
In an attempt to grow the wind industry in Canada the Institute has made a concerted effort to attract students/interns from across the country for work terms at the Institute. This program has been very successful and rewarding for both the students and the Institute. This hands on opportunity gives the students/interns a chance to explore the wind energy field and gives them an opportunity to bridge the realms of academia and industry. The Institute also offers a Visiting Professional and Peer Review Program (VPPP) that allows for job shadowing at all levels of the organization, internships, co-op placements, peer review of papers, etc. The Institute strategically supports college and university wind energy programs and engages in outreach and public education efforts to support its mission. Compiled below is a list of students/interns who spent time at the Institute since 2008.
Alexandre Khoury graduated from University of Toronto with a Master’s degree in Condensed Matter Theoretical Physics in 2021 and has been working for WEICan for 6 months from August 2022 to February 2023. His duties at WEICan ranged from using AI computer vision for quantifying effects of snow coverage on a PV system to designing a website page for our climate station and automating the data display processes. He also worked on acquiring and analyzing residential solar panel data in an effort to evaluate the solar energy production on the Island. Alexandre also helped with the installation different equipment such as cameras and our pyrheliometer. He says about his experience at WEICan: “It has taught me a lot about all what is going on behind the scenes in terms of data acquisition and how energy is being produced and distributed. I have enjoyed learning from the WEICan team members and working on projects to contribute to a cleaner environment.” Alexandre hopes to continue using AI as a tool to promote energy sustainability.