Eigenergy Group
The Eigenergy Group is a new research group led by Samuel Talkington, starting Fall 2027 in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan. We study the next generation of computational tools for operating and planning the electric power grid. See what we're already building on GitHub.
Every student is unique, but these are some general indicators that we might be a good fit to work together:
you are interested in making power flow algorithms more efficient, reliable, secure, and beneficial to society;
you believe everyone around you has something to teach you;
you find satisfaction in connecting ideas across disciplines.
What to expect from me
As your advisor, I am solely interested in supporting your intellectual and professional goals. For a PhD student, that usually means conducting meaningful research, discovering your own independent vision for your career, and finding a job that you're excited about. I look forward to working as hard as I can to support each of my students.
Michigan offers one of the premier power and energy programs in the United States, with a cohort of brilliant peers at the Institute for Energy Solutions (IES). I encourage my students to consider the option of being co-advised by other mentors in addition to me. As a new faculty member, I want to make sure that every student has access to the mentorship they need to thrive.
Before you apply
The best way to express interest in working together is the U-M ECE PhD application. Please write authentically about who you are, what you are passionate about, and the experiences that inform your goals.
You are always welcome to email me at talks@umich.edu. I read everything and I will do my best to respond if I am able. While I cannot promise a reply, there is no downside to emailing me. You should still apply to Michigan even if I can't reply.
Optional Fellowships
PhD students in Michigan ECE are fully funded. Therefore, neither holding a fellowship nor being eligible for one has any bearing on whether we can work together. That said, fellowships can have a lot of benefits for you whether or not we work together.
Most fellowship applications will be due this fall, around the same time you apply to graduate school. If you are eligible, I encourage you to consider applying. Below are some programs that, to the best of my knowledge, you can apply for before starting your PhD:
US Citizens and Permanent Residents
International Students
Quad Fellowship, for citizens of Australia, India, Japan, and the ten ASEAN member states
Many countries also fund their own citizens for graduate study abroad, and those programs are often the largest source of support available to you. If you know of a fellowship that should be listed here, please email me so I can add it.
Once you are here, eligible students should also consider the IES Graduate Student Fellowship Program.
If you are preparing a fellowship application with me in mind, please feel free to email me.