Vijay Sood obtained a M.Sc. degree (Electrical Machines) from Strathclyde University, Glasgow and a Ph.D. (Power Electronics) from the University of Bradford, England in 1977. From 1969-76, he was employed at the Railway Technical Centre, Derby. In 1976, he immigrated to Canada and became a Researcher at IREQ (Hydro-Québec) in Montreal.

Dr. Sood is an expert in High Voltage DC and Flexible AC Transmission Systems and has worked on the modeling of HVDC power systems and their controllers for over 25 years. His research interests are in the monitoring, control and protection of power systems using artificial intelligence techniques. He has published over 70 articles and written two book chapters in this area. As an Adjunct Professor at Concordia University, Montreal, he has supervised over 14 post-graduate students and examined 17 Ph.D. candidates.

He is a Member of the Ordre des ingènieurs du Québec, a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) - USA, a member of IEE (UK) and a Fellow of the Engineering Institute of Canada (EIC). He was the recipient of the 1998 Outstanding Service Award from IEEE Canada, the 1999 Meritas Award from the Ordre des ingènieurs du Québec, IEEE Regional Activities Board Achievement Award for 2001, the IEEE Third Millennium Medal and the 2002 CP Railway Engineering Award from the EIC.

He served as the Managing Editor of the IEEE Canadian Review (a quarterly journal for IEEE Canada, see www.ieee.ca) from 1996-2005 and Director/Treasurer of IEEE Montreal Conferences Inc. He is Chair of the Technical Professional Development Committee of the EIC, and Co-Chair of the Canadian Conference on Electrical and Computer Engineering (CCECE'2003). He is also a Member of the IEEE Canadian Foundation (2002-07).

For his community-based activities, he received the civic award Ordre de Mérite de la Ville de Brossard in February 1997. (Brossard, located to the south of Montreal, is a city with a population of some 70,000).