Sandra Aragon Aviles
Mississauga,Canada
Summary
Multidisciplinary Electrical and Computer Engineer (MASc) with over 7 years of combined experience in laboratory support, research, teaching, and R&D. Skilled in the design, development, simulation, testing, and integration of electrical and computer systems for renewable energy and power electronics. Experienced in maintaining and troubleshooting laboratory equipment, training students and co-workers, and ensuring safety and operational compliance in academic and industrial settings. Adept at translating engineering principles into practical laboratory experiments and innovative learning tools.
Overview
12
12
years of professional experience
Work History
Electrical Engineer
Hybrid Power Solutions
05.2024 - Current
- Build prototypes of electrical hardware to test the functionality of the design;
- Select appropriate cabling, considering current ratings, insulation, and voltage drop for a 24kW load;
- Choose suitable relays, contactors, power converters, and any other necessary components, ensuring they meet the system's power and thermal requirements;
- Test the system under various load conditions to ensure the 24kW output is stable and the generator, grid and PV input functions as intended;
- Debug and troubleshoot any issues that arise during prototyping and testing.
- Optimize the design to meet cost constraints without compromising on quality and performance.
R&D Engineer
Worksport Ltd
03.2022 - 04.2024
- Conducted research into the feasibility, design, operation and performance of battery packs, solar energy systems, power electronics and control systems;
- Developed project requirements;
- Designed and developed schematics using Altium designer, and simulated models using LTspice and MATLAB Simulink;
- Designed PCB layouts and optimized using Altium designer;
- Designed firmware, prototypes and control for mixed signal electronic circuits;
- Prepared the bill of materials (BOM) and timing estimates, reports and design specifications for electrical and electronic systems;
- Ensured that the project comply with all requirements;
- Designed and developed policies for testing and operation of battery packs, solar energy systems, and equipment;
- Developed prototypes of battery packs, selecting the best battery cells to be used according to the requirements.
- Maintained repository of design, testing, operation and any other files using GitHub;
- Wrote technical reports and prepared presentations (Power Point) to the rest of the team.
R&D Junior Engineer
Worksport Ltd
11.2021 - 03.2022
- Conducted research into the feasibility, design, operation and performance of battery packs, solar energy systems, power electronics and control systems.
- Designed and developed schematics, simulation models, PCBs, firmware, prototypes and control for mixed signal electronic circuits (LCD, LED driver, microcontroller, instrumentation circuit, DC/DC converters, analog reading, etc.).
Graduate Research Assistant and Teaching Assistant
Ontario Tech University
09.2019 - 03.2022
- Designed and simulated a dc-dc boost converter for a solar photovoltaic (PV) system comparing different MPPT algorithms to improve the efficiency of the system;
- Searched, reviewed and summarized all state-of-the-art technology related to the solutions for solar PV snow removal and power electronics–based solutions to interface solar PV, smart grid, and electrified transportation;
- Searched, reviewed and analyzed different intelligent computational models in the control field that are applicable to the snow removal system.
- Designed and developed a snow removal system for solar PV/grid-integrated EV charger;
- Lead individual and group lessons for undergraduate students to help them understand key concepts, especially those learned in the lectures for the “Computational Engineering Applications”, “Electrical Circuit Design”, and “Design, Principles and Project Management” courses.
Graduate Research Assistant
University of The Andes
12.2018 - 07.2019
- Identified the types of services and benefits that Energy Storage Systems (ESS) can bring to the Medium Voltage (MV) distribution system of CODENSA-ENEL.
- Defined a set of technologies that can provide these services to the network and obtained a set of optimal location-size solutions for the installation of ESS.
- Performed a comprehensive and detailed research report for the technical and financial evaluation of storage technologies in CODENSA-ENEL’s distribution grid.
Multidisciplinary Teacher
COMPENSAR
05.2017 - 11.2018
- Provided educational multidisciplinary training programs in public schools in Bogota.
- Improved the academic performance of the students and contributing to their education.
- Designed curricular programs and prepared didactic material for teaching.
Instructor of Electricity and Electronics
Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje (SENA)
09.2013 - 12.2015
- Provided training programs in technical maintenance of electronic systems as well as in the design and development of solar energy systems.
- Designed and developed research projects based on renewable energy to meet the power needs of the education center.
- Highly developed project planning skills gained through the design and development of projects using renewable energies such as solar energy or hydropower to improve production processes in rural areas.
Education
MASc. - Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ontario Tech University
Oshawa, Canada06-2022
Bachelor of Science - Electronic Engineering
University of Ibague
Ibague, Colombia12-2012
Skills
- Circuit design, diagnostics, and troubleshooting
- Instrumentation and measurement using multimeter, clamp meter, oscilloscope, soldering station, and thermal imaging tools
- Assembly, wiring, and testing of electrical systems and control circuits
- Familiarity with mechanical tools and equipment (drill, jigsaw, screwdrivers, wire strippers, cutters and crimpers, and general hand tools)
- MATLAB, Simulink, LTspice, LabVIEW, MPLAB, Altium Designer, Arduino
- C/C, JSON, GitHub, LaTeX
Technical Skills
Electronics & Instrumentation:
Simulation, Design & Modeling Tools:
Programming & Data Management:
- Microsoft Windows, Canvas Learn LMS
- Compliance with laboratory safety standards and procedures
- Preparation of training materials, manuals, and technical documentation
- Critical thinking and analytical problem-solving
- Teamwork and conflict resolution
- Strong attention to detail and organizational precision
- Effective verbal and written communication
Systems & Platforms:
Laboratory & Professional Skills:
Soft Skills:
Languages
English
Full Professional
Spanish
Native or Bilingual
Awards and Grants
- Postgraduate Scholarship. Prize: Graduate Research Assistantship. Ontario Tech University 2019-2021.
- Postgraduate Scholarship. Prize: A full scholarship to study a PhD at Texas Tech University. Texas Tech University 2017. (Offer declined due to student visa denial)
- Chess Scholarship. Prize: A $1000 USD scholarship for Spring 2018 for the 2017-2018 academic year at Texas Tech University. (Offer declined due to student visa denial)
- LASES 2014 Scholarship. Prize: Flights and accommodation to attend the Latin American Student Energy Summit 2014 in Mexico. June 2014.
Publications
Books
- Souza, Teófilo Miguel de; Aragón Avilés, Sandra; “Cost-effective solutions with Solar Energy - Spanish Edition”. 2015. (https://amzn.com/dp/B014285Z3M) e-Book
- Souza, Teófilo Miguel de; Aragón Avilés, Sandra; “Renewable Energy Systems: Solar Power Systems - Spanish Edition”. Paginas & Letras Editora e Gráfica. Sao Paulo, 2011. ISBN 978-85-86508-93-6.
- Souza, Teófilo Miguel de; Aragón Avilés, Sandra; “Renewable Energy Systems: Hydroelectric power plants - Spanish Edition”. Paginas & Letras Editora e Gráfica. Sao Paulo, 2011. ISBN 978-85-86508-96-7.
Journal Publications
- Aragon-Aviles, Sandra; Kadam, Arvind H.; Sidhu, Tarlochan; Williamson, Sheldon S.; "Modeling, Analysis, Design, and Simulation of a Bidirectional DC-DC Converter with Integrated Snow Removal Functionality for Solar PV Electric Vehicle Charger Applications". Energies 15, no. 8: 2961. March 2022. https://doi.org/10.3390/en15082961
- Aragon-Aviles, Sandra; Trivedi, Ashutosh; Williamson, Sheldon S.; “Smart Power Electronics–Based Solutions to Interface Solar-Photovoltaics (PV), Smart Grid, and Electrified Transportation: State-of-the-Art and Future Prospects”. Applied Science Journal, July 2020. https://doi.org/10.3390/app10144988
- Aragón Avilés, Sandra; Valverde, Agustín; “Evaluation of solar radiation in Ibague by adapting a photovoltaic panel as a source of data acquisition”. SODEBRAS Journal, Vol. 8, No. 85, Jan. 2013. ISSN 1809-3957.
Timeline
Electrical Engineer
Hybrid Power Solutions
05.2024 - Current
R&D Engineer
Worksport Ltd
03.2022 - 04.2024
R&D Junior Engineer
Worksport Ltd
11.2021 - 03.2022
Graduate Research Assistant and Teaching Assistant
Ontario Tech University
09.2019 - 03.2022
Graduate Research Assistant
University of The Andes
12.2018 - 07.2019
Multidisciplinary Teacher
COMPENSAR
05.2017 - 11.2018
Instructor of Electricity and Electronics
Servicio Nacional de Aprendizaje (SENA)
09.2013 - 12.2015
MASc. - Electrical and Computer Engineering
Ontario Tech University
Bachelor of Science - Electronic Engineering
University of Ibague