Information session | Zema Energy Studies Scholarship
What does it take to lead the energy transition?
The global economy is undergoing an unprecedented transition towards decarbonisation, and the energy sector is a foundational enabler of this future. Monash University and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) are collaborating to identify and solve some of the critical technical challenges in achieving energy systems that can operate at up to 100% instantaneous renewable generation.
The Zema Energy Studies Scholarship has been established to honour the memory of AEMO’s founding Chief Executive Officer, energy reform leader and Monash alumnus Matt Zema, and is designed to support the next generation of leaders to meet Australia’s energy sector challenges. It was created with the support of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Energy Council and in partnership with Monash University.
Associate Professor Guillaume Roger (Centre for Global Business, Monash University), Professor Ariel Liebman (Director, Monash Energy Institute) and Mr Lakshan Bernard (Zema Energy Scholarship recipient, 3rd year) will talk about our transforming energy sector and how pursuing industry PhDs like the Zema Energy Studies Scholarship can fast-track your career in energy. Athena Bangara (Senior Manager, Research, Graduate Research and Engagement, Faculty of Information Technology) will speak about the scholarship application process.
Dr Jenny Reisz, Principal Operational Analysis (AEMO), will discuss the opportunities that having a PhD offers, as well as some of the key energy challenges currently facing the market operator.
Dr Roger Dargaville, Deputy Director of the Monash Energy Institute will host the event.
For more information about the scholarships and application details:
- About the Zema Energy Studies scholarship, potential research areas and how to apply
- Information on Monash scholarships available is listed here
- Find a Monash Energy Institute researcher
- English Language requirements are listed here. IELTS results should be submitted with your application before the closing date.
Watch the video
Meet the host
Dr Roger Dargaville
Deputy Director, Monash Energy Institute
Director of Sustainability (Engineering)
Roger is an expert in energy systems and climate change. He specialises in large-scale electrical energy system transition optimisation, searching for optimised mixes of renewable and conventional generation technologies, transmission networks and storage systems. As well as established storage technologies such as pumped hydro and lithium-ion batteries, Roger researches the viability of novel energy storage technologies such as seawater pumped hydro and liquid air energy storage. He has conducted research in: global carbon cycle science, tracing the emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel and the exchanges between the atmosphere, land and oceans, as well as stratospheric ozone depletion.
Meet the speakers
Associate Professor Guillaume Roger
Associate Professor, Centre for Global Business
Co-Director, Grid Innovation Hub
Guillaume works on incentive theory, specifically on contract theory, incentive regulation and market design. His current work centres on the economics of storage integration in the NEM and on dynamic contracting. He has written publications in economic journals such as the Journal of Mathematical Economics and in AEJ: Microeconomics, in Games and Economic Behaviour and in Economic Theory, in Mathematics and Financial Economics, among others. He has received grants including the Australian Research Council Discovery Project Grant, Centre for International Finance and Regulation Grant, and Group of 8-DAAD Research Grant.
Professor Ariel Liebman
Director, Monash Energy Institute
Professor (Sustainable Energy Systems), Department of Data Science and AI
Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University
Ariel is Director of the Monash Energy Institute and also leads the university’s Smart Energy System’s research program. Ariel leads Monash's electricity grid related Digital Energy initiatives. He brings together researchers from across disciplines such as AI and Electrical Engineering. From 2020 onwards, Ariel has been Director of the Monash Energy Institute and the Strategic Adviser in the Reliable Affordable Clean Energy (RACE) for 2030 CRC (RACE for 2030). Ariel is an energy specialist with more than 25 years’ experience, including NEM price forecasting, investment planning, electricity network monopoly regulation, and energy portfolio risk management. Ariel is co-architect of the Microgrid/Net Zero Initiative and lead researcher in the $3 mil ARENA funded Smart Energy City. The Clayton campus infrastructure includes over 3MW of solar panels, 20 buildings, electric vehicle charging stations and a 1MWh Vanadium Redox Flow battery. Ariel’s own research group’s focus is on the development and use of next generation AI decision support tools for Integrated System Planning for national scale grids with near 100% renewables and storage as well as and planning and operation of DER rich distribution grids. Ariel previously led the Australia Indonesia Centre Energy Cluster and recently led a project in collaboration with Indonesian and European NGO’s showing that a shift to renewables can cost Indonesia no more than their current coal based plans while reaching 50% renewables by 2030.
Dr Jenny Riesz
Principal Operational Analysis, Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO)
Dr Jenny Riesz leads AEMO’s work program on the operational integration of distributed energy resources. Prior to this, she was a Research Associate at UNSW, doing research on 100% renewable power systems, and she worked as a consultant at ROAM Consulting, delivering analysis on renewable integration.
Mr Lakshan Bernard
Zema Energy Studies Scholar
3rd year, PhD Candidate, Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering, Monash University
Lakshan received the BE (Hons) degree in Electrical and Computer System Engineering from Monash University, Australia in 2019. Currently, he is working towards a PhD degree in electrical engineering at Monash University and is being supervised by Dr Reza Razzaghi and Professor Rob Hyndman. The PhD is sponsored through the Zema Scholarship Fund by the Australian Energy Market Operator and the goal of Lakshan's project is to use statistical tools to gain insights into modern power systems. His research interests include applied statistical tools and situational awareness in power networks and synchrophasor networks.
Dr Athena Bangara
Senior Manager Research, Graduate Research and Engagement, Faculty of Information Technology
Athena is the Senior Manager of Research, Graduate Research and Engagement in the Faculty of Information Technology and has been working in the Graduate Research space at Monash University for 6 years. Athena works with her team to enable excellence in graduate research, supports academics and students in every stage of the research life-cycle and collaborates with industry to create a diverse range of partnerships for Monash Information Technology.
Event Details
- Date:
- 4 October 2022 at 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
- Cost:
- Free
Description
What does it take to lead the energy transition?
The global economy is undergoing an unprecedented transition towards decarbonisation, and the energy sector is a foundational enabler of this future. Monash University and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) are collaborating to identify and solve some of the critical technical challenges in achieving energy systems that can operate at up to 100% instantaneous renewable generation.
The Zema Energy Studies Scholarship has been established to honour the memory of AEMO’s founding Chief Executive Officer, energy reform leader and Monash alumnus Matt Zema, and is designed to support the next generation of leaders to meet Australia’s energy sector challenges. It was created with the support of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Energy Council and in partnership with Monash University.
Associate Professor Guillaume Roger (Centre for Global Business, Monash University), Professor Ariel Liebman (Director, Monash Energy Institute) and Mr Lakshan Bernard (Zema Energy Scholarship recipient, 3rd year) will talk about our transforming energy sector and how pursuing industry PhDs like the Zema Energy Studies Scholarship can fast-track your career in energy. Athena Bangara (Senior Manager, Research, Graduate Research and Engagement, Faculty of Information Technology) will speak about the scholarship application process.
Dr Jenny Reisz, Principal Operational Analysis (AEMO), will discuss the opportunities that having a PhD offers, as well as some of the key energy challenges currently facing the market operator.
Dr Roger Dargaville, Deputy Director of the Monash Energy Institute will host the event.
For more information about the scholarships and application details:
- About the Zema Energy Studies scholarship, potential research areas and how to apply
- Information on Monash scholarships available is listed here
- Find a Monash Energy Institute researcher
- English Language requirements are listed here. IELTS results should be submitted with your application before the closing date.
Watch the video
Meet the host
Dr Roger Dargaville
Deputy Director, Monash Energy Institute
Director of Sustainability (Engineering)
Roger is an expert in energy systems and climate change. He specialises in large-scale electrical energy system transition optimisation, searching for optimised mixes of renewable and conventional generation technologies, transmission networks and storage systems. As well as established storage technologies such as pumped hydro and lithium-ion batteries, Roger researches the viability of novel energy storage technologies such as seawater pumped hydro and liquid air energy storage. He has conducted research in: global carbon cycle science, tracing the emissions of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel and the exchanges between the atmosphere, land and oceans, as well as stratospheric ozone depletion.
Meet the speakers
Associate Professor Guillaume Roger
Associate Professor, Centre for Global Business
Co-Director, Grid Innovation Hub
Guillaume works on incentive theory, specifically on contract theory, incentive regulation and market design. His current work centres on the economics of storage integration in the NEM and on dynamic contracting. He has written publications in economic journals such as the Journal of Mathematical Economics and in AEJ: Microeconomics, in Games and Economic Behaviour and in Economic Theory, in Mathematics and Financial Economics, among others. He has received grants including the Australian Research Council Discovery Project Grant, Centre for International Finance and Regulation Grant, and Group of 8-DAAD Research Grant.
Professor Ariel Liebman
Director, Monash Energy Institute
Professor (Sustainable Energy Systems), Department of Data Science and AI
Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University
Ariel is Director of the Monash Energy Institute and also leads the university’s Smart Energy System’s research program. Ariel leads Monash's electricity grid related Digital Energy initiatives. He brings together researchers from across disciplines such as AI and Electrical Engineering. From 2020 onwards, Ariel has been Director of the Monash Energy Institute and the Strategic Adviser in the Reliable Affordable Clean Energy (RACE) for 2030 CRC (RACE for 2030). Ariel is an energy specialist with more than 25 years’ experience, including NEM price forecasting, investment planning, electricity network monopoly regulation, and energy portfolio risk management. Ariel is co-architect of the Microgrid/Net Zero Initiative and lead researcher in the $3 mil ARENA funded Smart Energy City. The Clayton campus infrastructure includes over 3MW of solar panels, 20 buildings, electric vehicle charging stations and a 1MWh Vanadium Redox Flow battery. Ariel’s own research group’s focus is on the development and use of next generation AI decision support tools for Integrated System Planning for national scale grids with near 100% renewables and storage as well as and planning and operation of DER rich distribution grids. Ariel previously led the Australia Indonesia Centre Energy Cluster and recently led a project in collaboration with Indonesian and European NGO’s showing that a shift to renewables can cost Indonesia no more than their current coal based plans while reaching 50% renewables by 2030.
Dr Jenny Riesz
Principal Operational Analysis, Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO)
Dr Jenny Riesz leads AEMO’s work program on the operational integration of distributed energy resources. Prior to this, she was a Research Associate at UNSW, doing research on 100% renewable power systems, and she worked as a consultant at ROAM Consulting, delivering analysis on renewable integration.
Mr Lakshan Bernard
Zema Energy Studies Scholar
3rd year, PhD Candidate, Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering, Monash University
Lakshan received the BE (Hons) degree in Electrical and Computer System Engineering from Monash University, Australia in 2019. Currently, he is working towards a PhD degree in electrical engineering at Monash University and is being supervised by Dr Reza Razzaghi and Professor Rob Hyndman. The PhD is sponsored through the Zema Scholarship Fund by the Australian Energy Market Operator and the goal of Lakshan's project is to use statistical tools to gain insights into modern power systems. His research interests include applied statistical tools and situational awareness in power networks and synchrophasor networks.
Dr Athena Bangara
Senior Manager Research, Graduate Research and Engagement, Faculty of Information Technology
Athena is the Senior Manager of Research, Graduate Research and Engagement in the Faculty of Information Technology and has been working in the Graduate Research space at Monash University for 6 years. Athena works with her team to enable excellence in graduate research, supports academics and students in every stage of the research life-cycle and collaborates with industry to create a diverse range of partnerships for Monash Information Technology.
Event Contact
- Name
- energy-institute@monash.edu
- Phone
- Organisation