Meet our Team

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Executive Committee Members
Edouard Clement
Executive director - Energy Modelling Hub
An engineer by training, Edouard Clement holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautics from Polytechnique Montréal. Formerly a Research Associate at the ETS, he also worked for the hydro division of General Electric, before joining, in 2005, Ecole Polytechnique research centre on Life Cycle Assessment (CIRAIG), where he participated and managed hundred of LCA projects. Edouard has nearly 20 years’ experience in management of organizations, as well as in data-driven strategic social and environmental responsibility consulting. He co-founded in 2009 the Canadian branch of the life cycle assessment consultancy Quantis and served as vice-president of corporate responsibility services at Groupe AGÉCO. He was also an entrepreneur-in-residence and the director of the innovation hubs at an impact start-up accelerator before cofounding in 2019 Novisto, an ESG data management software developer. He is a recognized expert in the field of life cycle assessment, GHG accounting, ESG data management and ecodesign.
Louis Beaumier
Executive director - Institut de l'énergie Trottier
Louis Beaumier is the Executive Director of the Institut de l’énergie Trottier (IET) at Polytechnique Montréal since its inception. An electrical engineer by training, he worked for almost two decades in the software industry where he has been involved in various application domains, ranging from distributed immersive simulation systems to speech recognition interfaces. The experience he has acquired over the years in his various positions – from developer to R&D director – lead him to see that a misunderstood problem, like a poorly presented solution, is often the main source of difficulties in a project. After many years in product management, where he acted on both understanding the need and presenting the solution, came the opportunity to join the IET at his alma mater, adding the sense of engagement that was missing from his previous duties. He has since been actively involved at expanding IET’s dissemination of knowledge mission stream, by organizing workshops and conferences, writing reports, or fostering partnership and collaboration.
Madeleine Mc Pherson
Assistant professor - University of Victoria
Madeleine McPherson is an Assistant Professor in the department of Civil Engineering at the University of Victoria and the principal investigator of the Sustainable Energy Systems Integration & Transitions (SESIT) Group. McPherson and her team is developing an integrated modelling framework to explore electrification and energy systems integration for deep decarbonization. As Executive Member of the Energy Modelling Initiative, she co-led efforts to convene a national dialog between modelers and stakeholders around decarbonizing Canada’s energy system. Prior to joining the University of Victoria, she was a postdoctoral researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) where she published numerous papers on topics related to energy systems modelling, including variable renewable energy integration, storage remuneration and policy, and demand response implementation. 
Normand Mousseau
Professor - Université de Montréal
Normand Mousseau is Professor of physics at Université de Montréal and, since 2016, Scientific director of the Institut de l’énergie Trottier (IET) at Polytechnique Montréal. Over the years, he has created a number of organisations that play a major role in science and evidence-based action. Between 2010 and 2013, Normand Mousseau has led the creation of Calcul Québec, which operates the supercomputing services and facilities for most universities in Québec as part of Compute Canada. In 2013-2014, he served as co-chair of Québec’s touring Commission sur les enjeux énergétiques du Québec that prepared the ground for Québec’s energy policy. He was co-proposer of the winning proposal that created the Canadian Institute for Climate Choice and he is a board member of this institute. He is co-founder of the Transition Accelerator and has co-led the Energy modelling initiative. These evidence-based organisations focus on engaging a wide-range of stakeholders and interested parties to advance various issues.
Blake Shaffer
Assistant professor - University of Calgary
Blake Shaffer is an Assistant Professor in the department of economics and School of Public Policy at the University of Calgary where he teaches courses on electricity markets and policy, energy transitions, and strategic environmental planning for energy organizations. Prior to academia, he had a 15 year career in energy trading, holding senior positions at Powerex (BC Hydro), Lehman Brothers, Barclays Capital, and Transalta Corporation. He has advised several provincial governments and federal agencies in matters related to energy policy. His research has been published in the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Public Policy, Energy Economics, and the Energy Journal. He is a frequent contributor to public discourse, with his popular writing appearing in the Globe and Mail, CBC, Maclean’s, The Conversation, and other media outlets.
Team Members
Jacob Monroe, Ph.D.
Research Analyst
Jacob completed his B.Sc. in Environmental Engineering and Ph.D. in Civil Engineering at North Carolina State University in the United States in 2016 and 2020, respectively. His Ph.D. dissertation was on simulating evolution of low-voltage electric grids with distributed energy technology adoption using agent-based modelling techniques. His dissertation was funded by the United States National Science Foundation through the Graduate Research Fellowship Program. Jacob’s research applies sociotechnical modelling techniques to simulate water and energy networks as complex adaptive systems. His work has developed an array of agent-based modelling frameworks to analyze critical infrastructure protection, ecotourism, solar PV technology diffusion, decentralized water systems, and peer-to-peer energy markets. He is currently a Research Analyst at the Institute and performs energy system modelling and optimization research to analyze electrification and decarbonization pathways for the Canadian economy.
Pierre Cilpa
Open Data Specialist
Pierre Cilpa is a seasoned systems and data expert, holding a Bachelor's in Electrical Engineering from Polytechnique Montréal and certifications in SAFe 5, Microsoft Azure, and SQL. As the Founder of SOLR Consultation Inc., he has demonstrated prowess in project management, cloud infrastructure, and IoT systems development. His deep understanding of network, security, and data management has been crucial in navigating complex information systems. At Hydro-Quebec, as an ETL Python Developer Consultant, Pierre led projects with precision, ensuring top-quality reporting and efficient ETL pipeline operations. His tenure at the National Bank of Canada was marked by his management of data center operations and skillful use of SQL with Snowflake, enhancing strategic process and project planning in the Chief Data Office. With a strong background in electronics design and product development, Pierre has contributed to innovations in wireless power transfer and ultrasonic signal technology. Notably, as a collaborator on patented floating photovoltaic power generator technology, he continues to be an influential figure at the convergence of innovation, data, and technology, upholding the highest standards in his field.
Mahdis Bayani
Modelling Specialist
Mahdis, a Polytechnique Montreal alumna, holds a Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics and has been affiliated with various Canada Research Chairs, including CIRRELT and GERAD. Her academic journey began at the Polytechnic of Tehran (Amirkabir), where she completed her B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Industrial Engineering. Her research focuses on mathematical modeling, data-driven optimization, and network optimization across different industries. Mahdis brings eight years of expertise in mixed integer linear programming, non-linear programming, and binary quadratic programming, coupled with strong skills in visual reports and business intelligence. With over six years of experience in Machine Learning, she excels in data extraction, cleaning, and application of diverse techniques, including supervised and unsupervised learning, reinforcement learning, deep learning, and time series forecasting. Her programming proficiencies span Python, Java, Matlab, SQL, PyTorch, and TensorFlow. Mahdis is also adept in using tools and frameworks like Pyomo, Plotly, SciPy, Spark, and Databricks.
Alexandre Augustin
Modelling Specialist
Alexandre Augustin holds a master's degree in Industrial Engineering from Polytechnique Montréal, specializing in optimization and data science. His thesis focused on creating an optimization model for planning maintenance activities of mobile equipment in underground mines. This work solidified his expertise in mathematical modeling and statistics. His skills extend to operations research, integer linear programming, constraint programming, graph theory, and network flow optimization. Proficient in CPLEX Optimization Studio, Alexandre is also skilled in SQL data manipulation tools and techniques. His programming abilities include Python and Matlab. Additionally, he is knowledgeable in optimizing production and maintenance processes. Alexandre also has a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from Polytechnique Montréal, which provided him with a solid foundation in the field.
Yalda Saedi
Modelling Specialist
Yalda Saedi, holding a Master of Applied Science in Sustainable Energy Engineering from Simon Fraser University, Canada, has collaborated on diverse energy system modelling projects. She has also conducted capacity development workshops aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, fostering partnerships between academia and governments. She developed Python-based tools that enhance open-source Climate, Land, Energy, and Water systems modelling by seamlessly incorporating high-resolution geospatial data while maintaining computational efficiency. Yalda was appointed as the energy system modelling trainer for the Energy Modeling Platform (EMP) for Latin America and the Caribbean (2022-2023), and EMP for Africa (2023). In addition to her sustainable energy expertise, with a Master of Science in Geo-information and Earth Observation from the University of Twente, Netherlands, She brings years of work and research experience in geospatial engineering and GIS, utilizing machine learning methods and cutting-edge technologies in remote sensing, photogrammetry, and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Advisory board
The EMH can count on a dedicated Advisory Board, composed of high-level stakeholders from academia, governmental agencies and the private sector. The Advisory Board defines the strategic position of EMH, establishes its general direction, and adopts consequent yearly work plans to be executed by the EMH staff.
Hanane Dagdougui
Associate Professor,
Polytechnique Montréal 
David Foord
Associate Professor,
University of New Brunswick
Heidi Ertl
Director, Energy Statistics Program,
Statistics Canada
Sara Hastings-Simon
Assistant Professor,
University of Calgary
Pascal Lesage
Senior Program Engineer,
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Michael Paunescu
Director,
Natural Resources Canada
Alisdair McLean
Executive Director,
Net Zero Atlantic
Andrew Rowe
Professor,
University of Victoria
Alison Bailie
Canadian Climate Institute
Kathleen Vaillancourt
President,
ESMIA Consultants
Bryce VanSluys
Director,
Canada Energy Regulator
Mark Winfield
Professor,
York University
Technical Advisory Committees - TAC
The Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) at the Energy Modelling Hub are established to provide expert advice, share best practices, and serve as a sounding board in the field of energy and electricity modelling. They are instrumental in guiding the EMH's mission to support evidence-based policymaking towards a net-zero economy, leveraging their expertise to inform and shape key initiatives.
Knowledge Exchange, Training, and Policy Impact
This committee is at the forefront of facilitating the exchange of knowledge and expertise within the energy modelling community. It concentrates on the creation and implementation of effective training programs, the dissemination of best practices, and the establishment of connections with policy influencers and decision-makers. Its overarching objective is to convert complex modelling insights into clear, actionable policy recommendations, thereby significantly enhancing the influence of energy modelling on policy formulation and implementation.
Members

Deryn Crockett, Sustainability Solutions Group

Peter Johnston, ECCC – Integrated Climate Lens Centre of Expertise

Julia McNally, Toronto Hydro

Paisley Sim, Transition Accelerator

Jason Wang, Pembina Institute

Open Data Governance and Quality Assurance
This TAC is dedicated to crafting and maintaining robust governance structures for managing open data. It plays a pivotal role in ensuring the quality, reliability, and accessibility of data sources. The committee's work includes overseeing data sourcing, verification, and standardization practices. Its primary goal is to cultivate a reliable and transparent open data environment, fundamental for accurate and effective energy modelling.
Members

Rene Beaudoin, Statistics Canada (CCEI)

Sahand Behboodi, BC Hydro

Michael Bourque, University of New Brunswick

Monique Brugger, Environment and Climate Change Canada

Jeff Charlton, AESO

Conrad Fox, Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO)

Monika Forgo, NRCan

Richard Hendriks, University of Toronto

Noeline Kanagalingam, ABO Wind Canada

Chris Krasowski, NRCan

Glasha Obrekht, Environment and Climate Change Canada

Mohamed Osman, Concordia University

Mehrdad Pirnia, University of Waterloo

Qianpu Wang, NRCan

Jessica Webster, CanmetENERGY (NRCan)

Johanne Whitemore, HEC Montreal

Open-Source Modelling Platform
The key responsibility of this TAC is the development, maintenance, and continuous improvement of an integrated, open-source platform for energy system modelling. It deals with the critical technical aspects such as platform functionality, user experience, and models interoperability. This committee is also tasked with integrating new models and datasets, striving to build a comprehensive, intuitive, and versatile modelling environment that caters to the needs of researchers, policymakers, and industry experts alike.
Members

Violette Berge, Artelys

Michael Bernstein, Clean Prosperity

Kankar Bhattacharya, University of Waterloo

Sebastien Debia, NRCAn

Christopher Doleman, The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA)

Bissan Ghaddar, Ivey Business School at Western University

Moe Kabbara, Transition Accelerator

Elizaveta Kuznetsova, ESMIA

Hao Liu, Altalink

Nick Macauluso, ECCC

Sean McCoy, University of Calgary

Taco Niet, Simon Fraser University

Dominic Rivest, Hydro Quebec

Luis Ricardez Sando, University of Waterloo

Sven Scholtysik, Net Zero Atlantic

Cameron Wade, Sutubra Research

Marcus William, Sustainability Solutions Group

Steven Wong, CanmetENERGY (NRCan)