Fuel Cells will play a crucial role in solving a part of the problem in the transportation sector with regard to the global warming consequences that we are all experiencing.

Tanya Agarwal (PhD), our next pathbreaker, Postdoctoral Research Associate at Los Alamos Research Laboratory (Mexico), works on fuel cell technologies.

Tanya talks to  Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about opting for the field of Fuel Cells due to the potential for cutting edge research and for the opportunity to do her PhD in collaboration with one of the finest research labs in the world.

For students, give yourself the freedom to explore new areas, and be willing to fail. That, we believe, is the stepping stone to success !

Tanya,  Your background?

I grew up in Uttar Pradesh, India and then went to National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur to pursue Chemical Engineering.  My parents are not educated, so I am a first generation PhD from my immediate family. I love to write and pen my brain on paper about people, experiences, life, love, and family.  I have always enjoyed going into detail about every little thing happening around me, which always keeps me engaged. That is also potentially why I ended up in a scientific career.

What did you do for graduation/post graduation?

I did my BTech (Chemical Engineering) from National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur and pursued my PhD (Mechanical Engineering) from the University of Delaware.

What were some of the influences that led you to such an offbeat, unconventional and unique career?

I don’t think I have had a key influence in my career. I would say that the choice of going for a PhD came from several people that I networked with, through linkedIn, school alumni, and honestly, getting out of the corporate culture in India.  

I think one of the reasons for opting for the field of Fuel Cells was my first job in India in thermal energy storage. I worked there for two years and developed a decent expertise in materials development and testing. I wanted to go out and become an expert in other related fields. Battery was a  less lucrative field for me because it was an already advanced market. Fuel Cells however were still in the research stage. I absolutely love seeing what I develop, getting actually used in applications. This motivation prompted me to enter the field.

When I did decide to go in for this field, I looked up to several people and thought, “I want to like him/her one day”

Tell us about your career path

I worked at IISc and later at Fraunhofer ISE as a DAAD scholar. Both these projects helped me gain further insights into my interests in electrochemistry and energy storage. I think Fraunhofer shaped my decision to move out of India when I, for the first time, experienced how a good research lab and an ideal working environment could look like. I think I was nearly sure after my Germany visit that I will not continue further education in India. IISc taught me grill. I heard of students sleeping in the labs and I saw what it means when someone says, “he is a master in the field”. That internship sort of gave me a standard that I wanted to meet whenever I pursue research.

In my first job after graduation at Pluss Advanced Technologies, I was making new phase change materials for customers in India and Europe. I would say that corporate experience in India was another strong driver for me to decide that India is not for me. While the company was great, I felt my personal growth was negligible. 

Honestly, I did not know that I would be working on fuel cells when I decided on my PhD. If someone tells you that they already know that they will do this or that when they begin their education, you are reading a novel and not an actual life story. I applied to several places in the US that work around clean energy and I got acceptance from a few. After a lot of reading, I decided to go for fuel cells. When I started working on it, I did not know anything about it. So, yes, the transition was hard. I read a lot and it came handy to me when I actually started my research. I used LinkedIn as a tool to approach people and learn from them, and I still do it. 

I was certain after my IISc and Fraunhofer internships that I want to give research a shot. This, combined with my corporate R&D experience at PLUSS, made me sure that I wanted to delve further in the field and become an expert at a niche area. I had no masters, but I had a strong research background which allowed me to do a direct PhD. I chose an advisor and not a school or department when applying for PhD. I talked to several people and I wanted to work with a great mentor and not a world famous scientist for my PhD. After several conversations, I found that the Mechanical Engineering department at UD (University of Delaware) met all my expectations. I did get acceptance from University of Wisconsin Madison as well but the research area there was nuclear energy which did not excite me enough.

I decided to go for fuel cells for my PhD because it was a field that was picking up in terms of commercialization though the technology was not quite there. So I felt I could gain an edge in that field relative to already crowded space in batteries, for example. 

My PhD thesis was on durability enhancement of Fuel Cells. The Los Alamos laboratory was a collaborator and they funded my work throughout my PhD, and now I continue to work for them as a Postdoc in a long term career here. My problem statement was eliminating radical scavenger migration during fuel cell operation. 

How did you get your first break?

I wrote scientists at the US National Lab about my interest to work with them. Surprisingly, they turned out to be pursuing ideas similar to mine and I got the chance to work at one of the finest research labs in the US on fuel cells. This was 90% luck and 10% hard work. 

It was during my PhD. They were collaborators. 

What were some of the challenges you faced? How did you address them?

The challenges were really about fitting into a new culture both personally and professionally, and avoiding the homesickness that is inevitable in a new country. I like to maintain a distance between my work and personal life in terms of people. My personality has gone a long way in helping me fit in.

Where do you work now? What problems do you solve?

Yes, I am continuing my work at Los Alamos here with a different title. Though my work is the same at a high level, the details are different since I am looking at a different component of the fuel cell compared to what I did in my PhD.

I think it is a broader subject to be explained here in a few paragraphs. But, briefly, components in fuel cells experience damage over time due to the formation of radical species. Antioxidants are added to fuel cells to address this issue, but due to the nature of the fuel cells, these antioxidants get washed out from the system over time. This does not make them very useful in the long term. I worked on resolving this issue using a combination of chemistry and material science techniques. I am happy to offer further details to any graduate student thinking of pursuing this area further. 

What skills are needed in your role? How did you acquire the skills?

I work at the Los Alamos National Lab. My primary skill set is the ability to work by myself and solve almost any problem assigned to me within the required timeframe. Communication and writing skills of course are a must for my job. I work on a flexible schedule. Sometimes, I am all at home and sometimes I am in the lab in the middle of the night. As long as the work gets done, timings are not important. I love the people and culture at my job. They are fantastic people. 

How does your work benefit society? 

My work is aimed at decarbonization and solving a part of the problem with regard to the global warming that we are all experiencing. So, I believe my work is very important to the US government’s future goals for the transportation sector. 

Tell us an example of a specific memorable work you did that is very close to you!

I have several works that I am very excited about. But the most memorable part of those works was the team. Several people came together from diverse backgrounds and made a breakthrough finding which is always a dear experience.

Your advice to students based on your experience?

I have talked to thousands of people who are successful and hundreds of people who are really happy with their work. I would suggest giving yourself the freedom to explore new areas, and be willing to fail. Strong network, good communication skills and the mindset of getting the job are mandatory to excel anywhere. Grades rarely matter in the long run, so don’t run for them.

Future Plans?

I hope to be a Scientist at Los Alamos National Lab and a leisure time published author in the future.