Resources
Through my PhD and now as a postdoc, establishing the right approach to optimize one’s research abilities is key to becoming not only a productive researcher but a curious one. I have therefore created this page for fellow researchers—students and faculty alike—to share tools and practices that have helped me develop an effective research environment. I hope that you find the resources herein helpful with your research.
Manuscript Templates
Below are two ready-to-use LaTeX manuscript templates I refined while writing my own papers—one for each journal. Each set contains the main root.tex, the package preamble, my custom macro file, a references.bib, and (for the IEEE set) the required class and style files. Every template is annotated and ships with the actual arXiv paper that was typeset with it, so you can see the rendered output before adopting it.
IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control (TAC)Template 1 of 2
Includes:
root.tex, preamble.tex, preamble_mkazma.tex, references.bib, ieeecolor.cls, lcsys.sty.Automatica (Elsevier)Template 2 of 2
Includes:
root.tex, preamble_eslvier.tex, preamble_els_mkazma.tex, references.bib.Guides
Setting Up a Local LaTeX Workflow: MacTeX + TeXstudio (macOS)
Tools & Resources
Simulation & Domain-Specific Tools
- EPANET — Industry-standard hydraulic and water quality simulation software for water distribution systems.
- WNTR — Water Network Tool for Resilience. Python package for simulating and analyzing water distribution networks (developed by NIST/EPA).
- Cantera — Open-source suite for chemical kinetics, thermodynamics, and transport processes.
- MATPOWER 8.1 — MATLAB/Octave package for power flow and optimal power flow analysis of power networks.
- PowerWorld — Power system simulation and visualization tool; useful for large-scale power grid analysis.
- TRNSYS — Transient system simulation software for building energy and thermal systems modeling.
- QGIS — Free and open-source geographic information system for spatial analysis of infrastructure networks.
Optimization Solvers & Interfaces
- CVXPY — Python-embedded domain-specific language for convex optimization.
- Gurobi — High-performance mathematical programming solver (free for academics). Handles LP, MIP, QP, and more.
- CPLEX — IBM’s optimization solver for linear, mixed-integer, and quadratic programs (free for academics).
- YALMIP — MATLAB toolbox for modeling and solving optimization problems; integrates with Gurobi, CPLEX, SeDuMi, and others.
- CVX — MATLAB-based disciplined convex programming system; pairs well with YALMIP for rapid prototyping.
Scientific Computing & Programming
- SciPy — Python scientific computing library, including sparse linear algebra, ODE solvers, and signal processing.
- NetworkX — Python library for graph and network analysis. Useful for working with infrastructure topology.
- Julia — High-performance dynamic programming language for numerical and scientific computing.
- TensorFlow / PyTorch — Deep learning frameworks; useful for data-driven modeling of dynamical systems.
- Scikit-learn — Python machine learning library for classification, regression, and clustering.
Writing & Reference Management
- MacTeX 2026 — The standard full TeX/LaTeX distribution for macOS, maintained by the TeX Users Group.
- TeXstudio — Feature-rich, cross-platform LaTeX editor with integrated PDF preview, auto-completion, and error highlighting.
- Mendeley — Free reference manager and academic social network. Syncs across devices, generates BibTeX exports, and integrates with Word and LibreOffice.
- TikZ/PGF — Essential LaTeX package for creating publication-quality figures, diagrams, and plots directly in your TeX documents.
- LaTeX Color — Comprehensive color reference for LaTeX; very handy for choosing colors in TikZ figures and papers.
Datasets & Benchmark Networks
- EPANET Example Networks — Benchmark water distribution network models (Net1, Net2, Net3, etc.) widely used in the water research community.
- WNTR Benchmark Networks — Additional network models bundled with WNTR, including the BWSN challenge networks.
- MATPOWER Documentation — Official documentation for MATPOWER 8.1, including user’s manual, technical notes, and case format reference.
- TAMU Electric Grid Test Cases — Large-scale synthetic power grid test cases from Texas A&M, including the ACTIVSg200 and other benchmark networks.
- Power Systems Test Case Archive (UWEE) — Classic repository of power systems test cases from the University of Washington.
Recommended Reading
Textbooks and monographs I keep returning to; most of them are cited in my papers. Links point to free editions where the authors provide them.
Control Theory & Dynamical Systems
- Nonlinear Systems — Hassan K. Khalil
- Linear Systems — Thomas Kailath
- Linear System Theory and Design — Chi-Tsong Chen
- Feedback Systems — Åström & Murray
- Set-Theoretic Methods in Control — Blanchini & Miani
- Safe Autonomy with Control Barrier Functions — Xiao, Cassandras & Belta
- Lyapunov Exponents: A Tool to Explore Complex Dynamics — Pikovsky & Politi
- Lyapunov Exponents — Luis Barreira
- Dynamical Systems: Differential Equations, Maps and Chaotic Behaviour — Arrowsmith & Place
- Ordinary Differential Equations and Dynamical Systems — Gerald Teschl
- Data-Driven Science and Engineering — Brunton & Kutz
- Underactuated Robotics — Russ Tedrake, MIT
Differential-Algebraic Equations & Numerical Methods
- Differential-Algebraic Equations: Analysis and Numerical Solution — Kunkel & Mehrmann
- Numerical Solution of Initial-Value Problems in Differential-Algebraic Equations — Brenan, Campbell & Petzold
- Analysis and Design of Descriptor Linear Systems — Guang-Ren Duan
- Singular Control Systems — Liyi Dai
- Solving Ordinary Differential Equations II: Stiff and Differential-Algebraic Problems — Hairer & Wanner
- A First Course in the Numerical Analysis of Differential Equations — Arieh Iserles
- Numerical Solution of Ordinary Differential Equations — Atkinson, Han & Stewart
- Numerical Methods for Large Eigenvalue Problems — Yousef Saad
- The Implicit Function Theorem: History, Theory, and Applications — Krantz & Parks
Optimization
- Convex Optimization — Boyd & Vandenberghe
- Introduction to Applied Linear Algebra — Boyd & Vandenberghe
- Submodular Functions and Optimization — Satoru Fujishige
- Convex Analysis and Optimization with Submodular Functions: A Tutorial — Francis Bach
- Combinatorial Optimization: Polyhedra and Efficiency — Alexander Schrijver
- Convex Functions and Their Applications — Niculescu & Persson
- Understanding and Using Linear Programming — Matoušek & Gärtner
- Algorithms for Optimization — Kochenderfer & Wheeler
Linear Algebra, Matrices & Graphs
- Matrix Analysis — Horn & Johnson
- Topics in Random Matrix Theory — Terence Tao
- Algebraic Graph Theory — Godsil & Royle
- Matrices and Matroids for Systems Analysis — Kazuo Murota
- Introduction to Linear Algebra — Gilbert Strang
- The Matrix Cookbook — Petersen & Pedersen
- Mathematics for Machine Learning — Deisenroth, Faisal & Ong
- Learning with Kernels — Schölkopf & Smola
Power, Water & Environmental Systems
- Power System Coherency and Model Reduction — Joe H. Chow
- Computational Methods for Electric Power Systems — Mariesa L. Crow
- Advances in Power System Modelling, Control and Stability Analysis — Federico Milano (ed.)
- Water Distribution System Modeling and Management — Walski et al.
- Comprehensive Water Distribution Systems Analysis Handbook for Engineers and Planners — Boulos, Lansey & Karney
- Applied Hydraulic Transients — M. Hanif Chaudhry
- Fluid Transients in Systems — Wylie & Streeter
- Applied Hydrology — Chow, Maidment & Mays
- Energy Balance Climate Models — North & Kim
- Introduction to Climate Modeling — Thomas F. Stocker
- An Introduction to Combustion: Concepts and Applications — Stephen R. Turns