About me

Hello! I am a Ph.D. student in the Social and Engineering Systems program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), advised by Jessika E. Trancik. I research how to decarbonize energy systems using modeling and analysis.

I previously graduated from MIT with an M.Eng and B.S. in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering and minor in Energy Studies, and have also worked at places like NRL, BCG, and Microsoft.

Outside of research, you can find me reading 📖🛸🧙‍♀️, staying active 🏃🏻‍♀️🏋🏻‍♀️🚴🏻‍♀️, listening to/making music 🎧🎹🎤, traveling 🌏🌍🌎, and/or making and eating interesting types of food 👩🏻‍🍳🥘.

Research

My research aims to guide and accelerate the development of energy systems that equitably provide clean, reliable, and affordable energy. I seek to inform engineers, planners, investors, and policymakers in ways that are robust to the many uncertainties surrounding the energy transition. My research draws on multiple toolkits across the formal, engineering, and social sciences, including system analysis, optimization, statistics, and economics.

My Ph.D. research investigates how to design reliable, cost-effective energy systems and technologies that utilize variable solar and wind resources. I have also worked on industrial decarbonization and incentivizing flexible electricity demand.

Publications (* = co-first author; lead authorship works listed first)

1. Hwang, S. Y. S.*; Ziegler, M. S.*; Trancik, J. E. Infrastructure-Defining Lows in Wind and Solar Energy Resources and Their Implications for Decarbonization Solutions. In review; preprint on SSRN. May 6, 2025.

2. Hwang, S.Y.S.; Kim, B.; Trancik, J.E. Distinct roles of energy storage and transmission for balancing resource variability in power systems across renewables penetrations. In preparation.

3. Gschwendtner, C.*; Hwang, S.Y.S.*; Trancik, J.E. Operational requirements and system value of industrial demand-side management as a replacement for physical electricity storage. In preparation.

4. Hwang, S.Y.S; Gao, X.; Kohl, M.; Ziegler, M.S.; Trancik, J.E.; O’Gorman, P.A. Meteorology of low solar and wind energy periods in the United States: predictability and implications for planning energy systems. In preparation.

5. Ziegler, M. S.; Khurram, A.; Hwang, S. Y. S.; Roy, M.; Trancik, J. E. Dynamics of excess renewables energy and implications for its potential use. Joule (forthcoming).

6. Miskiw, K. K.; Alahmed, A. S.; Hwang, S. Y. S.; Botterud, A.; Staudt, P. Comparative Evaluation of Distribution Grid Congestion Management Mechanisms. In review; preprint on SSRN. May 5, 2026.

7. Khurram, A.; Ziegler, M. S.; Wu, K. S.; Roy, M.; Hwang, S. Y. S.; Trancik, J. E. Reducing the Costs of Producing Hydrogen from Variable Renewable Energy. In review; preprint on SSRN. December 23, 2025.

8. Wikoff, H. M.; Garfield, D.; Hwang, S.; Ribo, M. M.; Ruth, M.; Reese, S. B. Benchmarking Thermal Energy Storage Cost for Industrial Process Heat. Applied Energy 2025, 402, 126873. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2025.126873

9. Garfield, D. J.; Jadun, P. N.; Hwang, S.; O’Malley, M.; Ruth, M. F. Opportunities for Industry to Provide Flexibility While Increasing Profitability; National Renewable Energy Laboratory Technical Report, Golden, CO (United States), 2021.

Teaching

I have been a teaching assistant for the following courses at MIT:

1. Introduction to CS and Programming using Python / Introduction to Computational Thinking and Data Science (6.0001/2), Fall 2022

2. Energy Systems and Climate Change Mitigation (IDS.521), Spring 2021

I have also guest lectured in Mapping and Evaluating New Energy Technologies (IDS.522).