GCU researcher named Academic of the Year at KTP Awards
Glasgow Caledonian University’s Dr Firdous Ul Nazir has been named Academic of the Year at the prestigious Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Awards, recognising his outstanding contribution to innovation and collaboration between universities and industry.
The judges praised Dr Nazir’s “passion, leadership and dedication” in driving forward his KTP project with TNEI Services Limited, which is helping to shape a more sustainable and reliable energy future for the UK.
Dr Nazir leads a research team at GCU working with TNEI to develop a new tool that will make it easier to plan and operate electricity networks. The project tackles one of the energy industry’s biggest challenges – how to keep power networks stable and efficient as more renewable energy from wind and solar sources is added to the grid.
As renewable power depends on the weather, it can be less predictable than traditional energy sources. This creates new challenges on the systems to balance supply and demand across the network. The GCU–TNEI team is developing smart software that will help engineers quickly test different “what if” scenarios and spot potential issues before they cause problems.
“The benefits of this tool are substantial,” said Dr Nazir. “By pinpointing where upgrades are needed and helping to design networks that can handle more renewable power, we can cut unnecessary costs and ultimately help reduce energy bills for consumers.”
The new software tool will give network operators faster and clearer insights into how the electricity system is performing, allowing them to make smarter investment and planning decisions. In doing so, it will support the move toward a greener, more efficient and cost-effective energy network.
The project is funded by Innovate UK, with additional support from TNEI, and is expected to deliver practical results within the next few years. Dr Nazir is leading the GCU team alongside Dr Ahmed Aboushady, with TNEI experts providing valuable industry experience.
Reflecting on the award, Dr Nazir said the recognition highlights the strength of the partnership and its impact. “This award is a tremendous honour − not just for me, but for everyone involved in this collaboration. It shows what can be achieved when universities and industry work together to tackle the big challenges facing our energy future.”