School of Chemical Engineering

Dr Dia Adhikari Smith

Research Fellow
School of Chemical Engineering
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Dr Dia Adhikari Smith is the Tritium E-Mobility Research Fellow at The University of Queensland's Dow Centre for Sustainable Engineering Innovation (School of Chemical Engineering) and the Transport Engineering Group (School of Civil Engineering). Her current research focusses on advancing the performance, economics, and uptake of E-Mobility globally, with a particular focus on the decarbonisation of both on-road and non-road heavy vehicles used in transport, construction, and mining sectors in Australia. Dia's research expertise in low and zero emission heavy vehicles, powered by electric, hydrogen and advanced biofuels, has been demonstrated through several industry and government engagements to deliver decarbonisation feasibility studies, emissions modelling, cost benefit analyses, total cost of ownership scenarios and developing strategic roadmaps and recommended policy packages to achieve net zero emissions. Dia has a PhD in Power and Energy Systems Engineering from Glasgow Caledonian University, UK and worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre for Integrated Renewable Energy Generation and Supply, Cardiff University, UK and as a Lecturer at the Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, USA.

Dia's postdoctoral research experience, at Cardiff University, involved in-depth research to investigate Smart Grid network assessment and planning methodologies that would consider type, extent, and pathway of various smart, innovative, and sustainable technology interventions (renewable energy sources, distributed generation, battery storage, electric vehicles, and hydrogen). Dia has worked on different quantitative and qualitative research methods to analyse the factors affecting the diffusion of low and zero emission technologies in the UK and conducted feasibility studies to evaluate the inhibiting factors for Smart Grid transition within the building industry (smart sustainable houses) and the mining sector (electric heavy vehicles, renewable energy sources, and energy storage) in the perspective of users, energy experts, energy providers, respective industries, policymakers, regulators, and the government. Dia's research projects involved close collaboration with Academia, Government and Industry to propose strategic guidelines, evaluate policies, and publish joint work-stream reports, for the successful diffusion of zero-emission technologies and renewable energy systems.

Publications

Journal Articles (2)
Conference Papers (7)
Audio Document (1)
Video Document (1)
Research Reports (4)

Journal Articles

Adhikari, D., Hepburn, D. M. and Stewart, B. G. (2013). PD characteristics and degradation in PET insulation with vented and unvented internal voids. Electric Power Systems Research, 100, 65-72. doi: 10.1016/j.epsr.2013.02.012
Adhikari, D., Hepburn, D.M. and Stewart, B.G. (2012). Comparison of partial discharge characteristics and degradation in several polymeric insulators. IET Science, Measurement & Technology, 6 (6), 474-484. doi: 10.1049/iet-smt.2011.0226

Conference Papers

Adhikari, D., Wu, J. and O'Malley, G. (2015). Real time closed-loop test rig for decentralized control of smart distribution networks. 6th International Conference on Applied Energy (ICAE), Taipei, Taiwan, 30 May - 2 June, 2014. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Elsevier BV. doi: 10.1016/j.egypro.2014.11.948
Adhikari, D., Hepburn, D. M. and Stewart, B. G. (2012). PD degradation analysis of PET with enclosed voids and voids connected to closed and vented channels. 47th International Universities Power Engineering Conference (UPEC), Uxbridge, United Kingdom, 4-7 September 2012. doi: 10.1109/upec.2012.6398692
Adhikari, D., Hepburn, D. M. and Stewart, B. G. (2012). Characterisation of PD occurring in injected air bubbles in block polymeric insulation. IEEE Conference on Electrical Insulation and Dielectric Phenomena, CEIDP 2012, Montreal, QC, Canada, 14 - 17 October 2012. Piscataway, NJ, United States: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. doi: 10.1109/ceidp.2012.6378719
Adhikari, D., Hepburn, D. M. and Stewart, B. G. (2012). Comparative study of PD characteristics and degradation of PET insulation with a self-contained void, void with closed channel and void with vented channel. 19th IEEE International Symposium on Electrical Insulation, San Juan, PR, United States, 10 -13 June 2012. Piscataway, NJ, United States: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. doi: 10.1109/elinsl.2012.6251519
Adhikari, D., Hepburn, D. M. and Stewart, B. G. (2011). Comparison of PD characteristics and degradation in PET insulation with vented and unvented voids. Annual Report Conference on Electrical Insulation and Dielectric Phenomena, CEIDP 2011, Cancun, Mexico, 16-19 October, 2011. Piscataway, NJ, United States: IEEE. doi: 10.1109/ceidp.2011.6232690
Adhikari, D., Hepburn, D. M. and Stewart, B. G. (2011). Analysis of deterioration of PET insulation with multiple voids due to electrical stressing. 30th Electrical Insulation Conference, EIC 2011, Annapolis, MD, United States, 5 - 8 June 2011. NEW YORK: IEEE. doi: 10.1109/eic.2011.5996135
Adhikari, D., Hepburn, D. M. and Stewart, B. G. (2010). Analysis of partial discharge characteristics in artificially created voids. 45th International Universities Power Engineering Conference UPEC2010, Cardiff, United Kingdom, 31 August - 3 September 2010.

Audio Document

Smith, Dia Adhikari (2023). Australia's new plan for cheaper EVs. ABC News Daily Podcasts.

Video Document

Adhikari Smith, Dia and Heywood, Abigail (2022). UQ/Lendlease Partnership Project: Decarbonising Construction Sites.

Research Reports

Heywood, Abigail, Wensley, Nicholas, Thow, Nick, Austin, Ann, D’Angola, Donato and Adhikari Smith, Dia (2024). The electric edge: energy, emissions and cost benefits of electric concrete pumping. c Barangaroo, NSW, Australia: Lendlease.
Adhikari Smith, Dia and Hickman, Mark (2023). Opportunities to Decarbonise Queensland’s Road Freight Task: developing a strategic roadmap to a smooth transition to low and zero emission technologies. Transport Academic Partnership (TAP) Project: Opportunities to decarbonise Queensland’s road freight task Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland.
Adhikari Smith, Dia, Whitehead, Jake and Hickman, Mark (2022). Planning a Transition to Low and Zero Emission Construction Machinery. Brisbane, QLD Australia: The University of Queensland. doi: 10.14264/93110de
Adhikari Smith, Dia, Whitehead, Jake and Hickman, Mark (2021). A feasibility assessment of transitioning to low or zero emission truck technologies in Queensland. Transport Academic Partnership (TAP) Project: Opportunities to decarbonise Queensland’s road freight task Brisbane, QLD, Australia: The University of Queensland.