This is an issue for motors in industrial use, and also for consumer products such as electric vehicles and refrigerators. Better speed control for a vehicle would optimize performance, while a refrigerator could be quieter and more efficient and maintain its temperature at a more precise and constant level. Like his research, Sullivan's teaching benefits from an interdisciplinary approach. He frequently uses analogies from mechanical systems or fluid dynamics to help explain electrical circuits. He also believes in the importance of education outside of engineering.
Successful engineering requires understanding of how and why things are going to be used.
That requires knowledge about economics, psychology, and the environment. When I worked as an engineer I had to do a lot of things I never learned about in school. In the future, Sullivan would like to become more involved with research and teaching on environmental impacts related to energy use. There are a lot of different possibilities for courses I could teach. I'm not sure exactly what they will be, but I definitely want to get involved with teaching in that area.