CFK Faculty Member Named Lead Guest Editor of International Energy Journal

A faculty member at The College of the Florida Keys has been selected to oversee a special issue of an international peer-reviewed journal focused on renewable energy.

Dr. M. Imtiaz Hussain, a faculty member in CFK’s Department of Engineering Technology, was named lead guest editor for a special issue of Sustainability.

The open-access journal covers environmental, cultural, economic and social sustainability topics.

Hussain’s special issue, “Integrated Thermal Energy Storage and Sustainable Renewable Energy: Advances, Challenges and Opportunities,” will feature original research, review papers and case studies addressing thermal-energy storage and renewable-energy systems.

Topics are expected to include phase-change materials, hybrid solar technologies, artificial intelligence-driven energy optimization, hydrogen technologies and smart-grid integration. Hussain will co-edit the issue with Dr. Gwi Hyun Lee.

“This appointment is not only a personal milestone but also an opportunity to showcase the outstanding work being done at The College of the Florida Keys,” Hussain said.

“By strengthening our connections with leading researchers worldwide, we can enrich the educational experience of our students and further prepare the next generation of engineers to address global energy challenges.”

CFK offers an Associate in Science degree in engineering technology with a specialization in renewable energy. Developed with funding from the National Science Foundation, the program provides career training involving solar, wind and ocean-power technologies.

The program is intended to help meet growing workforce demand in renewable-energy fields while giving students a foundation for several engineering and technical careers.

Hussain earned his doctorate in engineering from Kangwon National University in South Korea and has nearly 12 years of experience leading research groups and teaching energy-related university courses.

His research has addressed hybrid photovoltaic and thermal systems, concentrated solar-power technologies, energy-system modeling, advanced heat transfer, artificial intelligence-driven thermal management and green-energy storage.

Hussain has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed energy journals and received honors including the Higher Education Commission Scholarship of Pakistan and the Brain Pool Fellowship of South Korea.