Amal Bhaskaran

From my early childhood to today, the main idea that directed me and my professional career has been the idea of humans in space. Even when I was in high school, I would pester my teachers with my ideas on how we could improve our current technology and realize my dreams of living in a space colony. As I learned more about this topic, I realized there are some critical areas in the industry that hold us back; this is when I discovered my passion for engineering. By networking through organizations relating to space exploration and different engineering industries, I got a chance to learn about cutting-edge technology and grow my knowledge. This passion made me participate in many events that helped showcase my skills like the Indian National Science Congress and NASA’s RASCAL program. 

While working on these projects, I have been able to build my personal skills like leadership, teamwork, risk management, communication, and many others. Today, my passion has taken me to become a co-author for two publications in the International Aeronautical Federation on nuclear energy for space colonization and nuclear thermal rockets using thorium fuel. The opportunities that I received with these papers and the ability to design and model different systems to create frameworks for operations and management beyond Earth have created new skills and helped me play a part in the foundation of a new era of space exploration. Along the way, I have grown more interested in various other engineering topics and found that I loved looking at things from a systems perspective. With this, I decided that I want to become more of a jack of all trades and utilize systems engineering principles to achieve my dreams, to cement this new path in my career I joined Cornell University in their prestigious Master of Engineering program for Systems Engineering. I can not wait to see what the future holds for me.

Do not hesitate to contact me; I always welcome conversations on any topic.

Throughout my previous roles, such as the Mechanical and Energy Engineering Intern at the Industrial Assessment Center and Energy Engineering Lab Technician, I have acquired a wide array of technical skills, including HVAC system analysis, process analysis, energy efficiency, thermal systems, fluid flow systems, heat and mass transfer, and hydrogen systems. Moreover, my involvement in co-authoring a research paper on "Ultra-Safe Nuclear Thermal Rockets Using Lunar Derived Fuel" provided me with experience in CAD, technical writing, and critical thinking. In addition, my participation in relevant projects such as the Langsdale Solar Power Project and INCOSE Projects director allowed me to gain practical experience in energy accounting, financial analysis, systems architecture, systems modeling, and product life cycle concepts.

These experiences have enabled me to become proficient in project management, engineering, and technical oversight. As an individual, I believe strongly in continuous improvement in both my personal and professional life, which has fostered a curious attitude toward problem-solving and the ability to excel in stressful situations. My personal values of respect, honesty, and determination ensure that I am not only a candidate with strong technical skills but also one with excellent soft skills, as evidenced by my experiences as an international mentor, tutor, and M.Eng ambassador.

I have attained a Master of Engineering in Systems Engineering from Cornell University with a specialization in design and development. I have built my coursework in a manner to develop the skills necessary to be able to develop a product from its pre-conceptualization phase using emotional or field data to post-launch services and maintenance. I also took the opportunity to familiarize myself and learn big data analytics using machine learning, process optimization, and project management and have attained the following certification: Six Sigma Blackbelt Level II and Associate Systems Engineering Professional (ASEP) from INCOSE. My undergraduate degree from Purdue University (Indianapolis) is a Bachelor of Science in Energy Engineering, this coursework is a multidisciplinary program that combines mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and renewable systems engineering. Through my undergraduate degree, I have focused on energy auditing, energy systems optimization, and energy accounting.