12/26/2022 Teaching, research,

and service
philosophy
Personal Statement

Dr. Abdul Basit

Teaching, research, and service
philosophy
I have received my B.Sc. degree in electrical engineering from University of Engineering
& Technology (UET), Peshawar, Pakistan in 2006. After my graduation, I started my career
as a field engineer but then move towards the higher education. I started my M.Sc.
degree in electrical power engineering from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden
where I studied twelve courses in the field of electrical power systems and completed my
research in 2011 on the topic of “Investigation impact of the Overhead Line Length on the
Reactive Power Support from Type IV Wind Turbine”. After my MS I acquired funding for my PhD
from the Department of Wind Energy of the Technical University of Denmark (DTU) in 2015.
My PhD research was on ‘Wind Power Plant System Services’ where I have developed
and analysed the control strategies which can increase the Wind Power Plants (WPPs)
capability to provide system services, such as active power balancing control, in a
modern power system with large scale integration wind power. The PhD study proposes
a novel and practical approach of integrating the WPPs control into the AGC. This is
based on a coordinated control strategy between CHPs and WPPs that improves the
active power balance in the power system with minimum secondary dispatch cost.
Moreover, the study also analysed the case where secondary control is provided from
WPPs and flexible consumption units. The main results of my PhD research work show that
the WPPs can actively contribute to power balance control through primary and
secondary response. The integration of WPPs control into the AGC is of high relevance,
particularly in situations when wind power is contributing highly to the total electricity
production and conventional power plants are operating on the minimum level. The grid
support services from WPPs improve the active power balance control and make power
system operation more reliable.
After my PhD, I started my career in academia. I joined Pakistan Centre for Advanced
Studies in Energy (PCASE-E) of the University of Engineering & Technology (UET) Peshawar,
USAID funded project, as an Assistant professor. My major responsibilities during the last
seven years were:
 Leading Research and Academic activities in Electrical Energy Program
 Advanced research on indigenous problems of electricity sector in Pakistan
 Leading liaison with USAID, local and international stakeholders and universities in
research and academic activities focusing on Planning & Operations of Electrical
Power Systems and Renewable Energy integration.
 Preparing Research and Technical Project Proposals in collaboration with national
and international partners.
 Initiated Master and PhD program for Electrical Energy System Engineering
I have been teaching the courses on graduate and post graduate level. The major
courses that I am teaching are Power System Operations and Planning, Power System
Stability, Power System Protection, Renewable power integration, Distributed Generation
and Electrical Power Distribution. My research interests are on the power systems
operation, integration of wind power into power systems, automatic generation control
and wind power plant control. I have so far supervised more than 70 graduate students
and supervised two PhD students. I have also acquired funding for fifteen research
projects from national and international agencies.

Teaching Philosophy
I feel joyous in helping to unlock the potential of students, empowering them to take
control of their lives. My aim as a teacher is to nurture in each student a desire to learn,
a desire to improve on weaknesses, and a desire to succeed. These conducts will make
them successful students and will allow them to succeed throughout their lives. When I
started my career at Center for Advanced studies in Energy UET Peshawar, we were merit
and need scholarships to the deserving and talented students. It was great opportunity
to interact with talented students but struggling financially. Through perseverance,
encouragement, and the proper guidance, many of these students graduated and
became productive electrical engineers in industry. There is nothing more rewarding for
a teacher than helping improve the life of a student through education.
Students learn more from teachers' actions than from their words. My obligation as a
teacher is to instill, through my deeds, the importance of organization, preparation,
respect for other people, professional ethics, problem solving skills, and most importantly,
an enjoyment of life. Most learning is done outside the classroom through homework,
projects and studying. As such, a great teacher is more of a facilitator of learning than a
lecturer. An effective teacher does not drill facts, but instead ignites a student's desire to
learn. A teacher can only introduce a perspective and then attempt to guide students
through difficult concepts. Through enthusiasm, encouragement, and placing
knowledge in a context where relevance is apparent, a teacher inspires students to work
hard on outside assignments. Then, and only then, will students become independent
thinkers on course content.
As a teacher, I recognize the importance of creating a learning environment where
students feel safe to contribute, comfortable to criticize, and self-confident enough to
ask questions. Every class has a separate personality. It is my duty to create a balance
between course content and the interests, needs and capabilities of students. Syllabi,
indeed, provide a structure for a course, but they should not be too rigid as to inhibit the
creativity of a class. When students participate in the creation of a course, they obtain a
sense of belonging and are easily encouraged in all aspects of participation. My class
lectures always incorporate open questions, forcing students to share their
interpretations, impressions, and relevance to work experiences. Discussions sway back
and forth from teacher to students, often in 10-20 minute shifts. Perhaps by giving clues,
although sometimes by giving complete answers, I attempt to guide students through
important technical concepts. The hope is that they will discover for themselves
fundamental technical principles.
Excellent teaching attracts and involves students. Simple ways I attempt to achieve this
is through the use of laboratory demonstrations, multimedia animations, videotapes and
enthusiasm. Motivation can be achieved through experiential learning and trying to instill
a sense of impact on technical results. To achieve this sense of impact, I regularly center
my courses around group design projects. Team design projects provide opportunities for
students to relate their work experience to course material. They create relevance and
a sense of importance for abstract theory. They challenge students in problem solving,
interpersonal relationships, and determining connections between different course
topics. Also as a teacher, I am not afraid to learn from students. Together with my
students, I grow and learn in each class that I teach. This is invigorating and challenging,
but most importantly, provides me immense satisfaction. Summarizing my personal
teaching philosophy;
 Treating all students with absolute equality, regardless of age, gender,
nationality, intellectual ability or personal attractiveness.
 Making it clear that I am always available outside the lecture hours.
 Try to understand the student's point of view however erroneous before
attempting to give them my own. This means that when I do teach I can choose
a conceptual path that leads from the students current understanding to a
broader or more conventional one. The students in my classes know this and ask
me for help in their other subjects.
 I try to set a good professional example in written solutions and in conversation,
by always referring everything back to the standards of the engineering industry,
where a single error could lead to tremendous expense or even loss of life.

Research Philosophy
Talking about the research philosophy, I have a firm believe that
 research is and will continue to be an important part of my academic
experience and career goals as it enhances my teaching/learning experience,
broadens my personal knowledge, dispels my misconceptions, and empowers
me to deal with complex issues.
 research can help to forge and advance much-needed connections between
myself, my students, peer practitioners and employers in both the public and
private sectors.
  conducting scientific research is critical to improving and advancing the
practices of the institution for which I work/will work.
 research is what will help me achieve excellence in twenty-first-century
teaching.

During my PhD I was working on Danish power system goal of achieving large scale
integration of WPPs, i.e. enabling the WPPs to provide system services same as
conventional power plants. I was working in collaboration with Danish Transmission system
operators to complete my research. Following my PhD, when I returned to Pakistan I
started research on indigenous problems. I have availed number of funding from national
and international donor agencies and collaborating with industries and foreign faculty.
The research projects that I have availed so far are:
1. “Substation power transformer risk management: Data Driven Predictive
Maintenance”, Project Funded by Higher Education Commission of Worth 6.78
Million PKR under National Research Program for Universities (NRPU)
2. “Design and development of a grid connected hybrid solar inverter (5 kW)”,
Project Funded by Higher Education Commission of Worth 5.88 Million PKR under
National Research Program for Universities (NRPU)
3. "Investigating factors affecting socio-technical integration of Micro-Hydro Power
projects in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan", Joint research project between
University of Cambridge and UET Peshawar with project worth of 6700 GBP, 2021
4. “Clean cooking and electricity through E-Stove in Pakistan”, Joint research project
between Keele University, UK, University of the Punjab and UET Peshawar funded
by British Council of worth 6300 GBP, 2021
5. “Condition Monitoring and Predictive Maintenance of Fighter Aircraft Hydraulic
System Using Machine Learning Algorithms”, Project Funded by Higher Education
Commission of Worth 13.228 Million PKR under third call of Technology
Development Fund
6. “UNIDO Energy Management System Implementation in KP and Baluchistan
provinces of Pakistan”, Project Funded by UNIDO of worth 50,000 USD, 2019
7. “Design and development of dynamic Power Factor correction controller”, Project
Funded by Higher Education Commission of Worth 8.0 Million PKR (Technology
Development Fund)
8. “Transformer Predictive maintenance”, Joint Research Project between UET,
Heavy Electrical Complex (HEC) and Arizona State University (ASU) funded by
USAID of worth 7.0 Million PKR
9. “Hybrid Energy Test bed for Remote Communities”, Joint Research Project
between UET and Arizona State University (ASU) funded by USAID of worth 7.0
Million PKR
10. “Condition monitoring of Aircraft systems for fuel efficiency” Project funded by
Avionics and Design Department Kamra (5 Million PKR)
11. “Smart Control and Communication device for Transformers” Project funded by
USAID working in collaboration with Heavy Electrical Complex Taxila of worth 3.0
Million PKR
12. “Social and Hydrological Research to Improve Impact of Distributed Energy on
Sustainable Development and Poverty Alleviation in KPK” Joint Research Project
 between UET, Arizona State University (ASU) and OSU funded by USAID of worth 7.0
Million PKR
13. “Design and implementation of robust control for power generator and its
integration with battery backed up inverters (renewable energies)” Project
funded by USAID of worth 3.0 Million PKR
14. “Power factor correction for domestic and small industrial consumers in Pakistan”,
Project funded by Directorate of Science & Technology (DOST) KPK of worth 3.0
Million PKR
15. “Electronic Load Controller for Micro Hydro Power Plants”, Project funded by USAID
of worth 3.0 Million PKR
The research work shows my aptitude of working on multidisciplinary areas. Moreover, I
have continued to supervise my graduate students. During the last seven years I have
supervised more than seventy MS students and two PhD students. I will continue to
research in the areas that are relevant to the country where I am working.

Service Philosophy
Higher-education teacher has a particular responsibility to provide scholarly service to
the department/institution. I am working for the betterment of Electrical Power
Engineering program which I have been looking after for more than seven years. I have
initiated MS and PhD programs in Electrical Energy System Engineering and developed
the curriculum along with our international partner university, i.e. Arizona State University.
The objective to formulate the curriculum was to address the local needs and enlighten
with global best practices. I have been working as a member of Board of studies and
board of faculty that the objective was to improve the curriculum standards. Now I am
also working on undergraduate courses in aligning the curriculum according to
Washington accord. I am also work as postgraduate advisor, where my roles are to:
 Providing guidance to students on rules and regulations of the Master's and PhD
Degree program.
 Providing guidance to students on selection of research projects.
 Organizing field trips
 Promoting links with industries and other outside organizations
 Promoting faculty research.
 Supervising reference library in the department
 Organizing extension lectures, seminars, workshops and training courses in the
departments