ASPIRE Student Highlight: Jackson Morgan

Meet Jackson Morgan, the Student Making EV Charging Smarter 

Student researchers are driving our electrification efforts forward. Through innovative projects and collaborations with ASPIRE’s industry partners across the state, these future engineers are gaining hands-on experience that transforms research into real-world solutions. Their work reaches beyond the classroom into multiple industries, preparing the next generation of energy leaders to shape a smarter energy future. 

One such expert-in-the-making is Jackson Morgan, a doctoral candidate in electrical engineering at Utah State University. He first began his work at the NSF funded ASPIRE Research Center in 2020, after completing his undergraduate degree as the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department’s Most Outstanding Senior. 

Optimizing EV Charging

In the ASPIRE lab, Morgan develops software for smart charge management of electric vehicles (EVs) to optimize energy use and reduce charging costs. Ultimately, his research aims to increase EV adoption by ensuring that EV charging is more efficient and affordable, starting with when and where charging happens.  

Choreographing when and where EVs charge to cut expenses​​ is a focus for researchers and engineers worldwide, including those at Utah State University. A recent study co-authored by Morgan with Professors of Computer and Electrical Engineering Hongjie Wang and Regan Zane, finds that this kind of energy “optimization framework … is shown to be effective at reducing costs of EV charging while respecting power limits.” 

Morgan plays a key role in developing that optimization framework.

“I’ve come up with an optimizer that takes EV charging demand information — when people plug in, when they unplug, what energy they need — and decides when that charging takes place so we can take advantage of cheap, low-emission energy,” he explains. 

To help lower charging costs, this optimizer coordinates when energy is used to reduce peak power consumption. By better utilizing energy resources, Morgan hopes that his research will result in more EVs on the road.  

“My goal is to improve electric vehicle deployment by reducing costs,” he says. “If we can reduce the cost of charging, that will enable higher EV adoption than we have today.” 

From the Lab to the Grid

The doctoral candidate’s research goes beyond the lab and is already making a real contribution to Utah’s electrification efforts. He has worked with Rocky Mountain Power (RMP) — one of ASPIRE’s Industry & Innovation Board members and a utility partner in the Utah Electrification Initiative — on several projects using his energy optimization software. One of these projects, Connect Communities, is now being tested at multiple sites across Utah. The initiative focuses on timing energy use across Utah’s grid to improve efficiency and keep operating costs down statewide. 

“Like us at ASPIRE, Rocky Mountain Power is very interested in reducing costs for electric vehicle charging,” Morgan says, “Their job is to provide electricity service to all customers across Utah. If we can find ways to use electric vehicles to reduce the total cost of operating the electric system, that provides benefits to not just EV owners, but to all electricity customers across the state.” 

Morgan isn’t trying to reinvent Utah’s “electric wheel;” rather, he’s working hard to make existing infrastructure turn more smoothly and efficiently — all in the name of keeping prices down. 

“We’re trying to better use the things we’ve already built,” he adds. “If we can optimize what we have, we don’t have to pay for expensive upgrades to the grid.” 

Turning Theory Into Real-World Impact 

The work with ASPIRE and RMP is ambitious, but Morgan sees it all as a natural extension of his education. 

“In the classroom, you learn the theory — the math behind electricity and economics,” he says. “In the lab, you see how that theory gets applied to real-world problems, with real-world stakeholders.” 

The combination of research and industry partnerships has given Morgan hands-on experience that prepares him for a career in energy innovation. Work like his is helping shape an electric power system that remains efficient and cost-effective as Utah moves toward an electrified future. 

For students interested in getting involved at ASPIRE, reach out to Melanie Conrad, ASPIRE’s student engagement coordinator.

About ASPIRE & Utah Electrification:  

Headquartered at Utah State University, ASPIRE is a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center. ASPIRE has demonstrated expertise in developing, implementing, and managing a range of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure projects and fostering strong partnerships across the EV charging ecosystem. The center integrates multidisciplinary expertise across electrical, civil, and mechanical engineering, as well as economics, social sciences, and policy. In 2023, ASPIRE was designated the lead institution in building Utah’s Intelligent Electrified Transportation Plan. More information on the center can be found at aspire.usu.edu, and more on Utah’s electrification efforts can be found at utahelectrification.com. 

Contacts: 

Melanie Conrad 
Student Engagement Coordinator
ASPIRE ERC 

Writer: 

Hunter Peterson
Writing Assistant
ASPIRE ERC