Today we hear from Mohamed Bahlou, who was recently promoted to Senior Researcher and research lead of the CoSTORE project.
What is your current role (and research focus)?
I am a senior researcher and research lead of the CoSTORE project. Within my new role, I am coordinating an interdisciplinary research team to deliver high-quality and high-impact research outputs for CoSTORE and other led-industry projects.
With my colleagues in the IERC and Intelligent grid research group, I am also contributing to other projects related to the smart grid. Our objectives are to support and develop disruptive solutions that accelerate progress toward net-zero greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland by 2050, and to pave the way toward a seamless green transition for the Irish and European energy sectors.
What path led you here?
I joined IERC in March 2017, as a researcher in control and system engineering. My first role was to develop energy management solutions for energy storage systems, particularly for the IMPRESS project. The first period was a bit challenging, as I learned about storage systems and their applications in the low and medium-voltage grid network. However, this was a big opportunity for me to discover a new field, gain new skills and develop a better understanding of the Irish energy sector.
With thanks to the support from my line manager and IERC team, I then took more responsibility in leading work packages for different industry-led projects. During this period I developed better communication and management skills, learnt more about possible funding schemes and how to submit successful proposals. Now, I'm research lead of the CoSTORE project.
Did you have a role model who influenced your career choice?
I was fortunate to be raised in an environment that gave a lot of importance to knowledge, science and education. My grandfather encouraged me to learn and pursue higher education and contribute to humanity's development. He also encouraged me to travel to help to develop new skills and knowledge; he is my role model. He taught me how to be patient and work hard toward achieving my objectives and taught me to develop self-confidence and awareness at a very young age.
How has working at Tyndall enabled you to fulfil your potential?
Tyndall is a centre of excellence and this is a result of the staff who are working here. The daily contact with world-class researchers enabled me to exchange opinions, get new skills and develop new ideas. The multidisciplinary nature of IERC is a great place to learn more about diversity.
Tyndall is also a main connecting point between industry and academia, which provides a unique opportunity to have the freedom to develop and pursue my own ideas, while being in direct contact with the industry to push new ideas toward real-life applications, resulting in a high impact research output.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Don't be afraid or shy to ask questions that can help define what you want to do and how you can achieve your objectives. Don't be afraid to take risks and do whatever makes you happy. Be humble and patient with science; you can understand a small part, but you will never have the entire picture at the beginning.