It is truly the end of an era here at Applied Research. As you all know Hassan has been a research leader here at BCIT for over 15 years but today (August 31, 2022) we congratulate Hassan last day as the Director for SMART as he moves into retirement. We will still be seeing Hassan around campus, as he will be returning to teach part time and we will still get the opportunity to say hello and to take advantage of his expertise, but it won’t be quite the same.
During his time here Hassan has directed projects that have figuratively (and literally) changed the landscape here at BCIT. For this research and his development of educational programs, Hassan has won too many awards to be listed here and has received local, national and international recognition for his work, his team and for BCIT.
I would personally like to take this opportunity to say how much of an honor it has been to work with Hassan over the years and how much he will be missed. Also to say good luck to Hassan in all his future endeavours!
Kim Dotto, Dean, Applied Research and Centre of Applied Research and Innovation
ABOUT SMART
For more than a decade, BCIT Smart Microgrid Applied Research Tem (SMART) converges expertise in the information technology, communications engineering, and energy management fields to develop prototypes and solutions for complex applied research programs. SMART helps stimulate BCʼs economy through collaborative projects with other academic institutions, industry, and the government.
BCIT’s Energy OASIS (Open Access to Sustainable Intermittent Sources) project demonstrates solutions that could be employed to help reduce the impact of fast-charging on the electric grid. The Energy OASIS project integrates photovoltaic panels and Li-Ion energy storage for a Level-3 fast charge electric vehicle charge station within BCIT’s Smart Microgrid system.
BCIT’s Smart Microgrid Applied Research Team is working on research, development and demonstration (RD&D) initiatives aimed at solutions that will reduce barriers to the adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs). These projects will build on a recently completed renewable (solar PV) energy generation, energy storage, and electric vehicle charging infrastructure project called Energy OASIS, located at BCIT’s Burnaby campus. This project will demonstrate EV infrastructure solutions that improve interoperability issues, grid efficiencies and drivers’ charging experience. Federal funding for this project was provided through Natural Resources Canada’s Green Infrastructure – Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Demonstration Program, with BCIT, FLO | AddÉnergie, the City of New Westminster, IBX Data Systems and Sun Country Highway also investing in the project, bringing the total funding amount to over $4.1 million.
In 2015 the BCIT SMART team and Vancouver based NuGrid Power Corporation received funding from the BC Innovative Clean Energy (ICE) Fund and from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) to develop a testing lab for optical medium-voltage current and voltage sensors. With direct digital output this lab will provide active measurement and real-time communication of measurements on the electric power grid.