Grid-interactive Building Systems Professors and Supervisors

María Dolores Gil MontoyaView profile

Professor

University of AlmeríaSpain

María Dolores Gil Montoya is a Professor in the Computer Science Department at the University of Almería (UAL), Spain, with a distinguished interdisciplinary research profile spanning computer science, mindfulness applications, and energy systems. Her academic career demonstrates a unique integration of technical expertise with psychological and philosophical perspectives. Her research interests focus on three interconnected domains: Mindfulness Research : Exploring applications in education and sports performance, with particular attention to bridging Eastern and Western philosophical traditions Educational Technology : Developing and implementing cooperative learning methodologies, active learning tools, and ICT integration in higher education Energy Systems : Contributing to research on power quality, electric vehicle infrastructure, and renewable energy integration Dr. Gil Montoya's publication record shows consistent scholarly output across these domains, with her most recent work focusing on the integration of mindfulness practices with educational technology. Her research demonstrates a distinctive approach that combines technical rigor with human-centered perspectives, particularly evident in her work on cooperative learning enhanced by mindfulness principles. She has successfully secured multiple research grants from Spanish government agencies, with projects ranging from high-performance computing applications to drone navigation systems. As a member of the 'Ciencia, consciencia y desarrollo' research group, she contributes to interdisciplinary work that connects technological development with consciousness studies. Her collaborations extend internationally, including work with the University of San Carlos Guatemala's Faculty of Engineering. Dr. Gil Montoya maintains an active research profile with an h-index of 13 in both Scopus and Web of Science, reflecting the impact of her interdisciplinary contributions across computer science, education, and energy research fields.

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Didier HaillotView profile

Professor

École de Technologie SupérieureCanada

Didier Haillot is a Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at École de technologie supérieure (ÉTS), where he directs the ÉDÉ Sustainable Energy Laboratory. His affiliations include research leadership roles in T3E Energy Technology Group, LTSB Thermal Sciences Laboratory, and CIRODD sustainability consortium. He holds a B.Eng. from Université Joseph Fourier Grenoble, M.Sc./Ph.D. from Université de Perpignan, and completed postdoctoral research at DLR Stuttgart. Research interests center on sustainable energy systems with emphasis on: Thermal storage materials (phase-change composites, thermocline systems) Solar thermal technologies for agriculture and buildings Energy efficiency in Arctic infrastructure and industrial processes Decarbonization strategies for northern Indigenous communities Modeling of controlled-environment agriculture Publication analysis reveals strong focus on renewable integration in extreme climates (15 recent papers: 2020-2025), with recurring themes in Arctic greenhouse design, off-grid energy storage, and thermal management of electronics. Experimental and numerical approaches dominate his methodology. Awards include the 2025 Prix de la technologie la plus prometteuse for sustainable tech innovation. He actively mentors 30+ graduate students in projects ranging from thermal storage prototypes to Nunavik community greenhouses, frequently collaborating with industry partners. Laboratory resources include ÉTS's container farm testbed and thermal systems instrumentation facilities.

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Salam TraboulsiView profile

Researcher

Stuttgart University of Applied SciencesGermany

Dr. Salam Traboulsi is a Researcher at Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences (HFT Stuttgart), affiliated with the Competence Center for Digitalization in Research, Teaching & Economics since 2019. She holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Toulouse, France (2008). Her work bridges technology and urban innovation, with a focus on developing scalable solutions for modern cities. Research Focus: Dr. Traboulsi specializes in: Smart City ecosystems integrating IoT and 5G Precision technologies for urban positioning and navigation Data management frameworks for large-scale sensor networks Open-source IoT platforms for building efficiency and environmental monitoring Cloud and grid computing infrastructures Key Projects: She leads/contributes to: iCity 2: UDigiT4iCity – Developing urban digital twins using IoT building data and 5G sensor networks iCity 1 – Foundational research on intelligent urban infrastructure systems Publication Trends: Her recent work (2020-2024) emphasizes 5G-enabled urban solutions, including fleet management optimization, indoor positioning systems, and IoT analytics for smart buildings. Earlier research (2005-2013) focused on distributed computing, storage virtualization, and information retrieval systems, demonstrating consistent expertise in large-scale data infrastructure. Academic Engagement: She serves as a scientific reviewer for journals and conferences and teaches in the surveying study area at HFT Stuttgart.

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María del Mar García AlcarazView profile

Assistant Professor

Polytechnic University of CartagenaSpain

María del Mar García Alcaraz serves as Assistant Professor at the Polytechnic University of Cartagena's School of Engineering, specializing in hydrogeological systems and sustainable resource management. Her work bridges theoretical research with practical applications in water-scarce regions and urban environments. Her research portfolio demonstrates deep expertise in groundwater dynamics, geothermal energy systems, and GIS-based environmental modeling. Key contributions include pioneering methodologies for ecosystem services assessment in aquifer management, innovative approaches to shallow geothermal resource mapping in metropolitan areas like Buenos Aires, and advanced tools for hydrogeological data analysis. Her interdisciplinary work integrates hydrogeology, environmental science, and engineering principles to address critical challenges in water security and renewable energy. Publication trends reveal consistent focus on sustainable resource management, with increasing emphasis on urban applications since 2020. Her work combines field studies in Argentina and Spain with computational modeling, producing practical frameworks for groundwater-dependent ecosystem conservation and metropolitan-scale geothermal energy planning. Recent publications highlight growing integration of ecosystem services concepts into hydrogeological practice. While no specific awards are documented in the provided text, her extensive publication record in high-impact journals including Hydrology , Renewable Energy , and Science of the Total Environment demonstrates significant scholarly contribution. Her research has generated multiple software tools and methodologies adopted in professional practice, particularly the TI-GER method for geothermal management. Dr. García Alcaraz actively mentors students through thesis supervision and curriculum development initiatives, notably creating relational maps for EICIM degree programs. Her collaborative research spans international institutions, particularly in Argentina, addressing transboundary water challenges. Current projects focus on groundwater recharge mechanisms in irrigated agriculture and thermal impact assessment of urban geothermal systems, positioning her at the forefront of sustainable water-energy nexus research.

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Jacqueline CorbettView profile

Professor

Laval UniversityCanada

Jacqueline Corbett is a Full Professor in the Department of Organizational Information Systems at Laval University's Faculty of Business Administration. With a background that includes fifteen years of professional experience in financial services and information technology before entering academia, she brings practical industry insights to her academic work. Her research and teaching focus on the critical intersection of information systems and sustainability. Professor Corbett's research interests span environmental sustainability (green IS), persuasive systems, smart grid technologies, big data and information waste, smart communities, and increasingly, the integration of Indigenous knowledge systems with information technology for sustainable development. Her work employs both qualitative and quantitative methodologies to examine how technology can support sustainable development at local and global levels. Her recent publications (2023-2025) reveal a strong trend toward interdisciplinary research that connects information systems with environmental sustainability, energy poverty solutions, and Indigenous knowledge systems. She has published in high-impact journals across multiple disciplines including Transportation Research, IEEE publications, and the Communications of the Association for Information Systems. Best Paper in Analytics and Decision Support for Green IS and Sustainability Applications Minitrack at HICSS 2022 Guest editor for JAIS special issue on 'Digital Sustainability and Information Systems Research' Active contributor to The Conversation Canada on sustainability topics Professor Corbett has supervised numerous graduate students and collaborated extensively with researchers across institutions. Her work has practical implications for organizations seeking to implement sustainable information systems and for policymakers developing frameworks for green technology adoption. She is particularly known for her research on how persuasive technologies can influence environmental behaviors and her recent work on integrating Indigenous perspectives into sustainable technology design. Based in Quebec City, Professor Corbett works at Laval University, located on lands at the crossroads of several Indigenous territories. She has been actively engaged in a personal journey of reconciliation, seeking to learn from traditional knowledge systems and build relationships with Indigenous communities to inform her research approach.

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Mikko NykyriView profile

Researcher

Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology LUTFinland

Mikko Nykyri is a Post-doctoral researcher at the Department of Electrical Engineering within the School of Energy Systems at Lappeenranta-Lahti University of Technology (LUT). His research focuses on energy systems with particular emphasis on smart grids, energy communities, and demand response mechanisms. His work bridges theoretical approaches with practical applications in the energy sector, aligning with LUT's strategic focus on energy transition. Dr. Nykyri's research interests center around the intersection of energy systems and digital technologies. He investigates how machine learning, particularly deep reinforcement learning, can optimize energy efficiency in buildings and industrial processes. His work on energy communities explores economic models, blockchain-based settlement systems, and educational approaches through serious games. He also maintains research interests in power electronics, including inverter technologies and semiconductor device characterization. His research demonstrates strong interdisciplinary connections across electrical engineering, computer science, and energy economics. An analysis of Dr. Nykyri's publication history reveals a clear evolution from fundamental power electronics research toward increasingly complex system-level applications. His early work focused on specific technical challenges in power conversion and semiconductor devices, while his recent publications address holistic energy system challenges including community-scale economics, AI-driven optimization, and educational frameworks. This progression reflects the broader energy transition from component-level improvements to integrated system solutions, with particular emphasis on the role of digitalization in enabling new energy paradigms. Dr. Nykyri has established a robust collaborative network, frequently working with researchers including Tommi J. Kärkkäinen, Saku Levikari, and Pertti Silventoinen. His peer review activity for Applied Energy demonstrates his recognized expertise in the field. His research maintains a practical orientation, with multiple studies involving real-world industrial applications and educational demonstrators that bridge academic research with industry implementation needs.

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Victoria WatsonView profile

Senior Lecturer

University of WestminsterUnited Kingdom

Victoria Watson is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Westminster's School of Architecture and the Built Environment, where she directs her own architectural practice, Doctor Watson Architecture. Her career combines professional architectural training with specialized academic research in architectural history and theory. Senior Lecturer at University of Westminster Director of Doctor Watson Architecture practice Founder of AIR Grid research framework Recipient of Rome Scholarship (2010) Author of 'Utopian Adventure: the Corviale Void' (2011) Professor Watson's research centers on the dialectic of imagination and reality in architecture, with particular focus on utopian concepts and their manifestation in built environments. Her work explores Mies van der Rohe's spatial concepts, modern art museums (particularly Tate Modern), and the relationship between architectural models and theoretical inquiry. She has conducted extensive research on the 'gardenisation' of art spaces and Miesian concepts of space and capitalist development. Her recent publications demonstrate a consistent focus on architectural history and theory, with particular emphasis on 20th century modern architecture, museum spaces, and utopian concepts. The AIR Grid research framework has generated numerous publications and installations exploring architectural models, spatial concepts, and theoretical frameworks. Sargant Fellowship (2010) Rome Scholarship (2010) British School at Rome scholarship (2010) Professor Watson actively supervises doctoral students working on diverse topics including climate knowledge production, digital architecture historiography, and technological innovation. Her self-publishing venture allows for rapid dissemination of architectural experiments alongside traditional academic publications. The AIR Grid research group serves as both a methodology and publication platform for exploring architectural models, space, materiality, and color. Her practice, Doctor Watson Architecture, conducts research encompassing architectural models, academic publications, and exhibitions, with a focus on connecting theoretical inquiry with physical design exploration.

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Frank MugaggaView profile

Associate Professor

Makerere UniversityUganda

Frank Mugagga is an Associate Professor of Environmental Geography in the Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Climatic Sciences at Makerere University. He previously served as Head of the Department and currently holds an office in the Centre for Languages and Communication Services Building at Makerere University. Professor Mugagga is an active researcher with over twenty years of experience working on environmental geography, natural resources management, rural development, climate change, and disaster risk management across diverse landscapes in Uganda, with particular focus on the oil-rich Albertine Graben region. Professor Mugagga's research interests span sustainable energy transitions, inclusive urbanization, climate justice, vulnerability analysis and adaptation, resilience building among smallholder farmers, land use cover/change, pedological factors underpinning landslide occurrence, livelihood systems and land degradation, participatory integrated planning for degraded landscape restoration, agricultural policy, soil and water conservation, development-induced displacement within the oil and gas sector, wetland conservation, and urban and peri-urban agriculture. His work emphasizes community engagement and participatory approaches to environmental challenges. His recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on climate change adaptation, disaster risk management, sustainable energy transitions, and food security in urban and rural contexts. These works employ diverse methodologies including participatory planning approaches, spatial analysis, and community-based assessments across various regions of Uganda. Professor Mugagga has supervised numerous Master's and PhD students both locally and internationally, with many of his students focusing on topics related to disaster risk management, land use planning, climate change adaptation, and sustainable development. His supervision extends beyond academic guidance to include community outreach programs and participatory action-oriented trainings aimed at increasing community awareness and action among natural resource-dependent communities. As a dedicated educator, Professor Mugagga teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses covering resources and development, natural resource management, climate change, disaster risk management, and land use planning. He has served as President of the Uganda Geographical Association from 2019 to 2023, further demonstrating his leadership in the field of geography in Uganda.

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