I graduated recently from the University of Kansas with a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering that focuses on the life cycle analysis of renewable alternative fuels such as biodiesel, waste plastic fuel, and dimethyl ether to assess their environmental footprint and sustainability. My doctoral efforts also involved the combustion performance and emissions testing of these fuels in a single-cylinder compression-ignition engine of a high compression ratio. I am adept at single-fuel and dual-fuel internal combustion engine research and I have experience in blended-fuel combustion research. The final phase of my doctoral efforts involved the development of a first-of-its-kind zero-dimensional internal combustion engine model in MATLAB to simulate dual-fuel combustion of a port-fuel injected gaseous fuel and conventionally injected liquid fuel (ultra-low sulfur diesel and biodiesel) in the pursuit of understanding the underlying reaction kinetics. The overall outcome of the doctoral efforts indicates that renewable alternative fuels are sustainable and will play an important role in shaping the energy landscape in the future. Specifically, biodiesel production from renewable sources such as waste cooking oil and soybeans will help in offsetting fossil fuel use while also potentially minimizing waste. Integrated biorefineries for waste glycerol valorization can further economize the biodiesel production process while making the entire pathway more sustainable.

As part of a NASA project at the University of Kansas, I have also conducted high-quality research on the feasibility of methane and oxygen production on Mars from its atmosphere and icy regolith. A MATLAB-based thermodynamics model was employed for this purpose and the model inputs were selected from the available literature. The final results indicate that the desired goals can be met within NASA's deadline of 16 months.

In addition, I am well-versed in the fundamentals of battery electric vehicle technologies and I have been involved in the modeling and design of battery electric vehicles including the selection of battery chemistries, management systems, and the EV powertrain.

Core Competencies

    • Life cycle assessment

    • Reverse-engineering concepts

    • Analytical problem solving

    • Product design & development

    • Effective communication

    • Engine experimentation

    • Engine modeling in GT-Power

    • Electric vehicle modeling

    • Combustion modeling

    • MATLAB programming


    • Applied research

    • Creative thinking

    • CFD modeling

    • Python, Mathcad, R

    • Team-spirited

Hobbies

In my free time, I love to:

  • spend time with family,

  • catch up with friends,

  • cook, and

  • travel (life's too short, must go see places!).