On 25th September 2019, IEEE AIUB Student Branch in collaboration with Department of EEE, Faculty of Engineering (FE) successfully organized a seminar titled “Smart Power Grid in the 21st Century” at the Multipurpose Hall of American International University-Bangladesh (AIUB). The seminar was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. A.B.M Siddique Hossain, Dean, FE, AIUB; Advisor, IEEE AIUB Student Branch, who discussed briefly the current power grid systems in Bangladesh, along with the necessities of implanting Smart power grids. He concluded his speech by encouraging the students to set their aims to smart power sectors due to its gradual increase in demand, illustrating different projects related to power, that the government has taken for the upcoming years.
The keynote speaker, Prof. Akhtar Kalam, Professor of Electrical Engineering Department, Victoria University, Australia, came up on stage after a warm invitation from the Dean. His session by discussing the power sector of Bangladesh in the past and addressed sufferings that people used to have during those times. Later, he elaborately discussed the current conditions of the Power grid systems of Bangladesh and appreciated the way, the power sectors have successfully evolved in recent times compared to the past. In addition, Prof. Kalam identified the point that day by day the power demands in the world are increasing drastically compared to which the capacity isn’t getting upgraded. He also discussed the importance of Technology, Business, and Markets for precisely shaping the future, along with the three pillars of third industrial revolution including- Renewable energy, Storage technology, and the Smart Power Grid system. Therefore, for solving this issue, he explained “Smart Power Grid systems” in deep with multiple beneficial factors over “Old Power Grid systems”. Later, he elaborately discussed the principal characteristics of “Smart Power Grid systems” along with its advantageous factors including- the improvements on reliability, efficiency levels, safety, environment-friendly, reduce unemployment and many more. Before concluding his speech, he made a tentative visual representation of how the smart power grid systems will look compared to the older one including the integration of renewables, electric vehicles, demand response, as well as reliability and efficiency.
Later, Rolf Boum, International Recruitment Manager, Engineering Institute of Technology (EIT)-Australia, took the stage and introduced EIT to the attendees, including their achievements, their past and upcoming initiatives in collaboration with well-known companies of the world. He also talked about tuition fees structure, available scholarships for postgraduate programs that EIT offers to their students and explained the curriculum in detail. He concluded his presentation by displaying some pictures that portray their highly equipped virtual labs.
Lastly, to conclude the event, Dr. Md. Hasan Imam, Counselor, IEEE AIUB Student Branch; Senior Asst. Professor, FE, AIUB, took the stage. He started by addressing to the smart city movements and implementations in Australia and shared his experience of getting a doctorate in Australia with the attendees. Later, he thanked the speakers for their informative and interactive event. He finally concluded the event by handing over tokens of appreciation with the honorable Dean, which included certificates and crests, to the honorable speakers of the session. The event was graced by the presence of Md. Nahian Al Subri Ivan, Asst. Professor, FE, Rethwan Faiz, Asst. Professor, FE, Mehedi Hasan, Asst. Professor, FE, Dr. Md. Rifat Hazari, Asst. Professor, FE, S. M. Imrat Rahman, Asst. Professor, FE, Dr. Effat Jahan, Asst. Professor, FE, Md. Ashif Islam Oni, Lecturer, FE, Tasnuva Tasneem, Motivator and WIE Coordinator, IEEE AIUB Student Branch, Asst. Professor, FE, and Kawshik Shikder, Motivator, IEEE AIUB Student Branch; Advisor, IEEE Microwave Theory and Techniques Society (MTTS) AIUB SB Chapter; Asst. Professor, FE, AIUB.
