10% of most cited publications in engineering for their respective years.
Service to the Field:
Beyond his publication record, the client has completed at least 49 peer reviews for leading journals in power engineering. His role as a peer reviewer underscores his standing as a trusted expert in evaluating complex research within the field.
Recommendation Letters:
To strengthen the petition, we included four strong letters of recommendation from leading experts in electrical engineering. These letters attested to the originality, importance, and widespread influence of the client’s work, with independent advisors emphasizing the practical deployment and citation of his innovations in their own research.
“It is, therefore, to the benefit of the United States that [Client] continues his research pursuits.”
Final Result:
Despite receiving a Request for Evidence (RFE), the petition was ultimately approved, a testament to the compelling evidence presented. The team at North America Immigration Law Group (NAILG) was honored to support this accomplished electrical engineer in securing a successful O-1A outcome. We are confident that his continued contributions will help shape the future of sustainable energy systems and advanced power technology.