Mohammad Rejwan Uddin: pioneering power electronics, renewable energy, and energy education in Bangladesh

The Transforming Energy Access – Learning Partnership (TEA-LP) is made up of an incredible network of dedicated, and highly-skilled energy educators and professionals. Our strength as a partnership lies in the diversity of our skill sets, research foci, locations, experiences and place-based nuances that foster innovation and drive the energy transition across the Global South. As we face many similar challenges in ensuring clean energy access to our communities there lies great power in knowledge sharing and transfer. As TEA-LP PI, Jiska de Groot recently reflected,

“We are becoming a community where we support each other in enhancing the skills needed to drive energy transitions, and in which every individual in the partnership contributes their unique knowledge and lived experiences, fostering a culture respect and support.”

The Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB) joined the TEA-LP in 2023 with their master’s in Electrical and Electronic Engineering adopting two of our courses: Local Solutions for Energy Access and Mini-Grids Planning and Design. The MSc programme is designed to equip students with advanced knowledge in power electronics, renewable energy, and embedded systems. It focuses on practical applications, research-driven learning, and industry-oriented skills development to address modern energy challenges. A key figure in the delivery of this programme is Assistant Professor Mohammad Rejwan Uddin.

When I reached out to Rejwan and asked him to answer a few questions about his TEA-LP journey so far, I certainly wasn’t expecting him to reply with a 27-page document! But this level of effort and care is testament to the person and professional that he is – thorough, detail-oriented and committed. Rejwan has been lecturing at IUB since 2018, teaching courses on power electronics, embedded systems, and energy conversion, while also playing a key role in curriculum development, student mentorship, and practical project supervision. He shared that,

“My academic journey reflects a strong commitment to advancing sustainable energy solutions through research, innovation, and education.”

His current research focuses on power electronics, renewable energy integration, and energy-efficient systems, particularly in the areas of solar micro-grids, electric vehicle (EV) charging, and high-frequency power conversion technologies. And, with over 80 research publications indexed in IEEE Xplore, he has made significant contributions to power electronics, renewable energy, and embedded systems research.

Rejwan has been instrumental in IUB joining the TEA-LP; leading the application process, curriculum development, lecturing, research integration and student mentorship. Rejwan explained that “By integrating these courses, the master’s programme now offers a stronger emphasis on energy access, sustainability, and practical renewable energy solutions, preparing students to become leaders in clean energy innovation and power system design.” 

He personally noted that; “The developed courses align with my broader research interests in solar micro-grids, power electronics, and energy-efficient systems, bridging academic learning with real-world energy access challenges.” He has also attended two key TEA-LP workshops (Nairobi 2023 and Kigali 2024) and was actively engaged at both events, presenting research, engaging in the workshop activities and assisting the team.

TEA-LP’s work package 1 Project lead, Leslie Ashburner, spoke of Rejwan, saying; “A large part of the joy of working with the TEA-LP partners is meeting people like Rejwan. Rejwan is a passionate advocate of off-grid renewable energy for his country; he is extremely well informed and able to impart knowledge on the subject.  More than that though, Rejwan is a true friend and partner in the TEA-LP – his support at the mini-grids workshop in September 2024 in Kigali will always be remembered and appreciated.”

One of the key features of the TEA-LP programme is each university’s work in adapting our courses to their unique contexts. This makes for a locally relevant, industry-appropriate course that adequately equips graduates to enter the industry. Rejwan was instrumental in the customisation of the courses at IUB and focused on several key areas, most notably incorporating national and regional policy landscapes, real-world projects and well-known applications (such as IDCOL-funded solar micro-grids and off-grid SHS for rural electrification and PAYGO solar business models and mobile money integration), engaging with energy sector professionals, site visits, practical lab sessions and Bangladesh’s unique energy mix. Furthermore, a focus on environmental sustainability which includes a broader climate-focused approach, solar panel waste management and environmental impact explores the complexity of energy transitions and their environmental sustainability in the face of transitioning away from fossil fuels.

Rejwan has strong ideas to further improve their Msc programme through increased field visits, hands-on workshops, and lab-based projects to complement theoretical learning, possible collaboration with mini-grid developers and renewable energy startups for real-world applications, enhancing partnerships with private sector energy firms, NGOs, and government agencies to offer students internships, case studies, live projects and implementing a more structured student feedback loops to refine teaching methods and course content. He is also exploring a more interdisciplinary approach with the possibility of incorporating more policy, finance, and business model analysis to help students navigate energy project financing. Lastly, he is looking into options for online or hybrid course delivery to reach a broader audience and allow working professionals to participate. We have no doubt that his input will continue to add great value to IUB and their EEE programme.

Not only is Rejwan involved in the TEA-LP and IUB’s MSc programme but he also leads several research projects, including i) a 15kW Grid-Interactive Solar Micro-grid for Integrated Farming in Bangladesh, funded by USAID, to optimise rural agricultural energy solutions, ii) electric vehicle charging and motor control where his research explores electric car motor controllers and high-frequency inverters, focusing on field-oriented control (FOC) for induction motors and efficient EV battery charging solutions, and iii) a 20kW solar charging station project for electric rickshaws in rural Bangladesh, addressing the integration of renewable energy into electric mobility funded by Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

As a committed power electronics specialist, Rejwan plans to continue his studies and academic career. He is currently looking for a PhD opportunity in power electronics, so please reach out if you have any connections or know of any further opportunities. You can connect with him at rejwan@iub.edu.bd

It is such an honour working with Rejwan and we hope for a continued and long-lasting partnership.

– Written by Andrea Fitzpatrick