Interview with Dr Reihaneh Aghamolaei, School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering at DCU
What is your primary area of research?
My research is in the area of sustainability and mechanical engineering. My main focus is on the multi-objective optimisation of building performance to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gases emission while maintaining the comfort and health conditions of building occupants. This requires developing sustainable strategies to enhance the application of renewable and green technologies, as well as designing smart energy systems.
How did you become interested in this area of engineering?
My research has always been motivated by the goal of achieving positive impacts for our environment. Built environment accounts for a significant portion of global CO2 emissions and energy consumption. Improving a building’s performance, to mitigate their adverse environmental impacts by implementing renewable and green technologies, is a hugely important research area.
Sustainability as a multi-disciplinary and emerging field of engineering has massive potential to save the planet for future generations. Studying and working in the field of sustainability, in the context of mechanical engineering, is an interesting and rewarding area.
What do you consider to be the most rewarding aspect of a career in engineering?
Engineering offers great opportunities in terms of being able to work in countries around the world and in a wide variety of industries.
Engineering plays a paramount role in solving complicated real-world challenges. Sustainability engineering is a particularly rewarding career as it facilitates transitioning to zero carbon, one of the biggest challenges faced by humanity. Our planet is in dire need of solutions for the environmental challenges we face and many of those solutions will be rooted in sustainability mechanical engineering.
What advice would you give to someone interested in working in this field that you wish someone had given you when you were starting out?
As someone who has studied and worked in the field of sustainability engineering, I would highly recommend a career in engineering to anyone who likes problem-solving, teamwork and critical thinking.
As sustainability is an emerging and fast-growing field, more and more top companies all around the world are incorporating sustainability engineering jobs. If you care deeply about the environment then our new course, the BEng in Mechanical and Sustainability Engineering at DCU, is the course for you. Graduates of this course have diverse and highly rewarding career opportunities.
Find out more here: https://www.dcu.ie/DC194