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LEADERSHIP & ADMINISTRATION

Masood Parvania

Director of WIRED Global Center | Roger P. Webb Endowed Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Utah

Masood Parvania

Director of WIRED Global Center | Roger P. Webb Endowed 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

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

Laura Rupert

Senior Program Manager, U-Smart Lab

Laura Rupert

Senior Program Manager, U-Smart Lab
University of Utah

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: L.rupert@utah.edu
LinkedIn: Laura Rupert

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

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

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

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

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.

Fariba Amini

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Alberta

Fariba Amini

Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Alberta
University of Alberta

Expertise Areas: Power System Resilience under disasters

CONTACT INFORMATION
Email: fariba1@ualberta.ca
LinkedIn: Fariba Amini

Supervisors: Dr. Petr Musilek

Bio:Fariba Amini is a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Alberta. Their current research focuses on optimizing the deployment of mobile energy storage systems (MESS) to support electric vehicle evacuations during large-scale wildfires. By integrating traffic simulation tools such as SUMO with optimization frameworks like Pyomo and CPLEX, they develop real-time models that enhance evacuation efficiency, energy resilience, and infrastructure planning in emergency scenarios. Their work supports the development of smarter, safer, and more sustainable energy and transportation systems in disaster-prone regions./p>

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

GRADUATE 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.

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.

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.

Muhammad Mutahhar Chishti

Graduate Student, University of Calgary

Muhammad Mutahhar Chishti

Graduate Student, University of Calgary

Expertise Areas: Electrical Engineering

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Website: Grid Foresight Lab - Mutahhar Chishti

Email: mutahhar.chishti@ucalgary.ca

Supervisors:Dr. Hamidreza Zareipour

Bio: Mutahhar Chishti recently completed in Bachelors in Electrical Engineering degree from the National University of Sciences and Technology, Pakistan. He started his MSc. at the University of Calgary in fall 2025.

Sarah Sami Khan

Graduate Student, University of Utah

Sarah Sami Khan

Graduate Student, University of Utah

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

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Sarah Sami Khan

Email: sarah.khan@utah.edu

Supervisor: Dr. Masood Parvania

Bio: Sarah Sami Khan is a second‑year PhD student focused on the reliability and resilience of power systems.

Mohsen Tavakolian

Graduate Student, University of Calgary

Mohsen Tavakolian

Graduate Student, University of Calgary

Expertise Areas: Energy industry, Energy decarbonisation, Machine learning

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Website: Grid Foresight Lab - Mohsen Tavakolian

Email: mohsen.tavakolian@ucalgary.ca

Supervisors:Dr. Hamidreza Zareipour

Bio: Mohsen Tavakolian holds an MSc and BSc in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering and is currently a PhD candidate in Electrical and Software Engineering. With over 20 years of industry experience, he brings a strong applied perspective to his academic research. His doctoral thesis focuses on long-term electricity load prediction, examining the impact of extreme weather conditions, particularly wildfire smoke, as well as space heating and cooling demands.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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..

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Mohammad Alhashem

Graduate Student, University of Calgary

Mohammad Alhashem

Graduate Student, University of Calgary

Expertise Areas: Smart grids, Microgrids, and Renewable energy systems

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Website: Grid Foresight Lab - Mohammad-Alhashem

Email: mohammad.alhashem@ucalgary.ca

Supervisors:Dr. Hamidreza Zareipour

Bio: Mohammad Alhashem is a PhD student in Electrical Engineering at the University of Calgary and a researcher with Grid Foresight Lab. He specializes in smart grids, microgrids, and renewable energy systems, with a focus on energy optimization, phasor simulation, and sustainable power solutions. Mohammad holds an MSc in Environmental and Renewable Energy Engineering from the German Jordanian University and a BSc in Electrical Engineering from the Hashemite University.

Shafie Bahman

Graduate Student, University of Calgary

Shafie Bahman

Graduate Student, University of Calgary

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

CONTACT INFORMATION:

LinkedIn: Shafie Bahman

Email: shafie.bahman@ucalgary.ca

Supervisor:Dr. Hamid Zareipour

Bio: Shafie 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.

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.

Jahara Safdar

University of Alberta 

Jahara Safdar

University of Alberta 
I am a second-year electrical engineering student at the University of Alberta and I will be conducting research on how extreme temperatures affect electricity load profiles in Alberta. I am very interested in power grid stability and on the effects of climate change on energy demand.

Joseph Asay

University of Utah

Joseph Asay

University of Utah
I am a third-year student at the University of Utah pursuing a dual degree in Urban Ecology with a supplementing minor degree in Dark Skies Studies, as well as Political Science with an emphasis in Public Policy. I am very interested in finding the links and gaps between the city planning and public policy field, as knowledge of both is necessary to create habitable and comfortable spaces for us all to live in. This summer I will be evaluating wildfire mitigation actions by utility companies in the western United States under the guidance of Dr. Divya Chandrasekhar.

Taeyun Lim

Taeyun Lim

Curtis Beplay

Steel Encounters

Curtis Beplay

Steel Encounters
Curtis Beplay is a tenured Project Manager at Steel Encounters and has over seven years of experience in the fenestration and building envelope construction industry. His specialty is design assist and projects that involve high-level coordination between Architects and Engineers. Curtis has been studying architecture concurrently with his career at the University of Utah and will graduate with a bachelor's degree in the spring of 2027. His professional background began at 18 years old when he took his father’s bicycle and began installing windows on skyscrapers. At night he attended Salt Lake Community College and earned his Associates degree in Architecture. He also became a Certified Journeyman Glazer through the Utah Glass Association, the National Glass Association, and the Department of Labor. In the spring of 2025 Curtis attended the BAU conference in Münich Germany to study building façades further. He turned this personal pilgrimage into an independent study with a Professor at the University of Utah and produced study papers on spontaneous breakage induced via nickel sulfide inclusions, thermally induced warpage, vacuum insulated glazing, architectural acoustics and harmonics, and sustainable performance. Curtis has also participated as a sponsor in the Façade Tectonics World Congress and attended Glass Build Conventions.

Maja Abildso

University of Utah

Maja Abildso

University of Utah
I am a second-year mechanical engineering student at the University of Utah with a minor in astronomy. This summer, I will be conducting research under Dr. Samira Shiri, investigating the hemiwicking dynamics of polymeric and multicomponent liquids on micro-pillared surfaces. I am excited to explore the research process and gain experience working in a lab. In my spare time, I love reading, creative writing, making cosplays, and exploring Utah's mountains and national parks.

Cory Law

University of Utah

Cory Law

University of Utah
My name is Cory Law and I am an Atmospheric Science student at the University of British Columbia (UBC) Vancouver; I will be heading into my fourth year in September. I'm very interested in extreme weather events, forecasts, and the relationship between wildfire mitigation and meteorology. This summer, I'm thrilled to be exploring these topics further as part of UBC's Weather Forecast Research Team.

Muhammad Hamza Imtiaz

University of Calgary

Muhammad Hamza Imtiaz

University of Calgary
I am a third-year BSc Electrical Engineering student with a minor in Computer Science at the University of Calgary. My academic and research interests focus on power systems, machine learning, and climate-resilient energy infrastructure. Under the supervision of Dr. Mostafa Farrokhabadi, I am working on research related to grid vulnerability, outage prediction, and network fragility under climate-driven stressors. I am particularly interested in developing practical, data-driven tools that support more reliable and resilient power systems.

Abeer Nasir

University of Regina

Abeer Nasir

University of Regina
I am a second-year psychology student at the University of Regina with a background in community-based research. This summer, I will be working with Dr. Fletcher on a scoping review examining the effects of natural disasters at the community level. I am very excited to contribute to this project and learn more along the way.

Noyon Nazari

Noyon Nazari

Noyon is a first-year Electrical Engineering student with a passion for artificial intelligence. He will be doing his research this summer with Dr. Masood Parvania.

Pardis Abbasnejad

University of Calgary

Pardis Abbasnejad

University of Calgary
My name is Pardis Abbasnejad, and I am an Electrical engineering student at the University of Calgary with a strong interest in sustainable energy systems and data-driven modelling. I am currently working on a research project focused on improving electricity demand forecasting in the context of climate change and increasing electrification. My work involves contributing to the development of a digital twin model to estimate the energy consumption of residential heating and cooling systems using real-world data such as temperature patterns and technology adoption trends. I also support data analysis and computational modelling to evaluate how these factors influence electricity demand under different scenarios. The project combines engineering modelling, data analysis, and software tools to support more reliable and sustainable energy systems.

Keirin Mann

University of New Mexico

Keirin Mann

University of New Mexico
I am a junior Electrical Engineering student at the University of New Mexico with interests in power systems, semiconductor physics, aerospace technology, and experimental engineering. I currently work as a Research Engineering Intern at COSMIAC, where I support aerospace and space power systems research, including testing, instrumentation, and data analysis. I also have experience with circuit modeling, semiconductor device simulation, and hands-on electronics development. Outside of academics and research, I am involved in coaching chess, where I focus on teaching fundamentals, strategy, and problem-solving skills.

Johnathon Rodriguez

Johnathon Rodriguez

Past WIRED Faculty, Students and Fellows

2025 WIRED Summer Undergraduate Fellows

Luis Dominguez, University of New Mexico

Chanelle Dabreo, University of Alberta

Delaram Bahreini Esfahani, University of Calgary

Trevor Winser, UBC Okanagan

Vivian Tat, University of Calgary

Celine Li, UBC Vancouver

Hayden Mattingly, University of Utah

Nathaniel Fargo, University of Utah

Md Rafiu Hossain, Unviersity of Calgary

 

2024 WIRED Summer Undergraduate Fellows

Sofia Moeinvaziri, Stanford University

Edie Raines, University of Utah

Ozan Bayiz, UC Berkley

Jack Allerton Doughty, University of Utah

Saud Amjad, University of Calgary

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