What I Do I have two roles. As an Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives, I support the Dean in engaging all departments in the Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science to build cross-disciplinary synergies in serving students and the community through improved organizational structures that enable faculty to transfer their contemporary research to current and future workforce needs. My motivation in doing this is to break down barriers to transforming the economic pathway for people. Engineering was that path for me and I am aware how unlikely it was for me to become one, were it not for a proactive mum, encouraging family, faculty and community mentors. I concurrently teach mechanics and lightweight structures and love to incorporate new options for sustainable solutions that can ensure functionality with low carbon footprint.
Why Engineering? I would answer this by saying I went into Engineering at the suggestion of my mother but REMAINED in engineering because I found that it brought together creativity with a quantifiable advantage. I would look at roofs and trusses and bridges completely differently after my first semester which had a course - STATICS.
School Days I did my undergraduate in Pune a city near Bombay (Mumbai, India). I did a senior project with an industry developing a biorenewable composite together with the National Chemical Laboratory. That led me to research as a career and I went to Auburn Alabama where my admission to mechanical engineering was associated with a new materials program. I wanted to do mechanical engineering with a focus and so went to Texas A&M to do my doctorate.
My Day At Work I love the relational aspect of my worklife. Everyday I have an opportunity to make an impact for the improvement of someone else's life through either an educational experience or a conversation. Making sure that people know they matter, reducing the self doubt that plagues us all through guided learning experiences, empowering independence, sharing the ups and downs that accompanies taking on new directions in design and engineering solutions. I truly enjoy my day at work!
Best Part Teaching, exploring, revisiting a fundamental equation, innovation and all paired to other people is simply wonderful.
Proud Moments Well, picking a tenure track career is an important aspect of what I am happy I did. There was significant pressure for me to pick a lecturer track from my personal life and I am happy I took the more challenging route but even happier I pulled it off. Each time I figure out a way to motivate someone to learn and they get that publication or presentation or problem solved is a moment of joy.
Challenges Being effective with my time and moving areas of great passion to priority two is a challenge. But I have learnt that to be effective and impactful, do my exercise and prayer outside of work, have healthy relationships, one must.
My Family I have two adult children and a spouse. We are all engineers. We share a love for travel, cooking together, learning new things.
Dreams and Goals My dream is to develop fast fabrication technologies and practice it on eliminating slums that plague many countries. My skills are in materials but when I meet a construction professional, I have great joy. Goals wise, I look forward to building a low cost system that enables people to attain knowledge without roadblocks beyond their own commitment of time.
Inspiration My mother, who while someone who never finished college, was an amazing success in the family + work balance. It has now become clear to me that she embraced the group mentoring approach and engaged my godfather uncle to process my initial desire to be a writer of fiction to transforming me into an engineer through insightful reasoning. A Dad of a friend who said "Communicate with technical language and assurance so that people buy into the depth of what you are saying". Places like EngineerGirl! have influenced me a lot. I like listening to people who have done and surmounted what appear as challenges to me. In summary I seek my heroes in daily interactions and appreciate the humanness of personal stories.
Want to be an Engineer? Explore engineering beyond any of the stereotypical ways it is described. Areas such as robotics, materials, biomedical, environmental put engineering in a new light. That being said, I am partial to doing core areas such as mechanical, electrical, civil and chemical as undergraduate degrees and doing electives and senior projects in what may be the buzzword of the day.
Additional Thoughts Problem solving is a very positive aspect of my work. I enjoy mulling over what solutions are possible and honing in on one.
Hobbies Hmm. I love reading. I typically unwind after a major deadline with a book. I am very fortunate that the "staff choices" at my local public library are so wonderful because I tend to pick a few and have been enjoying them. I love exploring new music and cooking something I am unfamiliar with. I share music and cooking with my kids. I love to exercise and this seems to be a key to keeping my energy up to what needs to get done.