Dr. Elina Spyrou

Biography

Elina Spyrou is a Leverhulme Assistant Professor in the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Imperial College London, where she joined in January 2023. Her research focuses on power system transformation, aiming to provide evidence-based methods to support complex decision-making in the electric sector. These decisions often involve a high degree of complexity and uncertainty, incorporating multiple objectives and perspectives. Her work applies engineering-economic optimization models to capture key aspects of decision context and demonstrate the effects of alternative decisions. Prior to her appointment at Imperial, Elina was a research engineer at the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, where she concentrated on developing risk management products for electricity markets and integrating renewable resources into power system operations. Elina earned her PhD in Geography and Environmental Engineering from Johns Hopkins University in 2019, where her doctoral research on power system planning in fragile areas was featured on the cover of Nature Energy in April 2019. Her research has been supported by initiatives such as the ARPA-E project, DOE programs, and an Onassis Foundation scholarship. Elina also holds an MSc in Environmental Science and Policy from Johns Hopkins University (2016) and a Diploma in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the National Technical University of Athens (2012).

Research Interests