”It’s the state-of-the-art thing”
Finding ways to make power grids smarter seemed more interesting than a job in industry. But with one foot in ABB and the other in KTH, Ara Bissal gets the best of both worlds. He also dispels the myth that studying for one’s doctorate is dull.
“I get to find cutting-edge solutions and drive the development at KTH while at the same time benefiting from the company culture. I know my target audience and I know the demands out there,” Ara exclaims. His job is unevenly split between four days at Electromagnetic Engineering, School of Electrical Engineering, KTH, and one day at ABB Apparatus and Diagnostics.
Ara and his colleague Jesper Magnusson have just received 1 million SEK in funding to build a lab for KTH that will provide new solutions for smarter power grids. The lab is part of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology initiative aimed at integrating more sustainable energy sources on the grid while at the same time making it more flexible and secure.
The lab will be able to test and simulate ultra-fast actuators for transformers and generators that can interrupt current in no time. But before building the lab Ara has to draw the actuators in 3D, simulate and check if they work. And he also has to build the actuator.
“It’s the state of the art thing, a really cool job. If you want something here it is accessible as KTH is very well funded and promotes good ideas,” Ara says.
To protect costly components such as a power generator it is important to be able to cut the current quickly.
Here is where Jesper comes into the picture. Jesper checks the interruption capabilities; in other words, how fast it can disconnect the currents. It is a hybrid solution that is both electronics and mechanical.
Got priorities straight
Ara got his priorities straight while pursuing his master’s programme in electric power engineering. He didn’t leave anything hanging. He studied a lot. He aimed for straight As.
“I got my As. But it was not easy. Some weeks we had deadlines for several projects at a time. It taught me time management and how to work efficiently. Most of all it taught me life values. Now I know how to manage myself. I gained my independence. I learned how to ask for help. And the professors and PhD students were always around to answer your questions. They still are.”
The professors at the departments have very close contact with industry. This was how Ara was asked to write his master’s thesis with ABB, and later to stay:
“Companies are always here to find solutions. Then you know you can make a difference and implement what you learned.”
Text: Marie Androv
Edited by Brian Owens
