Ref: MSc Assistantship Position

Dear Sir

I am expressing my strong interest in a Research Assistantship position at Cyprus International

University. As a highly motivated and dedicated individual with a Bachelor's degree in Petroleum and
Natural Gas Engineering (from Near East University) and a Master's in Sustainable Environment and
Energy Systems (from Middle East Technical University NCC), I am confident I possess the necessary
academic background, research experience, and passion for an MSc Assistantship Position.
Growing up in Zimbabwe, l realized that more than 60 % of Zimbabweans do not have access to basic
electricity, and the privileged 40 % use coal-generated electricity. So, during my academic career, I
have been fascinated by the intersection of resource engineering, energy systems, and sustainability.
My undergraduate studies in Petroleum and Natural Gas provided me with a solid foundation in the
technical aspects of resource engineering and the energy sector. My graduate studies in Sustainable
Environment and Energy Systems allowed me to explore the complex social, technical, economic, and
environmental factors that shape the development and implementation of sustainable energy solutions.
Renewable energy system integration into power grids is still expensive and is poor in dispatchability,
reliability, efficiency, and capacity compared to fossil-fuelled systems. So, to contribute to
Sustainable Development Goals 7 and 13, my Master's thesis evaluated the feasibility of integrating a
solar-gas hybrid power system into Zimbabwe's power grid to help curb power poverty and facilitate
energy transition simultaneously. Techno-economic and environmental results support the adoption of
the solar-gas hybrid over using Zimbabwe's coal-fuelled power plants. Moreover, the solar potential
from the multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) uncovered that Zimbabwe has enough solar
resources to shift to clean energy, considering the application of solar technologies with heat and
energy storage systems. Alongside my thesis, l have published one paper in Natural Gas Industry B
Journal and one in Heliyon. The thesis work has provided skills in energy system modeling, techno-
economic and environmental assessment, journal writing, power plant modeling, and programming.
Various tools were implemented to meet thesis objectives, including ArcGIS Pro, QGIS, EBSILON,
NREL's System Advisor Model (SAM), MS Office package, Stratgraphics, and RETScreen Expert.
Through my coursework, research projects, and internships, I have gained a deep understanding of the
energy industry's challenges and opportunities and the urgent need to transition toward a more
sustainable and equitable environment. Kindly see the links to the academic documents provided in
my curriculum vitae. Adding more, I was a Teaching and Lab assistant (from September 2021 to
January 2023) responsible for many duties, including teaching and assisting in the oil and gas
engineering department at Middle East Technical University.

Given my educational and research background, l hope to contribute to the Faculty of Engineering at
Cyprus International University as an MSc student of Electric and Electronics Engineering. I believe
that the expertise of the professors, coupled with the resources available at the institute, will provide
me with the ideal platform to develop my research skills and contribute to advancing knowledge in
energy and sustainable development.
I hope to be an expert in sustainable development (specifically in the environmental and energy
domain), involved in academia, teaching and mentoring, networking and building relationships with
other professionals, and exploring various paths within the field. Ultimately, I hope to contribute to a
sustainable future in all the different career paths.
I appreciate your consideration. I am looking forward to the opportunity to further discuss with you
about my application.

Sincerely,