Jeremy Michalek
Professor, Engineering and Public Policy, Mechanical Engineering
Jeremy J. Michalek is a professor of Mechanical Engineering, and Engineering and Public Policy. He is the founding director of the Design Decisions Laboratory, founding co-director of the Vehicle Electrification Group, and an active member of the Green Design Institute and the Center for Climate and Energy Decision Making. His research focuses on vehicle electrification (including technology, life cycle assessment, consumer behavior, and public policy), as well as design decision-making (including systems optimization, techno-economic analysis, and green design.
Michalek earned his B.S. from Carnegie Mellon (1999), and his M.S. (2001) and Ph.D. (2005) from the University of Michigan in mechanical engineering. He worked as a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Michigan before beginning his current faculty position at CMU.
Michalek teaches courses in design, product development, economic analysis, entrepreneurship, and optimization. His research has appeared in outlets such as the New York Times, and he has co-authored and presented policy briefs on Capitol Hill. He has earned awards including the ASME Design Automation Committee’s Best Paper Award, the International Journal on Research in Marketing’s Best Article Award, the George Tallman Ladd Research Award for outstanding research and professional accomplishments, the ASME Design Automation Outstanding Young Investigator Award, and the National Science Foundation CAREER Award. He is involved in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), The Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS), and the Transportation Research Board (TRB).
Impacts of Ridesourcing Services
Methods for Life Cycle Analyses of Low-Carbon Transportation Fuels
Vehicle Electrification
Electric Vehicle Benefits & Costs in the U.S.
Electric Vehicle Adoption Potential in the U.S.
Education
2005 Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan
2001 MS, Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan
1999 BS, Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University
Research Interests
- advanced vehicle systems
- air quality
- autonomous driving
- batteries
- clean power systems
- consumer behavior
- electric power systems
- energy
- energy systems
- engineered systems
- engineering and public policy
- environmental engineering
- environmental systems
- green design
- management science
- mechanical engineering
- natural gas engineering
- operations research
- optimization
- product design
- product strategy and innovation
- renewable energy
- sustainable engineering
- systems modeling
- technical innovation
- technology policy
- transportation systems
Media mentions
PolitiFact
Michalek comments on Trump’s claims about the electric car industry
MechE/EPP’s Jeremy Michalek comments on Trump’s claims about the electric car industry in PolitiFact. Trump says that the car industry will be leaving the United States, but Michalek believes this assertion is “substanceless.”
The Atlantic
Michalek discusses America’s shift to electric vehicles
MechE/EPP’s Jeremy Michalek talks to The Atlantic about America’s shift to electric vehicles. “Jobs at gasoline engine manufacturing plants will shift to jobs at electric motor and battery plants,” he says.
The Sacramento Bee
Michalek provides insight on nuances of fast-charging EV batteries
EPP/MechE’s Jeremy Michalek explains the feasibility of fast-charging batteries for electric vehicles (EVs).
Kiplinger
Michalek speaks on EV charger availability
EPP/MechE’s Jeremy Michalek commented on plans to increase the availability of electric vehicle (EV) chargers next year.
CMU Engineering
How sustainable is online grocery delivery?
Researchers investigated the impacts of online grocery delivery on energy use, emissions, and traffic congestion.
MIT Technology Review
Michalek quoted in MIT Technology Review
EPP/MechE’s Jeremy Michalek quoted in MIT Technology Review on battery-swapping programs for EVs.
CMU Engineering
Tech advances will drive the transition to electric vehicles
Researchers found that advances in EV technology will likely bring significant growth to the market, relative to gasoline powered automobiles.
PolitiFact
Michalek quoted on electric vehicle tax credit
EPP/MechE’s Jeremy Michalek spoke to PolitiFact about a recently announced tax credit for electric vehicle purchases. Michalek says that conditions to receive the $7,500—including that the model must have been assembled in North America—are ways to promote greater EV production in the US and its trading partners.
PolitiFact
Michalek quoted on electric vehicle charging needs
EPP/MechE’s Jeremy Michalek was quoted in PolitiFact about potential charging accommodations for when more electric vehicles are on the road in the United States. “We’re going to need a lot more high-speed chargers on highway corridors that are underutilized most of the year if we want to avoid long queues as people wait to charge on peak travel days,” Michalek said.
The Atlantic
Michalek talks reality of owning an electric vehicle with The Atlantic
EPP/MechE’s Jeremy Michalek talks to The Atlantic about the reality of owning an electric vehicle – the cost of vehicles with higher MPG, the scarcity of charging stations, and the status display associated with owning an EV.
Financial Times
Michalek talks implications of ridesourcing apps like Uber and Lyft
MechE/EPP’s Jeremy Michalek talks about his research on transportation network companies (TNCs) and the economic, environmental, and social implications they have.
Popular Science
Michalek quoted in Popular Science
EPP/MechE’s Jeremy Michalek tells Popular Science that EV charging needs to adapt depending on travel.