Experience
Professional
Research Scientist | GE Aerospace Research | Oct 2022 – Present | Niskayuna, NY
- Develop advanced ceramic materials for commercial aircraft engines
- Investigate environmental deposit effects on component durability
- Apply materials characterization to understand degradation mechanisms
Ph.D. Candidate | University of Minnesota | Sep 2017 – Nov 2022 | Minneapolis, MN
- Designed ceramic T/EBCs for jet engine and gas turbine applications
- Investigated thermodynamic phase equilibria in coating degradation
- Employed SEM, EDS, EPMA, and high-temperature in-situ XRD
- First student in Poerschke Lab; helped establish infrastructure
Summer Trainee | Bharat Petroleum | May – Jun 2016 | Mumbai
- Optimized Naphtha Hydro-Treatment plant operations
Teaching
Transport Phenomena (ChEn 3005) | Fall 2021 Received “Thank a Teacher” certificate from UMN Center for Educational Innovation
Ceramics (MATS 4212) | Fall 2020 Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award
Chemical Engineering Lab I (CHEN 3401W) | Spring 2018
Leadership & Service
DEI Graduate Coordinator | CEMS Department, UMN | 2020–2021 Worked on climate and retention for marginalized communities
Chair, Analysis & Compliance Committee | UMN Joint Safety Team | 2020–2021 Organized safety walkthroughs; designed hazard class rubrics
Lab Safety Officer | Poerschke Lab | 2018–2021 Ensured compliance; wrote SOPs; liaison with University safety
IGNITE MSE Workshop Organizer | American Ceramic Society | 2023–2024 Organized workshops at ICACC and MS&T conferences
Education
Ph.D. Chemical Engineering | University of Minnesota | 2017–2022 Advisor: Dr. David Poerschke
B.Tech. Chemical Engineering | Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai | 2013–2017
Awards
| Year | Award |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Morgan Medal — American Ceramic Society |
| 2024 | Global Distinguished Doctoral Dissertation Award — ACerS |
| 2021 | GEMS Diamond Award — ACerS Basic Science Division |
| 2021 | Best Poster Award — ECI T/EBC VI Conference |
| 2020 | Outstanding Teaching Assistant — University of Minnesota |
| — | JRD Tata Scholarship — Academic excellence |
| — | Best Student of Penultimate Year — ICT Mumbai |
| — | Technical Paper Presentation Winner — ICT Mumbai |
| — | Narotam Sekhsaria Foundation PG Scholarship |