Dr. Ijaz A. Rauf Executive Director

Dr. Ijaz Rauf is an expert in the areas of nano-technology, thin films and nano-materials especially for their applications in solar cells and nano-biotechnologies based sensors and detectors. He obtained a Ph.D. in Physics from Cambridge University England. Ijaz started his career as a consultant for a small business, while working as a researcher and then professor at various universities in Canada and the USA. Eight years later he went to high-tech industry where he obtained his Six Sigma Master Black Belt certification. He has founded and co- founded three high-tech companies and is currently managing his own Six Sigma Consulting Company Eminent-Tech Corporation. Besides leading his business venture, he is also an Adjunct Professor at the department of Physics and Astronomy, York University and a Visiting Professor at the University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, Ghana. Following are his career highlights:

• 31 years of research and development experience – won several research grants, currently has two R&D grants from National Research Council Canada and one grant from FedDev Ontario to develop next generation green technologies.
• Credited with several patents, industrial designs, and processes invented during career, Author of 36 international scientific publications and featured in Science Magazine for his invention of “Zone-Confining Process”.
• International Experience leading operational improvement through the deployment of Six Sigma methodologies at PerkinElmer Optoelectronics for 20 different sites in 9 different countries, bringing in 8.5 million dollars in operational improvement savings within 2 years and at Direct Energy operations in UK and North America generating 6-million-dollar operational improvement related savings in one year.
• 15 Years’ cumulative experience in developing and delivering Six Sigma Training for adult learners. Trained and certified more than 1500 employees of various clients.
• Instrumental in the establishment of BS, MS, Post-Graduate Diploma and Ph.D. programs in Optoelectronics and Nano-Photonics at the COMSATS CIIT as a foreign faculty in 2004.
• 25 Years of green energy experience, expert in the areas of nanotechnology, thin-films and nano-materials especially for their applications in solar cells and nano-biotechnologies based sensors and detectors for point of care diagnostics.
• 10 years of entrepreneurship experience, founded two companies (Eminent Tech Corporation and SolarGrid Energy Inc.) and is the founding director and partner with Winsome Resources.
• 8 years’ experience in working with communities in Ontario to develop green energy projects and helped several community organizations win government grants for their green initiatives. For these contributions to community power development, he was nominated for Urban Community Power award in 2010.
• Served as appointed member of the Council for Ontario College of Teachers
• Serving as the member of Board of Directors for the Blue Hills Family Services
• Serving as the Panel Expert on International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)’s Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD).