G.K.Md.

Muttakin
Applicant for M. Eng. in Electrical and Computer Engineering- (Concentration in Artificial
Intelligence)
Fall 2024
University of Ottawa
The 2020 nationwide power outage in Bangladesh was caused by load forecasting issues, leading
to one of the biggest blackouts in the history of Bangladesh due to transmission line tripping. These
disruptions were attributed to a large supply-demand imbalance. Being an undergraduate student
at one of the leading engineering universities in Bangladesh, I learned that outdated load
forecasting techniques are still prevalent as Bangladesh lacks the necessary infrastructure, data
quality, and qualified personnel to apply AI technologies. On the other hand, developed countries
are implementing artificial intelligence to optimize resource distribution and reduce the chance of
blackouts. This observation motivated me to do my thesis on residential power consumption,
which is a specific segment of the national power system. However, I want to improve my skills
and expertise in AI so that I can play an essential role in transforming the electrical power sector
in Bangladesh. I believe that the M. Eng. program in ECE with AI specialization at the University
of Ottawa will provide an appropriate platform for me to gain high-level skills and knowledge.
I graduated from Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) in 2022 with a
Bachelor of Science in Electrical and Computer Engineering. It's crucial to point out that I
struggled academically during my undergraduate studies because of several health concerns during
my first two years. Later on, I was able to keep a good CGPA throughout both third and fourth
years. I excelled in fundamental electrical and computer engineering courses such as Power
System Operation and Control, Power System and Neural Network & Fuzzy System. The classes
on topics related to effective grid management and optimization sparked my interest in the practical
implementation of artificial intelligence and deep learning models in these related fields. My
undergraduate thesis, "Comparative Machine Learning and Deep Learning Approaches to Predict
Household Electric Power Consumption," was a crucial point in my academic career. In this study,
I used machine learning and deep learning algorithms that could predict future electricity use based
on power consumption data in a residential neighbourhood of Rajshahi.
Beyond my coursework, I've consistently been interested in applying what I've learned in the real
world. I worked on an IoT-enabled Automatic Solar tracking system where I optimized panel
orientation for maximum energy production. Furthermore, I got interested in implementing deep
learning models and neural networks based on image data. In the "Blood Cell Cancer
Classification" project, I aimed to implement multiple Deep learning models on a dataset of blood
cell images from 89 leukaemia patients. The primary objective was to classify these images as
either benign or malignant. Pleasantly, the accuracy rate exceeded 94% for all applied models.
Also, I applied a transfer learning model on a dataset of chest X-ray scans for detecting pneumonia
and achieved an accuracy of 96%. These projects demonstrate my ability to solve practical issues
using deep learning approaches. I was also actively involved in extracurricular activities, acting as
Head of Project Development at Technocracy RUET. I served as an Idea Coordinator at Incubation
Lab Ruet and as a General Member of the IEEE Robotics Automation Society.
As an Electrical and Instrumentation Engineer at Petromax Refinery Limited, my major
responsibilities are to integrate camera visual data with sensor data for monitoring equipment and
implement Kalman Filtering. In my previous employment as an IoT and Automation engineer, I
was involved in new developments such as Intelligent Traffic Lights and Retail Shelf Monitoring.
I had the pleasure of working with bright minds while developing the Retail Shelf Monitoring
system, and we utilized a Shot MultiBox Detector (SSD) Model based on Tensor flow and trained
to execute real-time inference on video frames acquired by cameras. I saw personally the
importance of AI in equipment monitoring and automation, which strengthened my determination
to learn more about this field of study.
I am passionate about Applied Artificial Intelligence within Electrical and Computer Engineering
due to its real-world impact potential. The University of Ottawa's Master of Engineering program,
specializing in AI, is my top choice. Furthermore, Ottawa is a prominent Canadian technology
hub. It is home to many industries, including those in the AI, IoT, healthcare, and energy sectors,
and the University of Ottawa keeps strong ties with industry partners and facilitates internships or
co-op programs that provide hands-on work experience. The faculty's expertise in machine
learning, robotics, and power systems complements my research interests. It is my dream to work
with world-class lab facilities at university of Ottawa such as VIVA Lab and ISSP's Robotics and
Artificial Intelligence Research Cluster, renowned for having access to advanced hardware,
sensors, and robotics platforms is crucial for conducting meaningful research. Relevant courses in
Applied Machine Learning, Robotics, Deep Learning, Machine Vision, Ethics for Design, and AI
will support my research and innovation in advancing AI applications across sectors. I am
convinced that this master's program will be my springboard for capturing these opportunities and
growing into an industry-leading expert.
In the short term, my professional ambition is to join prestigious organizations such as DESCO
and the Bangladesh Power Development Board to help transform and advance Bangladesh's power
sectors after completing my Master's degree. I hope to actively participate in projects that optimize
energy production, reduce costs, and deploy AI-driven solutions for more effective power grid
management, such as demand estimation and predictive maintenance. My long-term goal is to
build a startup dedicated to developing innovative artificial intelligence algorithms. Such
algorithms will not only drive both energy generation and consumption optimization but also
considerably lower operational costs. I hope to contribute to Bangladesh's sustainable and resilient
energy supply by introducing sensor data analysis and AI solutions, ensuring a brighter and more
energy-efficient future for the country.