5th Annual Innovative Engineering Research Conference (AIERC) 2022
June 17, 2022
Aims and Scope
The Annual Innovative Engineering Research Conference (AIERC) is organised by the Faculty of Engineering and Informatics at the University of Bradford and will take place on June 17, 2022.
Following the spirit and the success of the previous editions, the conference aims to have the following format, although some changes might occur based on suggestions made by the Organising Committee. It is planned to include a full day with sessions in the University of Bradford campus: invited talks; short and full paper talks, according to the papers submitted; poster session; Three Minute Thesis (3MT) competition.
AIERC aims to provide postgraduate students with a cross-functional platform to address critical issues and innovative solutions through practical discussions. It provides an opportunity for Masters and PhD students to showcase their research and to receive feedback on their new research ideas or results in an early stage of investigation.
All graduate students are highly encouraged to participate! AIERC provides an excellent opportunity to work on developing clear and confident communication skills which are critically important when presenting work in academia or industry.
Invited Speaker
Biography
Susan Bernal Lopez, is Professor of Structural Materials in the School of Civil Engineering at the University of Leeds. She is the Materials and Structures Group Director at this University, serves as co-Director of the EPSRC Transforming Foundation Industries Network Plus and as Deputy Chair of the largest international RILEM Technical Committee - RILEM TC 281-CCC on carbonation of concretes with supplementary cementitious materials. With >15+ years of experience, Prof. Bernal Lopez and her team’s research centres on development of solutions for decarbonise future infrastructure including waste valorisation for developing new low carbon cementitious materials; understanding interaction between concrete materials and the environment; development of infrastructure for wellbeing, among others.
Abstract
Transitioning toward low carbon cements
In the UK, the development, maintenance, repair and replacement of infrastructure account for at least 50% of the national CO2e emissions. A value that is projected to increase in the upcoming decades, as a consequence of the threats posed by climate change to our existing and aged infrastructure. There is also a clear need to provide shelter and better infrastructure to tackle social inequalities as well as adapting to the challenges presented by the global pandemic.
We often hear the phrase ‘built back better’ in a figurative context, but we have the responsibility of making it a reality. The construction sector is currently taking serious actions to become more resilient and sustainable in the years to come, particularly regarding the materials selected for infrastructure development. New policies in resource efficiency, circular economy and carbon management in infrastructure, open a unique opportunity for innovation in construction materials. There is a particular interest in low carbon cements for production of concrete. In this presentation, a brief overview of some of the decarbonisation strategies being proposed to improve sustainability of cement and concrete will be discussed in the context of existing roadmaps and guidelines developed in recent years, in an effort to achieve net-zero by 2050.
Biography
Aisha Ahmad is a Smart Grid Engineer, at Northern PowerGrid. She graduated from the University of Warwick B.Eng. (Hons) in Electrical Engineering in 2001. Spent a couple more years at Warwick to pursue Ph.D. in Electrical Power Systems but did not complete the study. She later joined Northern PowerGrid in 2011 as a graduate trainee engineer. Worked as an operational engineer from 2013 to 2015 in network reinforcement after completing my traineeship. Joined the system improvement design team from 2015 to 2018 as a design engineer, focusing on the 11kV network design. From 2018 until now, working as a smart grid development engineer, looking at introducing new technologies, and updating company policies and regulatory aspects.
Abstract
Enhancing the understanding of network losses in the UK
Within the UK losses in the distribution network is particularly important. This presentation will provide an overview of electrical losses, which, in the electricity network operator world, are commonly known as ‘losses’. It will address the meaning of ‘losses’, and answer some of the following questions:
- How much electricity is lost in the UK distribution networks and in Northern PowerGrid networks in a year?
- Who pays for losses?
- Why are losses are important to network operators like Northern PowerGrid?
- What will happen in the future energy scenario with the high penetration of low carbon technologies? Will the losses increase?
In the second half of the talk, I will share my personal experience, vantage points, and opinions on being a PGR student and being in the energy industry for 10 years.
Faculty of Engineering and Informatics PGR Representative Dam Abdullateef Agbabiaka talking about benefits of attending PGR conference.