UOIT graduate earns NSERC award for research of hybrid vehicles

Pierre Hinse's graduate thesis will examine new uses for electric cars

The University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) announced today that Pierre Hinse has been awarded a Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Industrial Postgraduate Scholarship (IPS) to research the effects of plug-in hybrid electrical vehicles on the electrical distribution grid.

Hinse, a 2007 UOIT Bachelor of Engineering Honours graduate, is pursuing graduate studies and has already begun his thesis on the effects of the hybrid cars under the tutelage of Dr. Greg Rohrauer. He will also research possible ways to reduce the costs of charging the vehicles as well as the potential for the cars to be used as power generators to supply homes with electricity in the event of a power failure or as standby generating capacity for the power grid.

"I am tremendously honoured and appreciative to be awarded this scholarship," said Hinse. "As we move towards more energy-efficient vehicles, electricity has been identified as an exceptionally environmentally-viable solution for transportation. Thanks to this generous award, I will be able to continue my research on the wide-spread effects and potential uses for electric cars. With UOIT's state-of-the-art facilities and reputation for research excellence, I'm excited by the potential that this work holds."

Hinse is the first-ever UOIT recipient of an NSERC IPS scholarship and will receive $15,000 for each of the next two years. As an application pre-requisite, Hinse was required to spend a minimum of 50 days per year providing service at an organization that is undertaking research in his field of interest. Hinse chose to work with Veridian Corporation, an electrical energy distributor in Durham Region that will provide a further $6,000 per year in sponsorship funds as part of the award.

In addition to enrolling in graduate studies, Hinse is teaching part-time in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science at UOIT and the School of Applied Sciences, Apprenticeship, Skilled Trades and Technology at Durham College.

"It is a wonderful honour for Pierre to be the first-ever UOIT student to receive this prestigious award," said Brian Campbell, dean of Graduate Studies at UOIT. "Pierre's research is very representative of the innovative graduate programs offered at UOIT and the tremendous research potential each offers. Combined with UOIT's outstanding facilities, Pierre's work will examine some critical issues that could greatly impact the ongoing discussion about sustainable energy sources."

Presently, there are almost 100 students enrolled in graduate studies at UOIT. The Master of Automotive Engineering complements six other graduate studies programs in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Modelling and Computational Science, Applied Bioscience, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering and Information Technology Security, the latter of which is the first program of its kind in Canada. Two other graduate programs are in the final approval stages, with additional opportunities continually being developed to meet the needs of graduate students and today's knowledge-based economy.

About Ontario Tech University
A modern, forwarding-thinking university, Ontario Tech advances the discovery and application of knowledge to accelerate economic growth, regional development and social innovation. We inspire and equip our students and our graduates to make a positive impact in a tech-focused world. For us, it’s not only about developing the next tech breakthrough. Understanding and integrating the social and ethical implications of technology differentiates us as university. Learn more at ontariotechu.ca.