Ibrahim Abdulhadi is our powerlifting Senior Research & Development Engineer looking after our Protection, Automation & Control research theme here at PNDC. He features as this week’s “Meet the Team”.
Tell us about your role at PNDC.
I’m a senior R&D engineer at the PNDC. I lead a portfolio of projects focusing on protection, automation and digital substations. I work with a team of experts to deliver high impact outcomes that meet the operational challenges of the PNDC members and the wider stakeholder community.
How long have you been working here?
I’ve been with the PNDC since October 2014, but helped with some of the test facility commissioning and early project work before then on a part-time basis.
What was your background before joining the PNDC?
Before joining the PNDC I was a research associate at the University of Strathclyde. During this time, I worked on a number of National and EU funded projects focusing on smart grids control and protection as well as developing real-time hardware in the loop testing capabilities in the university labs. I remember my first exposure to the PNDC was through my colleague who I shared an office with – he was supporting the early stages of establishment of the centre at which point I keenly kept an eye on the PNDC construction and eventual opening and operation.
What do you enjoy most about working at the PNDC?
First and foremost working with a friendly and dynamic team of people who are always keen to lend a helping hand. I also find the varied scope of work and sometimes steep learning curves very fulfilling. Interacting with the PNDC members and clients adds another interesting dynamic to my daily activities, and what keeps things more interesting is the realisation that the outcomes of the work make a real difference to the end user.
What can we find you doing in your spare time?
I enjoy powerlifting, nothing beats being in the zone with a barbell that is moving against gravity. I also like reading about geopolitics, theology, philosophy and technology. I also can’t resist an invitation to a properly crafted flat white!