Empowering Students in Grid Resilience Research and Advocacy
The Grid Resilience Student Group is a student-led initiative taking a collaborative, interdisciplinary approach to grid resilience research. They aim to advance student involvement across campuses and beyond.
We at WIRED Global Center empower the next generation to impact and drive change in power grid resilience. We achieve that by endorsing student-led initiatives, fellowship programs, research roles, webinars, and our annual meeting.
GRSG Leadership Team - University of Utah
Hollis Belnap
President
Hollis Belnap is a PhD candidate in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and a recipient of the EPISTEMI Women Leadership in STEM Scholarship. Her research centers on enhancing community and power system climate resilience. Her work aims to ensure modern system resilience against the worst effects of climate change and that the vulnerabilities of marginalized groups are effectively addressed, ensuring equitable preparedness and protection for all.
Jackson Doyle
Vice President
Jackson Doyle is a junior undergraduate student studying Electrical Engineering at the University of Utah. He served for eight years in the US Air Force as an Avionics Technician stationed at Hill Air Force Base in Utah and deployed to Spain, Korea, Italy, Germany and France. His knowledge and expertise span signal processing, data analytics, systems testing, troubleshooting, and wire maintenance.
Shad Iqbal Pathan
Treasurer
Shad Iqbal Pathan is a sophomore studying Electrical Engineering at the University of Utah. Their membership in the GRSG demonstrates a strong commitment to student involvement in climate resilience. They bring their insights from their respective area of study to the GRSG.
Arleth Salinas
Department Representative: Computer Science
Arleth Salinas is a graduate research assistant in the second year of her PhD in Computer Science at the University of Utah. She joined the GRSG to enable more interdisciplinary engagement among the Computer Science community and others working on climate resilience problems. She works on large data visualization problems and is interested in allowing access to fire smoke data with web-based tools to help the environment.
Mahdis Borhani
Department Representative: City and Metropolitan Planning
Mahdis Borhani is a PhD student in City and Metropolitan Planning at the University of Utah. She works in Divya Chandrasekhar’s lab contributing to the WIRED Global Center’s efforts to develop innovative strategies for wildfire resilience. Passionate about creating safer, more resilient cities, Borhani combines rigorous research with a commitment to practical solutions for a more sustainable future.
Sarah Sami Khan
Department Representative: Electrical and Computer Engineering
Sarah Sami Khan is a PhD student in Electrical & Computer Engineering at the University of Utah. Khan aims to create an impact against climate-related issues. Their membership in the GRSG demonstrates a strong commitment to student involvement in climate resilience. They bring their insights from their respective area of study to the GRSG.
Logan Dunford
Department Representative: College of Social and Behavioral Science; College of Science
Logan Dunford is an undergraduate student with a double major in Earth & Environmental Science and Environmental & Sustain Studies at the University of Utah. Their membership in the GRSG demonstrates a strong commitment to student involvement in climate resilience. Being a member of both the College of Social and Behavioral Science and the College of Science, Logan brings their insights from both areas of study to the GRSG.
Student Lead- UBC Okanagan
Ladan Tazik
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.
Student Lead- University of Calgary
Mohammad Alhashem
Mohammad Alhashem is a PhD candidate 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.
Student Lead- University of British Columbia
Mina Deshler
Student Lead- University of Regina
Abraham Bugre
Abraham Bugre is a PhD student at the University of Regina. His interests include climate change adaptation, disaster risk reduction, biodiversity and nature-based solutions.
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