Who is Aadil Latif? - Senior Power Systems Engineer

Early Education and Initial Career

Aadil Latif began his academic journey at the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology, where he earned a BSc in Electronics Engineering. During his time there, he designed a Heliostat for his final year project, a system that automatically positions itself to focus solar light onto a stationary target based on the sun's position. The Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute is known for its strong emphasis on science and technology education in Pakistan.

Following his undergraduate studies, Aadil pursued an MSc in Electronics Engineering (Control Systems) at The University of Sheffield, a prestigious research university in the United Kingdom. His final project involved the modeling and control system design of a brushless AC drive, using Matlab/Simulink and dSpace system for implementation.

Aadil then achieved a significant milestone by completing his Ph.D. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering at the Technische Universität Wien (Vienna University of Technology), one of Europe's most prominent technical universities. His doctoral research focused on optimal resource utilization for improved voltage regulation in distribution networks with high distributed generation penetration.

Professional Career

Aadil's professional career began as a Design Engineer at Data Communication and Control, where he designed and implemented custom hardware/software solutions, including a control system for a gas generator and a PABX system.

He then served as a Site Engineer at UniServe in Lahore, Pakistan, where he was responsible for site supervision, progress reporting, and implementation of engineering designs. His projects included the extension of the Punjab assembly and Lahore College for Women University.

Aadil's expertise in electrical design was further honed at Pakistan Engineering Services Pvt. Ltd., where he worked on the Dasu Hydro Power Plant, a significant 4320MW run-of-river hydro project financed by the World Bank. His responsibilities included preparing technical documents, performing critical calculations, and designing various systems such as earthing, lightning protection, and power distribution.

Advanced Research and Teaching

Aadil's research career advanced at the AIT Austrian Institute of Technology GmbH in Vienna, Austria, where he was a Research Fellow and later a Scientist. He contributed to the EU FP7 ELECTRA and iGreenGrid projects, focusing on voltage control schemes and the impact of distributed energy resources on power systems.

In July 2017, Aadil joined the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado, as a Postdoctoral Fellow. At NREL, he conducted research on power systems modeling and developed tools for enhancing the integration of renewable energy into power systems. His achievements include developing a detailed model for a utility-scale redox flow battery and creating PyDSS, an open-source tool for real-time plotting during OpenDSS simulation runs.

Aadil's role at NREL evolved as he became a Research Engineer and later a Senior Engineer, where he is currently part of the Grid and Energy Modeling (GEM) team. His work involves multiple projects on distributed energy resources (DER) grid integration, distribution network planning, and energy storage testing.

Parallel to his work at NREL, Aadil is also a Lecturer at the University of Colorado Boulder, teaching a graduate-level course on distribution system modeling, design, and operation.

Volunteer Work and Recognition

Aadil has been a dedicated volunteer at JAWAN since 2010, participating in disaster relief efforts and the construction of schools for underprivileged children.

His contributions to the field have been recognized with prestigious awards, including the R&D 100 award in 2019 for the software PRECISE tool and the 2019 Notable Technology Development Award by the Federal Lab Consortium.

Certifications and Skills

Aadil is a Certified Associate of PLC and SCADA, showcasing his technical proficiency in these critical areas of engineering.

Throughout his career, Aadil Latif has demonstrated a commitment to advancing the field of power systems engineering, with a particular focus on renewable energy integration and optimization. His work has had a significant impact on the development of tools and methodologies that improve power system operation and stability.