It is never easy to pursue a career in Aerospace Engineering, and the bar gets higher when you are a professional athlete (International Karateka) who is also running a dojo (karate training center).
Pooja Shri Shetty, our next pathbreaker, Lead Engineer – Emerging Technology at GE Aerospace, works on cutting edge technologies to deliver more fuel efficient, sustainable, quieter and robust engines that are carbon neutral with low NOx emissions.
Pooja talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about juggling her professional career in Aerospace with a career in sports, representing India as an international karateka in the kumite -61kg category.
For students, challenges dont break you; on the other hand, they make you stronger through better focus and resolute determination !
Pooja, can you tell us what were your initial years like?
I am an International Karateka and an Aerospace Engineer who grew up in coastal Karnataka, Delhi- NCR. My dad was in the army and mom is a housewife. So, she travelled throughout, along with me and my younger brother. I was a hyperactive kid who started Karate at the age of 6 and Bharatanatyam at the age of 4 to channelize my energy and keep me occupied. In the pursuit of performing better, I somewhere became more disciplined and started training professionally.
What did you do for graduation/post-graduation?
I studied bachelor’s in Aerospace Engineering from Amity university and pursued my master’s in Aerospace Propulsion from Cranfield University
What were some of the influences that led you to such an offbeat, unconventional and unique career?
Although my family is supportive, My mom is the main reason behind every little thing that I have achieved, and the person I am. But, at school I was too fascinated by “Kalpana Chawla ” and would keep searching or finding ways to pursue aerospace studies. Unfortunately, I couldn’t clear IIT JEE and although I had an AIEEE rank of 878 (as NIT’s then didn’t have aerospace engineering), I decided to stick to my original aerospace engineering plan and pursued the same at Amity University.
How did you plan the steps to get into the career you wanted?
I got into the Indian Navy. With all due respect, I knew that this wasn’t something I desired especially since I had crossed all the hurdles to somehow pursue aerospace engineering. Thus, I wanted to pursue a career in the same. Back then, there wasn’t anything called campus placement for aerospace engineering unless you were from IIT. I started applying on my own and networking.
But, yes, clearing GATE with AIR 588 helped me in this process.
Being an athlete and pursuing aerospace engineering, I had networks from both the domains. Through an extended network, I landed an opportunity to intern with NAL, Bangalore. Here I worked on preliminary sizing and design of aircrafts in the C-CADD division. I was also one amongst the toppers and this helped me to land my next summer internship with HAL. So, I advise people to take chances and reach out to connections directly or through cold emails/ texts. At least a few would reply and one or two might convert into opportunities. At both the organizations I got an exposure to the aerospace industry, various divisions within their premises, the work that is being done and future opportunities.
Within a month, I landed a temporary position of Aeronautical Engineer at the LCA MK1 division of the Aeronautical Development Agency, Bangalore.
I worked on the CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) analysis of the missile exhaust plume. I also worked on systems engineering wherein I got an opportunity to work on flight test data simulations at the NFTC (National Flight testing Centre) Bangalore.
It was during my work here, that I got to interact with some legendary scientists and engineers like Kota Harinarayan Rao, UR Rao (who also hails from my ancestral village) etc., from different Indian govt aerospace organizations. Here, I developed a penchant to study further and got admitted into Cranfield University for my masters in Aerospace Propulsion. This was partly funded by Rolls Royce under their UTC scheme.
My master’s thesis was on the Rolls Royce patented architecture for their then New Product, UltrafanTM engine. It was on the performance analysis of the three spool high bypass ratio turbofan engine for better fuel efficiency.
After my masters, I worked in GE Aviation Turkey for a little more than 4 years. I worked on the Analysis domain, but on various disciplines like thermal system design, mechanical design, clearance analysis etc.
Later, I worked for Solar Turbines that was acquired by Caterpillar. The discipline was the same, thermal system design of gas turbines. But the application was different, it was for land and marine applications rather than flying applications.
How did you get your first break?
I got my first break in Karate when I won my first nationals in 1998. From then on, I went on to win every tournament. During those times when media wasn’t widespread and not accessible, my articles used to be in the local newspaper most days of the year. This also paved the way for me to get an opportunity to represent India at the World Championships. Considering my aerospace career, setting my foot into GE in December, 2015 played a pivotal role in both my aerospace and sports career.
Getting a break in the industry after my masters was not easy, but it is possible. Especially when you graduate from a different country. Though the organization already has an engineering center there, you need to be hired in another country, and for that they need to prove the candidate’s exceptional capability to be hired over others and get the visa sponsored. As I do believe in miracles, I had a great technical interview which was taken by a US senior leadership official who happened to be visiting the turkey center exactly during the same week when my interview was being scheduled.
What were some of the challenges you faced? How did you address them?
Challenges are subjective and based on an individual’s perception. Of course, my journey has never been smooth and was full of ups and downs. During my later teenage years, while pursuing my studies, I wasn’t training in Karate actively. Later, making a comeback and balancing a corporate career with my sports career was initially challenging, as I required funds. This is how I address my challenges or issues: I do not multitask (I believe human brain isn’t designed to do so multiple tasks at any particular given second and the term multitasking is a myth), but I do switch quickly between tasks and I completely focus and give my 100% to that and to everything I do. I think about how to approach the hurdle and get out of it/ solve it rather than worrying about it. We need to develop mental strength starting from a young age (practice meditation, self-control and mindfulness; I know it’s easier said than done). Of course, we need to aim high, train and prepare for it, but be grateful and satisfied with what comes our way and continue the same efforts (being resilient and disciplined). There is always a next chance and believe in it. I have been blessed to meet the right people, get the right opportunities at the right time at different junctures of my life and career, although it wouldn’t have seemed right at those moments. Some even came across as hardships which I still had to deal with.
Where do you work now?
I work for the world’s leading aviation gas turbine designers and suppliers, General Electric which delivers gas turbines for aircrafts, as well as land and marine applications. I work in the analysis domain. We work on cutting edge technologies to deliver more fuel efficient, sustainable, quieter and robust engines that are carbon neutral with low NOx emissions.
What’s a typical day like?
No two days are the same and the workload keeps fluctuating. Every day at work is interesting. As we work on solving challenging problems, we get to learn a lot from the field, shop floor and the design team. I work on projects that span across days, months or years. We of course, work on the software tools. Analysis is done on CAD models that are simulated using inhouse software tools and respective domain analysis is carried out in areas like stress testing, fluid dynamics, heat transfer, dynamics, clearance, performance, computational fluid dynamics etc.
How does your work benefit society?
We definitely contribute to society by making their lives easy, comfortable and better. Through our organization, we lift people up, invent the future of flight and bring them home safely. We work on enabling people to travel between two different places across the globe in a short span of time, with utmost safety, preserving the ecosystem by reducing the hazards and emissions and helping them reach their destination with utmost comfort using the latest technologies.
Tell us an example of a specific memorable work you did that is very close to you!
There have been many. Every tournament or project has been special and a learning experience. I am someone who is sensitive to small things and takes pleasure in them. I used to juggle work and tournaments, win medals and attend office the next day for important reviews. Getting recognized for the efforts you put in, for your struggles, makes me feel blessed. Sometimes, I have been part of projects that have had a great impact on mankind. It might be a small iota of effort in such a big organization. But the satisfaction it gives is immense. Even representing a country of billions on an international platform and having a podium finish gives surreal happiness.
Your advice to students based on your experience?
Focus on your studies and do not neglect it, along with pursuing your interests in parallel. Believe in whatever you pursue, give it all and leave the rest without any expectations. Things will automatically find their way to you. Do not miss any single opportunity, as you never know where those doors might lead you. Be true to yourself; integrity and discipline will take you places where skills and success don’t.
Future Plans?
I recently opened a dojo (karate training center) here in Bangalore called Nippon Karate club. Through it I aim to produce future professionals and international athletes. As far as a corporate career is concerned, I haven’t thought much about it, but would surely like to make progress or get into leadership roles. I don’t plan much ahead of time, but do have short term goals and would like to take things as they come.