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LEADERSHIP & ADMINISTRATION

Masood Parvania

Co-Director of WIRED Global Center | Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Utah

Masood Parvania

Co-Director of WIRED Global Center | Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Utah

Expertise Areas: Community Engagement, Community Resilience, Power Systems, Workforce Development

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: masood.parvania@utah.edu
Faculty Profile: Masood Parvania
LinkedIn: Masood Parvania

Hamid Zareipour

Co-Director of WIRED Global Center | Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Calgary

Hamid Zareipour

Co-Director of WIRED Global Center | Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Calgary

Expertise Areas: Power Systems

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: hzareipo@ucalgary.ca
Faculty Profile: Hamid Zareipour
LinkedIn: Hamid Zareipour

Fatemeh Shakeri

Academic Program Manager, University of Calgary

Fatemeh Shakeri

Academic Program Manager, University of Calgary
University of Calgary

Expertise Areas: Academic Program Management

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: fatemeh.shakerihosse@ucalgary.ca
LinkedIn: Fatemeh Shakeri

Marlee Jeppsen

Marketing, Community Engagement, and Events Manager, University of Utah

Marlee Jeppsen

Marketing, Community Engagement, and Events Manager, University of Utah
University of Utah

Expertise Areas: Marketing, Communications, Branding, Media Relations, Program Management, Community Engagement, Events

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: marlee.jeppsen@utah.edu
LinkedIn: Marlee Jeppsen

Whitney Sarabia

Marketing and Communications Intern, University of Utah

Whitney Sarabia

Marketing and Communications Intern, University of Utah
University of Utah

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: whitney.sarabia@utah.edu

Nazia Masqsood

Admistrative Coordinator, University of Calgary

Nazia Masqsood

Admistrative Coordinator, University of Calgary
University of Calgary

Expertise Area: Administrative Coordination

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: nazia.maqsood@ucalgary.ca
LinkedIn: Nazia Masqsood

FACULTY & RESEARCHERS

Ilkay Altintas

Co-PI of WIRED Global Center | Research Scientist, University of California San Diego

Ilkay Altintas

Co-PI of WIRED Global Center | Research Scientist, University of California San Diego

Expertise Areas: Data Science and Cyberinfrastructure; Weather Modeling and Data Collection

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: ialtintas@ucsd.edu
Researcher Profile: Ilkay Altintas
LinkedIn: Ilkay Altintas

William Anderegg

Co-PI of WIRED Global Center | Associate Professor of Biology and Director of the Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy, University of Utah

William Anderegg

Co-PI of WIRED Global Center | Associate Professor of Biology and Director of the Wilkes Center for Climate Science and Policy, University of Utah

Expertise Areas: Atmospheric Science, Climate Science; Weather Modeling and Data Collection

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: anderegg@utah.edu
Lab Website: Anderegg Lab

Megan Bailey

Assistant Professor of Business, University of Calgary

Megan Bailey

Assistant Professor of Business, University of Calgary

Expertise Areas: Community Resilience

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: megan.bailey@ucalgary.ca
Faculty Profile: Megan Bailey

Ali Bidram

Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico

Ali Bidram

Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of New Mexico

Expertise Areas: Power Systems

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: bidram@unm.edu
Faculty Profile: Ali Bidram
LinkedIn: Ali Bidram

W. John Braun

Professor of Statistics, UBC Okanagan

W. John Braun

Professor of Statistics, UBC Okanagan

Expertise Areas: Data Science and Cyberinfrastructure; Weather Modeling and Data Collection; Uncertainty Quantification; Fire Behavior Modeling

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: john.braun@ubc.ca
Professional Website: W. John Braun

Tim Brown

Research Professor of Climatology and Director of Western Regional Climate Center, Deseret Research Institute

Tim Brown

Research Professor of Climatology and Director of Western Regional Climate Center, Deseret Research Institute

Expertise Areas: Atmospheric Science, Climate Science; Weather Modeling and Data Collection

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: Tim.Brown@dri.edu
Faculty Profile: Tim Brown

Divya Chandrasekhar

Co-PI of WIRED Global Center | Associate Professor of City and Metropolitan Planning, University of Utah

Divya Chandrasekhar

Co-PI of WIRED Global Center | Associate Professor of City and Metropolitan Planning, University of Utah

Expertise Areas: Community Resilience; Community Engagement; Workforce Development

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: D.Chandrasekhar@utah.edu
Faculty Profile: Divya Chandrasekhar
LinkedIn: Divya Chandrasekhar

Nicholas Coops

Professor of Forest Resources Management and Canada Research Chair, University of British Columbia

Nicholas Coops

Professor of Forest Resources Management and Canada Research Chair, University of British Columbia

Expertise Areas: Data Science and Cyberinfrastructure

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: nicholas.coops@ubc.ca
Faculty Profile: Nicholas Coops

Mostafa Farrokhabadi

Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Calgary

Mostafa Farrokhabadi

Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Calgary

Expertise Areas: Power Systems

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: mostafa.farrokhabadi@gmail.com
Faculty Profile: Mostafa Farrokhabadi
LinkedIn: Mostafa Farrokhabadi

Mike Flannigan

Professor of Wildland Fire and BC Innovation Research Chair for Predictive Services, Emergency Management and Fire Science, Thompson Rivers University

Mike Flannigan

Professor of Wildland Fire and BC Innovation Research Chair for Predictive Services, Emergency Management and Fire Science, Thompson Rivers University

Expertise Areas: Atmospheric Science, Climate Science; Community Resilience; Weather Modeling and Data Collection; Wildfire Weather and Behavior Modeling

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: mflannigan@tru.ca
Faculty Profile: Mike Flannigan

Amber Fletcher

Professor of Sociology & Social Studies and Academic Director of Community Engagement and Research Centre, University of Regina

Amber Fletcher

Professor of Sociology & Social Studies and Academic Director of Community Engagement and Research Centre, University of Regina

Expertise Areas: Community Engagement; Community Resilience; Tribal, Indigenous, and First Nation Communities; Workforce Development

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: Amber.Fletcher@uregina.ca
Faculty Profile: Amber Fletcher
LinkedIn: Amber Fletcher

Jairo Giraldo

Research Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Utah

Jairo Giraldo

Research Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Utah

Expertise Areas: Power Systems; Data Science and Cyberinfrastructure; Workforce Development

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: jairo.giraldo@utah.edu
Faculty Profile: Jairo Giraldo
LinkedIn: Jairo Giraldo

Kevin Hanna

Associate Professor of Earth, Environmental, and Geographic Sciences; Director of UBC Centre for Environmental Assessment Research, UBC Okanagan

Kevin Hanna

Associate Professor of Earth, Environmental, and Geographic Sciences; Director of UBC Centre for Environmental Assessment Research, UBC Okanagan

Expertise Areas: Community Engagement, Community Resilience; Tribal, Indigenous, and First Nation Communities; Power Systems

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: kevin.hanna@ubc.ca
Faculty Profile: Kevin Hanna

John Horel

Professor of Atmospheric Science, University of Utah

John Horel

Professor of Atmospheric Science, University of Utah

Expertise Areas: Atmospheric Science, Climate Science; Weather Modeling and Data Collection

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: john.horel@utah.edu
Research Website: Horel Research Group
LinkedIn: John Horel

Xiaodong Liang

Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Canada Research Chair, University of Saskatchewan

Xiaodong Liang

Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Canada Research Chair, University of Saskatchewan

Expertise Areas: Power Systems; Community Resilience

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: xil659@mail.usask.ca
Faculty Profile: Xiaodong Liang
LinkedIn: Xiaodong Liang

John Lin

Professor of Atmospheric Science, University of Utah

John Lin

Professor of Atmospheric Science, University of Utah

Expertise Areas: Atmospheric Science, Climate Science; Weather Modeling and Data Collection

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: John.Lin@utah.edu
Faculty Profile: John Lin
LinkedIn: John Lin

Petr Musilek

Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta

Petr Musilek

Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Alberta

Expertise Areas: Power Systems; Data Science and Cyberinfrastructure; Weather Modeling and Data Collection

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: pmusilek@ualberta.ca
Faculty Profile: Petr Musilek
LinkedIn: Petr Musilek

Manish Parashar

Presidential Professor of Computing and Director of Scientific Computing and Imaging (SCI) Institute, University of Utah

Manish Parashar

Presidential Professor of Computing and Director of Scientific Computing and Imaging (SCI) Institute, University of Utah

Expertise Areas: Data Science and Cyberinfrastructure

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: manish.parashar@utah.edu
Profile: Manish Parashar
LinkedIn: Manish Parashar

Valerio Pasucci

Co-PI of WIRED Global Center | Professor and Director of National Science Data Democratization Consortium, University of Utah

Valerio Pasucci

Co-PI of WIRED Global Center | Professor and Director of National Science Data Democratization Consortium, University of Utah
University of Utah

Expertise Areas: Weather Modeling and Data Collection

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: pascucci@sci.utah.edu
Faculty Profile: Valerio Pascucci
LinkedIn: Valerio Pascucci

Roland Stull

Professor and Chair of Atmospheric Science Program, University of British Columbia

Roland Stull

Professor and Chair of Atmospheric Science Program, University of British Columbia

Expertise Areas: Data Science and Cyberinfrastructure; Atmospheric Science, Climate Science; Weather Modeling and Data Collection; Wildfire Weather and Behavior Modeling; Clean Energy

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: roland.stull@ubc.ca
Faculty Profile: Roland Stull
LinkedIn: Roland Stull

Fatemeh Shakeri

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Calgary

Fatemeh Shakeri

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Calgary
University of Calgary

Expertise Areas: Battery Energy Storage Systems, Renewable Energy Technologies, Data-Driven Optimization

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: fatemeh.shakerihosse@ucalgary.ca
LinkedIn: Fatemeh Shakeri
Website: Grid Foresight

Supervisors:Dr. Hamidreza Zareipour,Prof Behrouz Far

Bio: Dr. Fatemeh Shakeri earned her PhD in Battery Energy Storage Systems and Fuel Cells from the University of Calgary, Canada. She currently serves as a Postdoctoral Associate at the University of Calgary, conducting research under the supervision of Professors Zareipour and Far. Her work at the WIRED Center focuses on leveraging data-driven optimization techniques to enhance the performance of grid-connected energy storage systems, with the goal of improving grid resilience and stability in the face of extreme weather conditions.

Omur Damla Kuru

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Utah

Omur Damla Kuru

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Utah

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Damla Kuru

Website: Damla Kuru

Email: u6062513@utah.edu

Supervisor:Dr. Divya Chandrasekhar

Bio: Dr. Omur Damla Kuru is a postdoctoral fellow coordinating the webinar program for the WIRED Center and developing workforce training materials under the supervision of Dr. Divya Chandrasekhar, in collaboration with Center faculty and staff.

James McGlade

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of British Columbia

James McGlade

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of British Columbia

Expertise Areas: Remote Sensing, LiDAR, & Forestry

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: James McGlade

Email: james.mcglade@ubc.ca

Supervisor:Dr. Nicholas Coops

Bio: Dr. James McGlade completed his PhD in close-range remote sensing for forest measurement in Melbourne, Australia. He is now a postdoctoral fellow at the University of British Columbia, where he utilizes high-resolution multi-temporal LiDAR from fixed-wing aircraft and drones to assess vegetation encroachment hazards along electrical transmission and distribution corridors. By analyzing 3D point-cloud models of tree crown structures and transmission infrastructure, he aims to develop predictive models that forecast vegetation growth trends and identify future hazardous trees.

Xuezheng Zong

Postdoctoral Fellow, Thompson Rivers University

Xuezheng Zong

Postdoctoral Fellow, Thompson Rivers University

Expertise Areas:Fire CONTACT INFORMATION:

Website: Xuezheng Zong

Email: xzong@tru.ca

Supervisors:Dr. Mike Flannigan

Bio: Dr.Xuezheng Zong is a postdoctoral fellow at Thompson Rivers University. Their primary research interests include fire and weather/climate interactions, particularly the potential impact of climate change, compound events, landscape fire modeling, and risk mitigation. Recently, their work has focused on the dependence between drought and power line-caused fires, as well as risk assessment.

Mohammad Amin Mirzaei

Senior Power System Research Engineer, University of Utah

Mohammad Amin Mirzaei

Senior Power System Research Engineer, University of Utah
University of Utah

Expertise Areas: Power System Optimization and Electricity Markets

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: m.mirzaei@utah.edu
LinkedIn: Mohammad Amin Mirzaei

Supervisors: Dr. Masood Parvania

Bio: Mohammad Amin Mirzaei is a Senior Power System Research Engineer in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Utah. His current research focuses on developing flexibility models for large-scale data centers to enable their participation in electricity markets through demand-side grid services. He is also leading efforts to model power grid operation under extreme heat conditions using temperature-dependent parameters, supporting the design of more resilient and flexible grid operations during heatwaves

STUDENTS

Hollis Belnap

Graduate Student, University of Utah

Hollis Belnap

Graduate Student, University of Utah

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Hollis Belnap

Email: hollis.belnap@utah.edu

Supervisor:Dr. Masood Parvania

Bio: Hollis Belnap is a third-year graduate student in the Electrical Engineering Department at the University of Utah, specializing in developing metrics, frameworks, and artificial intelligence algorithms to modernize and automate distribution power systems. Their work focuses on enhancing climate resilience through community-oriented, distribution system-level projects, including resilience hubs, energy subsidy and infrastructure upgrade cost allocation, and distributed energy resource (DER) integration and coordination. They validate models using both software and hardware, including real-time power hardware-in-the-loop testing in strategic environments. With a focus on the Western Interconnection—where wildfires, heatwaves, and droughts increasingly threaten the grid—they pursue bottom-up solutions to address the vulnerabilities of underserved communities to climate disasters and energy shortages, strengthening overall system resilience.

Behdad Faridpak

Graduate Student, University of Alberta

Behdad Faridpak

Graduate Student, University of Alberta

Expertise Areas: Power system engineer & AI specialist

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Behdad Faridpak

Website: Behdad Faridpak

Google Scholar

Email: faridpak@ualberta.ca

Supervisor:Dr. Petr Musilek

Bio: Behdad Faridpak is a PhD student in Power Systems Engineering, specializing in AI-driven methods to enhance the resilience of power grids against extreme events, particularly wildfires. At the WIRED Center, they are developing advanced AI-based models to improve load-shedding strategies and optimize the integration of renewable energy sources.

Ladan Tazik

Graduate Student, UBC Okanagan

Ladan Tazik

Graduate Student, UBC Okanagan

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Ladan Tazik

Email: ladan.tazik@ubc.ca

Supervisor: Dr. John Braun

Bio: Ladan Tazik is a second-year PhD student in Computer Science at the UBC Okanagan, under the supervision of Dr. W.J. Braun and Dr. M. Shehata. Their research focuses on advanced AI modeling with geospatial data to predict wildfire spread, aiding in risk assessment and disaster mitigation. By integrating computer vision, probabilistic modeling, and deep learning, they enhance fire detection and improve wildfire behavior predictions under uncertainty. Their work supports critical infrastructure protection by providing more accurate insights to mitigate the catastrophic impacts of climate change.

Vahid Hakimian

Graduate Student, University of Calgary

Vahid Hakimian

Graduate Student, University of Calgary

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Vahid Hakimian

Email: vahid.hakimian@ucalgary.ca

Supervisors:Dr. Mostafa Farrokhabadi, Dr. Hamidreza Zareipour

Bio: Vahid Hakimian is a second-year PhD student at the DGRI lab, focusing on emission-aware transactive energy markets..

Chibuike Ohanu

Graduate Student, University of Calgary

Chibuike Ohanu

Graduate Student, University of Calgary

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Chibuike Ohanu

Website: Chibuike Ohanu

Email: chibuike.ohanu@ucalgary.ca

Supervisors:Dr. Mostafa Farrokhabadi,Dr. Hamidreza Zareipour

Bio: Chibuike Ohanu is a PhD student in the Department of Electrical and Software Engineering at the University of Calgary with over five years of experience as a university lecturer at the University of Nigeria. Their research focuses on power system stability, optimization, and control, with a current emphasis on the stability of networked microgrids with high penetration of inverter-based resources, particularly during extreme weather events.

Irtaza Sohail

Graduate Student, University of Calgary

Irtaza Sohail

Graduate Student, University of Calgary

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Irtaza Sohail

Supervisors:Dr. Mostafa Farrokhabadi

Email: irtaza.sohail@ucalgary.ca

Bio: Irtaza Sohail is a graduate student researching the impact of wildfire smoke on solar PV output.

Eveth Gonzalez

Graduate Student, University of Alberta

Eveth Gonzalez

Graduate Student, University of Alberta

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Eveth Gonzalez

Email: eveth@ualberta.ca

Supervisor: Dr. Petr Musilek

Bio: Eveth Gonzalez is a second-year master's student in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Alberta, specializing in grid resiliency and climate change. Their research focuses on strengthening the power grid against the growing impact of climate-driven events, which threaten system stability and can lead to widespread blackouts. By leveraging Machine Learning algorithms, they analyze real-time data to help planners and policymakers adapt to emerging challenges and ensure a more resilient energy infrastructure.

Alireza Esmaeili

Graduate Student, University of Calgary

Alireza Esmaeili

Graduate Student, University of Calgary

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Alireza Esmaeili

Website: Grid Foresight Lab

Email: lireza.esmaeili1@ucalgary.ca

Supervisors:Dr. Mostafa Farrokhabadi,Dr. Hamidreza Zareipour

Bio: Alireza Esmaeli is a graduate student investigating the impact of wildfire smoke on solar energy production at the farm level in Alberta, beginning in 2018, while accounting for other factors that may influence solar output. Their research examines multiple modifiers, including cloud cover, temperature, snow cover, infrastructural failures, and other weather pollutants. By leveraging various types of weather data and wildfire reports, the study aims to isolate the specific impact of wildfire smoke from these other influencing factors.

Eliceo Ruiz Guzman

Graduate Student, University of British Colombia

Eliceo Ruiz Guzman

Graduate Student, University of British Colombia

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Eliceo Ruiz Guzman

Email: eruiz@mail.ubc.ca

Supervisor:Dr. Nicholas Coops

Bio: Eliceo Ruiz Guzman is a PhD student in Forestry at the Integrated Remote Sensing Studio at The University of British Columbia, working on the assessment of fire fuels in the Pacific Northwest region using remote sensing to identify vulnerable areas for wildfire recurrence in the western interconnected power grid.

Aashish Panta

Graduate Student, University of Utah

Aashish Panta

Graduate Student, University of Utah

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Aashish Panta

Email: aashishpanta0@gmail.com

Supervisor:Dr. Valerio Pascucci

Bio: Aashish Panta is a Graduate Student at the University of Utah who is contributing to the development of the cyber-infrastructure for fire smoke date

Mina Deshler

Graduate Student, University of British Columbia

Mina Deshler

Graduate Student, University of British Columbia

Expertise Areas: Wildfire Risk & Fire weather

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Website: WFRT

Email: mdeshler@eoas.ubc.ca

Supervisor:Dr. Roland Stull

Bio: Mina Deshler is a Master’s student in Atmospheric Sciences at the University of British Columbia. Her research is focused on the risk assessment of fire weather threats to the electric grid in BC. She is also interested in the intersection of scientific research and policymaking and is eager to participate in the CRSG’s promotion of interdisciplinary collaboration.

Ali Tasavvori

Graduate Student, University of Utah

Ali Tasavvori

Graduate Student, University of Utah

Expertise Areas: Power System Operations

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Ali Tasavvori

Email: ali.tasavvori@utah.edu

Supervisor:Dr. Masood Parvania

Bio: Ali Tasavvori is a graduate student at the University of Utah. In addition to his background in electrical and mechanical engineering, he is passionate about applying statistics, optimization methods, and machine learning to solve complex engineering problems. His areas of interest include smart energy systems and biotechnology, with a particular focus on power grid operations and mathematical optimization.

Arleth Salinas

Graduate Student, University of Utah

Arleth Salinas

Graduate Student, University of Utah

Expertise Areas: Computer Science

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Website: Arleth Salinas

LinkedIn: Arleth Salinas

Email: arleth.salinas@utah.edu

Supervisor: Dr. Valerio Pascucci

Bio: Arleth Salinas is a second-year Ph.D. student specializing in data management and visualization. Currently, she is involved in collecting, curating, and publishing data for use by WIRED members. She has curated the UBC fire smoke dataset and is developing a visual dashboard to accompany it. Her next steps include creating a data catalogue and selecting the next dataset to make available.

Sherry Gao

Graduate Student, University of Calgary

Sherry Gao

Graduate Student, University of Calgary

Expertise Areas: Power System Operation

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Sherry Gao

Email: xinhan.gao1@ucalgary.ca

Supervisor:Dr. Hamid Zareipour

Bio: Sherry Gao is a graduate student pursuing a Master of Science degree at the University of Calgary under the supervision of Dr. Zareipour, while working as an operations engineer at the Alberta Electric System Operator. Her research focuses on the impact of extreme weather events (such as wildfires) on the performance and reliability of thermal generation fleets.

Shafee Bahman

Graduate Student, University of Calgary

Shafee Bahman

Graduate Student, University of Calgary

Expertise Areas: Machine Learning, Data Science, Power System Market Analysis, Finance, & Economics.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Sherry Gao

Email: shafie.bahman@ucalgary.ca

Supervisor:Dr. Hamid Zareipour

Bio: Shafee Bahman is a PhD candidate in Electrical engineering with a background in economics. Currently he is working on a project focused on long-term load forecasting under extreme events.

Maryam Baghkarvasef

Graduate Student, University of Utah

Maryam Baghkarvasef

Graduate Student, University of Utah

Expertise Areas: Power System Optimization & Application of AI in Power Systems

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Maryam Baghkarvasef

Email: maryam.baghkarvasef@utah.edu

Supervisor:Dr. Masood Parvania

Bio: Maryam Baghkarvasef is a graduate student researching the impact of extreme heat events on power systems.

Mahsa Omri

Graduate Student, University of Utah

Mahsa Omri

Graduate Student, University of Utah

Expertise Areas: Power System Resilience and Reliability under Extreme Weather Events

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Mahsa Omri

Email: mahsa.omri@utah.edu

Supervisor: Dr. Masood Parvania

Bio: Mahsa Omri is a first‑year PhD student focused on the reliability and resilience of power systems.

2025 Summer Undergraduate Fellows

Trevor Winser

Undergraduate Student, UBC Okanagan

Trevor Winser

Undergraduate Student, UBC Okanagan

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Trevor Winser

Email: trevorwinserschool@gmail.com

Supervisor:Dr. John Braun

Bio: Trevor Winser is a fourth-year Computer Science student from UBC Okanagan with a strong interest in modeling and simulation of real-world events. Their current project focuses on developing a wildfire spread simulation model that, unlike many existing approaches, prioritizes uncertainty over deterministic outcomes. Using C# programming alongside the Unity framework, they are creating a probabilistic visual simulation to represent the likelihood of fire spread.

Vivian Tat

Undergraduate Student, University of Calgary

Vivian Tat

Undergraduate Student, University of Calgary

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Vivian Tat

Email: vivian.tat@ucalgary.ca

Supervisor:Dr. Hamid Zareipour

Bio: Vivian Tat is a student at the University of Calgary majoring in Electrical Engineering with a minor in Biomedical Engineering. She is particularly interested in exploring disciplines that intersect with her studies, especially in interdisciplinary fields. Beyond her technical work, Vivian is passionate about expanding opportunities for young students to explore STEM. Under the supervision of Dr. Hamidreza Zareipour, Vivian’s current research focuses on developing a digital twin framework for battery management systems (BMS). Her work enables simulation of battery performance under various conditions, including extreme weather, and aims to bridge chemical and electrical engineering. Ultimately, the project seeks to improve BMS functionality and strengthen grid resilience in response to evolving energy demands.

Luis Dominguez

Undergraduate Student, University of New Mexico

Luis Dominguez

Undergraduate Student, University of New Mexico

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Luis Dominguez

Email: ldominguez12@unm.edu

Supervisor:Dr. Ali Bidram

Bio: Luis Dominguez is an Electrical Engineering major at the University of New Mexico. Currently, he works as a Physics and Math tutor at his university due to his strong interest in those subjects. His upcoming project involves developing a device capable of estimating the risk of fire ignition near power lines.

Chanelle Dabreo

Undergraduate Student, University of Alberta

Chanelle Dabreo

Undergraduate Student, University of Alberta

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Chanelle Dabreo

Email: dabreo@ualberta.ca

Supervisor:Dr. Petr Musilek

Bio: Chanelle Dabreo is a third-year Computer Engineering co-op student at the University of Alberta, they have a strong interest in power and energy systems. As part of the WIRED project, they are evaluating the impact of wildfires on Jasper, Alberta's electricity grid, which frequently experiences disruptions due to wildfire activity. This study integrates data analysis, GIS mapping, and mitigation strategy assessments to identify grid vulnerabilities. The findings will inform evidence-based recommendations for enhancing resilience through adaptive strategies such as integrating renewable energy sources and microgrids, ultimately helping the community better withstand future wildfire seasons.

Celine Li

Undergraduate Student, University of British Columbia

Celine Li

Undergraduate Student, University of British Columbia

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Celine Li

Email: celinel2600@gmail.com

Supervisor: Dr. Nicholas Coops

Bio: Li is a third-year environmental science student at the University of British Columbia Vancouver, specializing in conservation and ecology with a minor in data science. She is especially interested in using geospatial analysis to improve forest conservation efforts, combining her passion for nature and data analysis. The project she will primarily be working on is investigating the spatial and temporal correlation between vegetation caused outage events, event severity, landcover, and climate within British Columbia. Through this research, these findings aim to provide a deeper insight into how various factors influence the likelihood, scale, duration and severity and accessibility of outage events.

Shakiba Sedigh

Undergraduate Student, University of Utah

Shakiba Sedigh

Undergraduate Student, University of Utah

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Shakiba Sedigh

Email: u1088218@utah.edu

Supervisor:Dr. Masood Parvania

Bio:Shakiba Sedigh is an undergraduate student currently pursuing a degree in Electrical Engineering with a focus on power systems. Her interest in the field was first sparked during a two-and-a-half-year neuroscience research project.

Hayden Mattingly

Undergraduate Student, University of Utah

Hayden Mattingly

Undergraduate Student, University of Utah

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Hayden Mattingly

Email: u1333521@utah.edu

Supervisor:Dr. Divya Chandrasekhar

Bio: Hayden Mattingly is an undergraduate student at the University of Utah, studying within the College of Architecture + Planning. His academic and research interests center on disaster planning and mitigation, where he is developing expertise in strategies that promote resilience and sustainability in the built environment./p>

Nathaniel Fargo

Undergraduate Student, University of Utah

Nathaniel Fargo

Undergraduate Student, University of Utah

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Nathaniel Fargo

Email: nathaniel.fargo@utah.edu

Supervisor:Dr. Cindy Furse

Bio: Nathaniel Fargo is an undergraduate student entering his senior year at the University of Utah, pursuing degrees in Electrical Engineering and Physics. He has contributed to research in physics laboratories investigating the magnetic and quantum spin properties of OLEDs, with an emphasis on designing resonator circuits. Over the past year, he collaborated on the development of ultrasound prototypes for an at-home AI medical screening device.

Delaram Bahreini Esfahani

Undergraduate Student, University of Calgary

Delaram Bahreini Esfahani

Undergraduate Student, University of Calgary

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Delaram Bahreini Esfahani

Email: delaram.bahreiniesfa@ucalgary.ca

Supervisor:Dr. Mostafa Farrokhabadi

Bio:Delaram Bahreini Esfahani is a Computer Science undergraduate student at the University of Calgary, they are interested in machine learning and software engineering. Their research focuses on improving power system resilience during extreme weather by developing a tool to estimate EV energy consumption and machine learning models to assess wildfire smoke's impact on solar PV and power networks.

Md Rafiu Hossain

Undergraduate Student, University of Calgary

Md Rafiu Hossain

Undergraduate Student, University of Calgary

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Md Rafiu Hossain

Email: mdrafiu.hossain@ucalgary.ca

Supervisor:Dr. Hamidreza Zareipour

Bio: Md Rafiu Hossain, an electrical engineering student at the University of Calgary, will join the WIRED Global Center's Cyberinfrastructure Team to support the development of a web-based data portal. This portal will serve as the primary access point to the Center’s data repository, enabling users to download, explore, and visualize datasets related to grid resilience and climate adaptation. Rafiu’s contributions will focus on enhancing the portal’s user interface and functionality, ensuring it meets the needs of researchers, policymakers, and community stakeholders..

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