Reflecting on 2023 and what is to come for SEE

I have thoroughly enjoyed my first five months as director pro tem; being a part of the School of Sustainable Energy Engineering's (SEE) transformative journey has been exhilarating.

There has been tremendous growth at SEE in terms of our student body, research outputs and overall reputation. Navigating through this growth requires systems thinking and collaborative strategies. It has been immensely rewarding for me to better understand the passion of the SEE community.

SEE had nothing short of a paramount year in 2023. The program received formal accreditation by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board, ensuring that students are on track to receiving their professional engineer (P.Eng.) license. Along with reaching this significant milestone, we have taken many steps to support the school’s growth and are currently in the process of recruiting three new tenure-track faculty positions in power electronics, energy storage and sustainable buildings. We are also developing a new, course-based master’s of engineering (M.Eng.) program, aiming for a Fall 2025 start.

In 2023, SEE was also able to accomplish many firsts, including hosting a public dialogue event for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation. Our students also received recognition for their capstone projects, with teams being awarded the EGBC’s Think Green Student Award and the CAGBC’s Andy Kesteloo Award.

We are now prioritizing the creation of new initiatives for students that focuses on providing an environment for social interactions while learning and developing professional networks. We will be hosting our first graduate research conference in May, the “SEE CAR”, automotive design competition later in the year, and have plans to host an international conference in 2025 that aims to enrich our academic and research environment. Throughout the year, we will also be working to build our industrial networks by identifying new avenues for partnerships and continuing to work with our current partners on cutting-edge research, co-operative education experiences and capstone projects.

The primary focus of SEE is on enhancing student experience, strengthening our undergraduate program and creating a more welcoming space for students in our state-of-the-art building. We aim to take on a leadership role in defining the nascent sustainable energy engineering domain. In doing so, we anticipate the program will help identify the competencies needed to be a successful sustainable energy engineer. In practice, our students are equipped with the knowledge to make a positive change in society and help tackle global challenges.

Zafar Adeel, Ph.D., P.Eng.
Director pro tem and Professor of Professional Practice
School of Sustainable Energy Engineering

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