Jesus Silva-Rodriguez graduated with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Houston, and started his PhD program here as a direct PhD student in January 2021. During his undergraduate studies, Jesus was a recipient of the DAAD RISE Scholarship in 2019 and participated in a research internship at the Technical University Dortmund, Germany, performing feasibility studies to develop simulation models for a Pulse Electroacoustic (PEA) cell, used in the detection of space charges in insulating materials for High Voltage DC applications. Currently, Jesus is pursuing his PhD in Electrical Engineering focusing in optimization models for the water-energy nexus for small communities, as well as microgrid energy management and power systems operations.

Rida Fatima received her bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Mirpur University of Sciences and Technology, Azad Kashmir, Pakistan in 2015 and her master’s degree in electrical engineering – Power from National University of Sciences and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan in 2018. She has worked as a Research Associate at TetraTech: Consulting and Engineering Firm. from 2019 to 2021, specializing in Renewable Energy Markets and Policies. She is currently working towards her Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering at the University of Houston, Houston, TX, USA. Her research interests include Smart grids, Energy Markets, and the optimization of Distribution Networks.