Electronics and Electrical Engineering

http://www.optical-communications.eng.ed.ac.uk/

Wasiu O. Popoola is a Professor of Communications Engineering and the current Director of Electronics and Electrical Engineering. From 2019-2024, he was a Deputy Director of Learning and Teaching leading the School's initiatives on Widening Participation & Outreach. In 2022, he was awarded RAEng/Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship for his work on ‘ethical LiFi’ research.  He has published over 200 journal articles, conference papers, patent and several invited articles. He also co-authored the acclaimed book ‘Optical Wireless Communications: System and Channel Modeling with MATLAB’ and many other book chapters. His primary research interests are digital and optical communications, including VLC/LiFi, FSO, and fiber communications. One of his journal articles ranked No. 2 in terms of the number of full text downloads within IEEE Xplore, in 2008, from the hundreds of articles published by IET Optoelectronics, since 1980. Another article he co-authored with one of his Ph.D. students received the Best Poster Award at the 2016 IEEE ICSAE Conference. Popoola is a science communicator appearing in science festivals and on “BBC Radio 5live Science” programme in Oct. 2017.  He is an Associate Editor of the IEEE Access Journal, a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering Technology (FIET), a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)  and a Senior Member of IEEE . He was an invited speaker at various events including the IET Lunch and Learn Lecture 2024, Rank Prize Symposium 2024, IEEE Photonics Society Summer Topicals 2016 among others.

• BSc (First Class Hons), MSc (Distinction), PhD

• Fellow Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
• Fellow IET (FIET)
• Senior Member IEEE
• Member IEEE Photonic Society

• Wireless Communication systems
• Optical Fibre Communications
• Free-Space Optical Communications
• Visible Light Communications

http://www.optical-communications.eng.ed.ac.uk/

Wasiu O. Popoola is a Professor of Communications Engineering and the current Director of Electronics and Electrical Engineering. From 2019-2024, he was a Deputy Director of Learning and Teaching leading the School's initiatives on Widening Participation & Outreach. In 2022, he was awarded RAEng/Leverhulme Trust Research Fellowship for his work on ‘ethical LiFi’ research.  He has published over 200 journal articles, conference papers, patent and several invited articles. He also co-authored the acclaimed book ‘Optical Wireless Communications: System and Channel Modeling with MATLAB’ and many other book chapters. His primary research interests are digital and optical communications, including VLC/LiFi, FSO, and fiber communications. One of his journal articles ranked No. 2 in terms of the number of full text downloads within IEEE Xplore, in 2008, from the hundreds of articles published by IET Optoelectronics, since 1980. Another article he co-authored with one of his Ph.D. students received the Best Poster Award at the 2016 IEEE ICSAE Conference. Popoola is a science communicator appearing in science festivals and on “BBC Radio 5live Science” programme in Oct. 2017.  He is an Associate Editor of the IEEE Access Journal, a Fellow of the Institute of Engineering Technology (FIET), a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA)  and a Senior Member of IEEE . He was an invited speaker at various events including the IET Lunch and Learn Lecture 2024, Rank Prize Symposium 2024, IEEE Photonics Society Summer Topicals 2016 among others.

• BSc (First Class Hons), MSc (Distinction), PhD

• Fellow Higher Education Academy (FHEA)
• Fellow IET (FIET)
• Senior Member IEEE
• Member IEEE Photonic Society

• Wireless Communication systems
• Optical Fibre Communications
• Free-Space Optical Communications
• Visible Light Communications

I was appointed as Head of the School of Engineering, and Professor of Tomographic Imaging, at the University of Edinburgh in 2013.

Having studied Physics as an undergraduate and PhD student at the University of Glasgow, I spent six and a half years working as a post-doctoral researcher in High Energy Particle Physics at Glasgow, Manchester, CERN (Geneva) and DESY (Hamburg).

In my ten years in R&D at the Royal Dutch/Shell Group, I worked in combustion and explosion hazards and lubricant formulation, and was the founding Group Leader of the specialist Engine Measurement group.

I was appointed Professor of Industrial Tomography at UMIST (later to become the University of Manchester) in 1996, becoming Head of Electrical & Electronic Engineering (1999-2002).

I chaired the UK Professors & Heads of Electrical Engineering (2003-2005).

For 3 years (2010-2013), I was Associate Dean (Research) in the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Manchester.

I was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2009.

I have taught most undergraduate year-groups, in measurements, errors, instrumentation electronics and a.c. circuit theory.

My research since 1996 has extended industrial tomography to provide specific chemical contrast in operating engineering plant, and developed electrical impedance tomography for medical applications, collaborating intensively with users in both academia and industry. Today, these topics continue to be my main research interests in Edinburgh, as part of the Agile Tomography research group within the Institute for Digital Communications.

• 1976 Bachelor of Science, 1st, University of Glasgow
• 1980 Doctor of Philosophy, PhD, University of Glasgow

• 1987 Chartered Physicist, CPhys
• 2000 Chartered Engineer, CEng
• 2009 Fellow of Royal Academy of Engineering, FREng

• Industrial Tomography
• Electrical Impedance Tomography

I was appointed as Head of the School of Engineering, and Professor of Tomographic Imaging, at the University of Edinburgh in 2013.

Having studied Physics as an undergraduate and PhD student at the University of Glasgow, I spent six and a half years working as a post-doctoral researcher in High Energy Particle Physics at Glasgow, Manchester, CERN (Geneva) and DESY (Hamburg).

In my ten years in R&D at the Royal Dutch/Shell Group, I worked in combustion and explosion hazards and lubricant formulation, and was the founding Group Leader of the specialist Engine Measurement group.

I was appointed Professor of Industrial Tomography at UMIST (later to become the University of Manchester) in 1996, becoming Head of Electrical & Electronic Engineering (1999-2002).

I chaired the UK Professors & Heads of Electrical Engineering (2003-2005).

For 3 years (2010-2013), I was Associate Dean (Research) in the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at Manchester.

I was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 2009.

I have taught most undergraduate year-groups, in measurements, errors, instrumentation electronics and a.c. circuit theory.

My research since 1996 has extended industrial tomography to provide specific chemical contrast in operating engineering plant, and developed electrical impedance tomography for medical applications, collaborating intensively with users in both academia and industry. Today, these topics continue to be my main research interests in Edinburgh, as part of the Agile Tomography research group within the Institute for Digital Communications.

• 1976 Bachelor of Science, 1st, University of Glasgow
• 1980 Doctor of Philosophy, PhD, University of Glasgow

• 1987 Chartered Physicist, CPhys
• 2000 Chartered Engineer, CEng
• 2009 Fellow of Royal Academy of Engineering, FREng

• Industrial Tomography
• Electrical Impedance Tomography

I am an Elizabeth Georgeson research fellow in Data and Digitalisation for Net Zero.

As a sustainable energy engineer and researcher, my ambition is to bridge the gap between academic research and implementation in the industry to accelerate the decarbonisation of energy systems. My research involves the use of data-driven and digital smart grid solutions and state-of-the-art technologies such as digital twin modelling, smart contracting, and AI as well as niche market mechanisms including smart local energy markets and flexibility trading.

Prior to my fellowship, I worked on the EPSRC DISPATCH Project towards multi-vector net zero heating and cooling solutions. I hold an award-winning Master of Engineering degree and a PhD from the School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh. Recently, I won the Scottish Renewables Young Professionals Green Energy Award for my PhD project on bottom-up decarbonisation of smart local energy systems.

• Master of Engineering (Hons), Engineering in Sustainable Energy, University of Edinburgh, 2018
• PhD in Engineering, Impact of Peer-to-Peer Trading and Flexibility on Local Energy Systems, 2022 - link

• Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)
• Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)
• Affiliate Member of the Energy Institute (EI)
• Member of Women's Engineering Society (WES)
• STEM Ambassador for East Scotland

Teaching Assistant:

• Energy and Environmental Economics
• Control & Instrumentation Engineering 3
• Power Systems & Machines 3

Project Supervision/Co-Supervision:

• MSc Sustainable Energy Systems
• MSc Electrical Power Engineering

• List of publications on Google Scholar

I am an Elizabeth Georgeson research fellow in Data and Digitalisation for Net Zero.

As a sustainable energy engineer and researcher, my ambition is to bridge the gap between academic research and implementation in the industry to accelerate the decarbonisation of energy systems. My research involves the use of data-driven and digital smart grid solutions and state-of-the-art technologies such as digital twin modelling, smart contracting, and AI as well as niche market mechanisms including smart local energy markets and flexibility trading.

Prior to my fellowship, I worked on the EPSRC DISPATCH Project towards multi-vector net zero heating and cooling solutions. I hold an award-winning Master of Engineering degree and a PhD from the School of Engineering, University of Edinburgh. Recently, I won the Scottish Renewables Young Professionals Green Energy Award for my PhD project on bottom-up decarbonisation of smart local energy systems.

• Master of Engineering (Hons), Engineering in Sustainable Energy, University of Edinburgh, 2018
• PhD in Engineering, Impact of Peer-to-Peer Trading and Flexibility on Local Energy Systems, 2022 - link

• Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE)
• Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET)
• Affiliate Member of the Energy Institute (EI)
• Member of Women's Engineering Society (WES)
• STEM Ambassador for East Scotland

Teaching Assistant:

• Energy and Environmental Economics
• Control & Instrumentation Engineering 3
• Power Systems & Machines 3

Project Supervision/Co-Supervision:

• MSc Sustainable Energy Systems
• MSc Electrical Power Engineering

• List of publications on Google Scholar

I completed my PhD in 2016 under the supervision of Prof. Tim Green in the Control & Power research group, Imperial College London, with a thesis titled 'Power Converter Design for HVDC Applications', for which I was awarded the departmental Eryl Cadwaladr Davies Prize for best doctoral thesis submitted in the academic year.

I have 28 published research papers (12 of which in IEEE Journals, 1 in an IET Journal, and three of which are co-authored with industry partners) on various topics relating to HVDC converters, such as optimised design of modular converter topologies, design of modular converters to enable short-term dynamic overload capabilities, power-loss and thermal modelling of semiconductor devices, hybrid converter topologies using mixed semiconductor technologies (IGBT and thyristor), and the design of converters with integrated energy storage. My paper to the 2018 IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery HVDC special issue was awarded the best paper award for the issue and also included as one of three papers on the journals 'papers received favourable reviews' list that year.

PhD - Electrical Engineering - Imperial College London - 2016

BEng (Hons) First Class - Electrical Engineering - University College Dublin - 2012

Member of IEEE and CIGRE

• Power Engineering 2 (2nd Year Module)
• Power Engineering Fundamentals (MSc Level Module)
• Advanced Power Electronics & Machines (MSc Level Module)
• Electrical Power Engineering Laboratory (MSc Level Module)

I completed my PhD in 2016 under the supervision of Prof. Tim Green in the Control & Power research group, Imperial College London, with a thesis titled 'Power Converter Design for HVDC Applications', for which I was awarded the departmental Eryl Cadwaladr Davies Prize for best doctoral thesis submitted in the academic year.

I have 28 published research papers (12 of which in IEEE Journals, 1 in an IET Journal, and three of which are co-authored with industry partners) on various topics relating to HVDC converters, such as optimised design of modular converter topologies, design of modular converters to enable short-term dynamic overload capabilities, power-loss and thermal modelling of semiconductor devices, hybrid converter topologies using mixed semiconductor technologies (IGBT and thyristor), and the design of converters with integrated energy storage. My paper to the 2018 IEEE Transactions on Power Delivery HVDC special issue was awarded the best paper award for the issue and also included as one of three papers on the journals 'papers received favourable reviews' list that year.

PhD - Electrical Engineering - Imperial College London - 2016

BEng (Hons) First Class - Electrical Engineering - University College Dublin - 2012

Member of IEEE and CIGRE

• Power Engineering 2 (2nd Year Module)
• Power Engineering Fundamentals (MSc Level Module)
• Advanced Power Electronics & Machines (MSc Level Module)
• Electrical Power Engineering Laboratory (MSc Level Module)