Dr. Michael Fowler
[Image Description]: Dr Fowler is wearing a purple shirt with the University of Waterloo's logo "Ideas Start Here" and is sitting in an electric wheelchair. His spaniel, Haille, is leaning over his knees.
[Image description]: Dr Fowler is seen cheering with a team of over 20 students and faculty after winning the Challenge X international competition. The team outscored 16 U.S. schools with its fuel-cell-powered vehicle design.
[Image source]: University of Waterloo
[Image Description]: Dr Fowler is photographed with 9 other Research Chairs at the first annual Canada Research Chair Dinner for University of Waterloo in 2019.
[Image Source]: University of Waterloo
Dr. Michael Fowler, PhD, P.Eng., CD (Major-retired)
Canada Research Chair in Zero-Emission Vehicles & Hydrogen Energy Systems
Dr. Fowler has 250 refereed journal articles published a h-Factor of 73 and 20000 citations.
Professor Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, dedicated to removing 'barriers' for everyone, especially students.
Dr. Michael Fowler has multiple sclerosis (MS) and uses a power wheelchair for mobility.
What is it that you study?
I research and instruct in the field of electrochemical engineering in batteries and fuel cells, specifically with energy storage systems (ESS) and hydrogen energy systems. I started with fuel cells and energy power train systems, and later moved to development of Battery Management systems with LiIon batteries and Al-Air., modeling and experimental energy systems batteries and electrical and chemical power systems and hydrogen energy systems.
I also work with undergraduate and graduate students to build future cars that can be zero emissions. Many of the UWAFT (University of Waterloo Alternative Fuels Team) teams were supervised by me, with Dr. Roydon Fraser in Mechanical Engineering. We have been the faculty advisors for student competitions such as EcoCAR Mobility Challenge (EcoCAR) and Advanced Vehicle Technology Competition (AVTC) series. We built two hydrogen fuel cell cars with a sponsor with GM vehicles, the Equinox and the Saturn. We then did ethanol cars, and this year the students are working with new GM Cadillac LYRIQ - we’re going to start this fall with the Cadillac battery pack.
I also research modelling in the future of the 'Hydrogen Economy'. This includes Modeling of Hydrogen Energy Hubs and Microgrids for clean production, storage and distribution of energy. I have worked with 10 different undergraduate students in hydrogen competitions
I’m proud of my students because their training is not only technical skills but also team skills and 'soft' skills are so important in rapidly changing employment.
What made you interested in this field?
I was looking for something in fuel cells at the time. I was actually working as a civilian after having completed my first degree at Royal Military College. So I have been working as a researcher in hydrogen fuel cell for years. The development of the first hydrogen fuel cell car was hugely impactful because what it showed people who were developing fuel cells that they can get zero emissions in an actual vehicle.
How has your career and research focus changed over time?
The 'story' that I have emphasized as a student and researcher is that climate change needs nuclear energy, zero emissions, and we need hydrogen. This ‘story’ has not changed in over 40 years.
How do you approach the topic of accommodations and supports in your workplace?
What I’m interested in is looking for the world to take down the barriers for everybody, so that nobody has to ask if they need something specific. If there are people that are in a wheelchair, if they're in a walker, or they can't walk, they all need into different places. They’re not just for me, I want to take down the barriers for everybody for equity. They can be either disabled or they can be People of Colour or anything else, they are out there and we need to bring down all those barriers.
Is that what inspired your dedication to engineering accessible solutions? For example, how you were working with fourth-year undergrad students designing automatic door apps or self-charging batteries.
Looking at the doors, I could study a door opener as a barrier that needs to come down, but in my research with both electrical and chemical engineering and working with students, the most challenging barrier for students is that they have mandatory co-ops. Every student in engineering has co-op and it can be difficult to get a first job without experience or training. So, those projects came as a solution for a very different barrier: finding the first job and work experience.
In my world, I like to make sure that they are able to get the experiences they need. I offer many co-op jobs to first year students so that more people will be ready, so that they will be trained and ready to get into other jobs. I want to be there because I know the barrier about the first co-op job. If they don’t get the first job, then they don’t get on the ladder up.
I also like to make sure that they are able to get an experience with tools. Not everybody has worked with tools before, but if they’re going to get hired by someone else they want somebody to understand what a wrench is, how to connect it, and how to look at sensors. So, one of the barriers that students have is just whether they have the basic skills and understanding they are going to need in different types of jobs. I work with first-year co-ops and fourth-year projects to make sure they have those skills.
When we share your story, we can attach your name or leave it anonymous. We want to emphasize that disclosure is a personal decision.
That is also one of the barriers: coming out to people. Do you disclose your challenges? That is one of the things that we haven’t solved in society now that we want to do equity and diversity. Some people are very capable and have good experiences, but their barrier is that people just don’t understand their challenges. Or, for that fact, what they’re capable of. Both their challenges and what they are capable of.
We have to focus on “what are they capable of” and “what are their skills”. We have to understand their unique niche. It’s about seeing the students into their future.
