Awards and Recognition

  1. IEEE Standards Association Working Group Recognition Award for contribution to the development of IEEE Standard 2800-2022 ‘IEEE Standard for Interconnection and Interoperability of Inverter-Based Resources (IBRs) Interconnecting with Associated Transmission Electric Power Systems’, 2022.

  2. 2021 IEEE Power and Energy Society (PES) Nari Hingorani FACTS Award

    “for advancing FACTS controllers application in education, research, and professional society, and for developing an innovative STATCOM technology utilizing PV solar farms”
    This is the most prestigious award in “Flexible AC Transmission System (FACTS)” technology. Rajiv Varma is the second Canadian to receive this award in its 22 year history. 

    Prof. Varma's award acceptance video is available on the IEEE website.

    Announcement from the Faculty of Engineering at Western: "Varma receives 2021 IEEE PES Hingorani FACTS Award"

  3. Elected as Fellow of Canadian Academy of Engineering (FCAE), 2021.

    His citation reads as below:

    “Dr. Rajiv Varma is an internationally recognized researcher, inventor, and leader in FACTS, solar and wind power systems. Among his pioneering contributions has been a major ground-breaking utility-implemented award-winning technology, PV-STATCOM, that enables solar PV plants to provide FACTS functionalities at one-tenth cost of FACTS themselves. Dr. Varma’s significant contributions include 13 granted and 14 pending international patents, 180 publications and highly acclaimed Wiley/IEEE Press book on FACTS. He has made exemplary contributions to training of utility engineers, system planners, manufacturers, academics, and researchers, worldwide. He is an outstanding educator and has been honoured with numerous university teaching excellence awards.”

    Announcement from the Faculty of Engineering at Western: "Five faculty members elected into Canadian Academy of Engineering"

  4. IEEE PES Technical Committee Working Group Recognition Award for producing IEEE Guide for the “Specification of Transmission Static Synchronous Compensator (STATCOM) Systems”, IEEE Substations Committee, 2019

  5. “First Place Poster Award” for the Poster: Rajiv K. Varma, Ehsan Siavashi, Hesamaldin Maleki, Reza Salehi, Sibin Mohan, Mahendra A.C., S. Arifur Rahman and T. Vanderheide, "PV-STATCOM: A Novel Smart Inverter for Transmission and Distribution System Applications", 7th International Conference on Integration of Renewable and Distributed Energy Resources”, Niagara Falls, Canada, Oct. 24-28, 2016

  6. Awarded “Vanguard First Patent Issued Award” from WorlDiscoveries, Western University, 22nd September, 2016

  7. “Hydro One Research Chair in Power Systems Engineering” from 2012 to the culmination of the Chair program in 2015. Hydro One is the largest transmission and distribution utility in Ontario, Canada. 

  8. IEEE Power and Energy Society (PES) Energy Development and Power Generation Committee “Prize Paper Award” for the paper: Rajiv K. Varma, Shah Arifur Rahman, Mahendra A.C., Ravi Seethapathy and Tim Vanderheide, “Novel Nighttime Application of PV Solar Farms as STATCOM (PV-STATCOM)”, Proc. 2012 IEEE PES General Meeting, San Diego, USA, July 2012

  9. Paper Listed among “Best Conference Papers on Power System Stability and Protection” session in IEEE PES General Meeting, Washington, USA, July 2014: N. Rajaei, M.H. Ahmed, M.M.A. Salama, R.K. Varma, "Analysis of Fault Current Contribution from Inverter Based Distributed Generation", Proc. IEEE PES General Meeting, Washington, USA, July 2014

  10. Awarded "Hind Rattan (translated "Jewel of India") Award 2014" for Outstanding Services, Achievements and Contributions in my area. This Award is conferred annually to select members of the worldwide Indian diaspora - Non Resident Indians (NRIs) and Persons of Indian Origin by the NRI Welfare Society of India (http://www.nriwelfaresociety.com) at a ceremony at its yearly conference, held since 1981. This award was presented on the eve of Republic Day of India (January 26), 2014 in New Delhi.

    http://news.westernu.ca/2014/02/varma-receives-pride-of-india-jewel-of-india/

  11. Awarded "Bharat Gaurav (translated 'Pride of India') Award 2014" for Meritorious Services, Outstanding Performance and Remarkable Role in my area. This award is conferred annually by the India International Friendship Society (IIFS) (http://www.globalfriendshipday.org) on personalities in India and abroad, who have made outstanding contributions in their personalized fields including science and technology, and education. The award was presented during IIFS's Global Friendship Day on January 9, 2014 in New Delhi.

  12. Nominated for “IEEE Distinguished Service Award” for contributions to HVDC and FACTS Bibliographies, 2012

  13. Co-nominated by London Economic Development Council (LEDC), City of London, for the "Canadian Energy Innovation Award" 2010 for “Utilization of PV Solar Farms in the Night”. {Ranked Second}. 

  14. “Certificate of Appreciation” by IEEE Power Engineering Society, Substations Committee, for Static Var Compensator WG I4 Special Publication: SVC Refurbishment, 2010

  15. “Certificate of Appreciation” by IEEE Power Engineering Society, Substations Committee, for Voltage Source Converter WG I5 Special Publication: Voltage Source Converter (VSC) Applications in Power Transmission 2008

  16. “Fulbright Scholar of the U.S. Educational Foundation in India”, travel award to conduct research at Bonneville Power Administration (B.P.A.), U.S. Dept. of Energy, Portland, Oregon, USA, during May-Aug. 1998

  17. “BOYSCAST (Better Opportunities for Young Scientists in Chosen Areas of Science and Technology) Fellow” of the Ministry of Science and Technology, Govt. of India, for pursuing advanced research in FACTS in Canada, during 1992-94.

AWARDS for TEACHING EXCELLENCE

  1. University of Western Ontario USC Teaching Honour Roll Award of Excellence 2014-2015

  2. Terry Base Award for Outstanding Teaching in Mechanical & Materials Engineering in 2011-2012

  3. University of Western Ontario USC Teaching Honour Roll Award of Excellence 2013-2014

  4. University of Western Ontario USC Teaching Honour Roll Award of Excellence 2009-2010

  5. University of Western Ontario USC Teaching Honour Roll Award of Excellence 2008-2009

  6. University of Western Ontario USC Teaching Honour Roll Award of Excellence 2007-2008

  7. University of Western Ontario USC Teaching Honour Roll Award of Excellence 2006-2007

  8. University of Western Ontario USC Teaching Honour Roll Award of Excellence 2005-2006

  9. University of Western Ontario USC Teaching Honour Roll Award of Excellence 2004-2005

  10. Faculty of Engineering R. Mohan Mathur Award for Excellence in Teaching 2003

  11. University of Western Ontario USC Teaching Honour Roll Award of Excellence 2003-2004

  12. University of Western Ontario USC Teaching Honour Roll Award of Excellence 2002-2003

  13. University of Western Ontario USC Teaching Honour Roll Award of Excellence 2001-2002

  14. Nominated for University of Western Ontario USC Award of Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching for 2004-2005

  15. Nominated for University of Western Ontario USC Award of Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching for 2003-2004

SELECTED MEDIA COVERAGE

Newspapers

  1. Sarnia Observer: Front Page Story
    “Western Research Demonstrated in Sarnia”
    http://www.theobserver.ca/2016/12/13/western-engineering-research-demonstrated-in-sarnia
    Article date:  Dec. 13, 2016

  2. Blackburn News Sarnia:
    “New Technology Awakens Sleeping Solar Farms”
    http://blackburnnews.com/sarnia/sarnia-news/2016/12/13/new-technology-awakens-sleeping-solar-farms/
    Article date:  Dec. 13, 2016

  3. Sarnia Journal: Front Page Story
    “New device could put sleeping solar farms to work”
    http://thesarniajournal.ca/new-device-could-put-sleeping-solar-farms-to-work/
    Article date: Dec. 20, 2016

  4. Western News:
    “Western Engineering finds new way of utilizing solar farms at night”
    http://news.westernu.ca/2010/08/western-engineering-finds-new-way-of-utilizing-solar-farms-at-night/
    Article date: August 16, 2010

Magazines

  1. "PV Magazine", published from Germany, July 2011; Cover Article
    "Solar inverter upgrade: Relieving congestion on the grid by modifying inverter functions", Page 158
    http://www.pv-magazine.com/archive/articles/beitrag/generating-dollars-where-theres-no-sun-_100003490/329/#axzz22pJtSlic

  2. “IPPSO FACTO” – Magazine of Association of Power Producers of Ontario, April 2010
    “Pushing the limits: How to get more value out of a transmission line”
    http://magazine.appro.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=961&Itemid=44