MAP student Kimia Hashemizadeh at ABBY-NET Summer School
This summer, I had the privilege of joining the 10th ABBY-NET Summer School at the University of Calgary’s Barrier Lake Research Station in the breathtaking Kananaskis Valley, Alberta, Canada.
The program brought together young researchers from leading universities in Bavaria and Alberta to explore how E³-Systems, i.e. Environment, Engineering, and Socio-Economics interact in shaping sustainable energy transitions.
It offered a unique platform to learn, exchange ideas, and collaborate across disciplines.
The program combined lectures, workshops, and field excursions. A particular highlight for me was the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) workshop, where we compared the ecological footprint of driving a diesel car versus an electric car. This exercise showed how data-driven analysis can guide decisions on mobility and infrastructure, while also emphasizing the importance of considering environmental impacts across the entire lifecycle.
The field trips added a hands-on dimension to our learning. After bear-safety training, we visited a hydropower plant and environmental monitoring stations in the Kananaskis Valley to see how real-time data is collected and applied.
The second excursion took us to a cement factory to understand its emission challenges, and then into Banff city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where we studied the town’s infrastructure, thermal power plans, sustainable buildings with integrated solar, waste management systems, and a biomass-heating facility.
In the final two days, we worked in interdisciplinary teams of five to develop research proposals based on the E³ concept. My group focused on Banff proposed an energy-transition plan using smart meters with device-level tracking and phone notifications to help households shift demand from peak hours and make smarter energy choices. Presenting our proposal to faculty and peers provided valuable feedback and strengthened my interdisciplinary skills. I would like to thank the MAP office and the Chair of Energy Process Engineering for sponsoring my visit and for supporting me throughout the process.
By MAP student Kimia Hashemizadeh (matriculation group 2023)