Current Postdoctoral Researchers
DR. BALASUBRAMANIAN “BALA” SAMBASIVAM
Postdoctoral Researcher, Operations Research and Industrial Engineering and UT Energy Institute
Previous Degrees:
PhD, Energy Transitions and Energy System Modeling, Indian Institute of Science
MSc, Global Production Engineering (major: Renewable Energy Technology), Technical University of Berlin
BTech, Mechatronics, SASTRA University
Research Areas: micro-to-macro systems modeling, energy systems, energy transitions, electricity resilience
Co-Supervisor: Dr. John Hasenbein
Publications:
• Characterising electricity demand through load curve clustering: A case of Karnataka electricity system in India (Computers & Chemical Engineering)
• Effectiveness of demand response in achieving supply-demand matching in a renewables dominated electricity system: A modelling approach (Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews)
Honors, Awards, and Experiences:
• Now part of the UT Energy Institute’s Micro-to-Macro (m2M) Systems Modeling Initiative
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2020-21
Current Students
Current PhD Students
CONNOR COLOMBE
PhD Student, Operations Research and Industrial Engineering
Previous Degrees:
MS, Computer Science, UT Dallas
BS, Physics and Mathematics, Harvey Mudd
Research Areas: carbon capture, utilization, and storage; energy policy; network optimization
Honors, Awards, and Experiences:
• President, UT Austin student chapter of INFORMS, 2021-22
DONGHAO LIU
PhD Student, Operations Research and Industrial Engineering
Previous Degrees:
BEng, Computer Science and Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology
Research Areas: optimization, investment under uncertainty, oil and gas
Co-Supervisor: Dr. Jonathan Bard
Honors, Awards, and Experiences:
• Intern in Intelligent City Department, Baidu, 2020-21
• Summer Research Program, University of Colorado Boulder, 2019
• Science and Engineering Summer School, University of Manchester, 2018
LE (HELEN) LU
PhD Student, Operations Research and Industrial Engineering
Previous Degrees:
MS, Operations Research, Georgia Tech
BEng, Systems Engineering and Engineering Management, Chinese University of Hong Kong
Research Areas: energy system modeling, network optimization, infrastructure resilience
Publications:
• The role of U.S.-Canada electricity trade in North American decarbonization pathways (Energy Strategy Reviews)
Honors, Awards, and Experiences:
• Professional Development Chair, UT Austin student chapter of INFORMS, 2020-21
• Graduate Intern, Power Sector Modeling and Economic Analysis, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Summer 2021
KATRINA MAYNOR
PhD Student, Operations Research and Industrial Engineering
Previous Degrees:
BS, Mechanical Engineering (minor in Business), Texas A&M
Research Areas: decision analysis, risk analysis, offshore wind
Co-Supervisor: Dr. Eric Bickel
Honors, Awards, and Experiences:
• Fellow, INFEWS NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Program
• President, UT Austin student chapter of INFORMS, 2022-23
• Public Relations Director, UT Austin Graduate Engineering Council, 2021-Present
• Business Consultant, Vitae Springs Vineyard, 2019-21
• Consulting Senior Analyst, Accenture, 2017-19
RACHEL MOGLEN
PhD Student, Operations Research and Industrial Engineering
Previous Degrees:
MS, Mechanical Engineering, University of Maryland
BS, Civil Engineering, University of Maryland
Research Areas: infrastructure resilience, network optimization, energy-water nexus, natural disasters
Publications:
• Using Cluster Analysis and Dynamic Programming for Demand Response Applied to Electricity Load in Residential Homes (ASME Journal of Engineering for Sustainable Buildings and Cities)
• Optimal thermostatically-controlled residential demand response for retail electric providers (Energy Systems)
• Consequences of Changes to the NRCS Rainfall-Runoff Relations on Hydrologic Design (Journal of Hydrologic Engineering)
Honors, Awards, and Experiences:
• Fellow, INFEWS NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Program
• Student Fellow, Macro-Energy Systems Community
• President, UT Austin student chapter of INFORMS, 2020-21
• Graduate Student Intern, Energy & Water, Sandia National Laboratories, Summers 2020 and 2021
Current Undergraduate Students
BENJAMIN R. MENDOZA
BS Student, Mechanical Engineering
Research Areas: carbon capture, utilization, and storage; energy policy; network optimization
Background and Experiences:
• Mechanical Intern, BNSF Railway, Summer 2021
• Current third-year student in Mechanical Engineering
• From Fort Worth, TX
Alumni
PhD Graduates
May 2022
May 2022
Co-Supervisor: Jonathan Bard
Aug. 2021
May 2021
Co-Supervisor: Jonathan Bard
May 2021
May 2021
Co-Supervisor: J. Eric Bickel
Aug. 2020
Co-Supervisor: Michael Webber
May 2020
Current Position: Senior Consultant, FTI Consulting
Dec. 2018
Co-Supervisor: Derek Haas
Current Position: R&D Associate, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
MS Graduates
May 2022
May 2021
Dec. 2020
Co-Supervisor: Kevin Clarno
May 2020
Co-Supervisor: Michael Webber
May 2018
May 2018
Co-Supervisor: Susan Hovorka
Dec. 2017