Applications of chemical engineering are extremely diverse, each very different from the other, such as finding efficient ways to heat or cool buildings, creating materials for delivering drugs and keeping patients safe from infections, and even turning plastic waste into valuable chemicals.

Harshit Agarwal, our next pathbreaker, Staff Engineer at Regeneron (New York), develops biotherapeutics that help people facing tough health challenges, like tumors such as leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma.

Harshit talks to  Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about making up his mind about wanting to solve research/engineering problems after doing his BTech (Chemical Engineering) from IIT Delhi, and securing a direct PhD in Chemical Engineering (University of Wisconsin) , where his PhD thesis was on design of non-stick polymeric coatings with a myriad of applications .

For students, making it to a coveted institution is just half the problem solved, it takes a lot more effort to ignore the clutter around you and pursue what you truly believe in !

Harshit, tell us what were your growing up years like?

I grew up in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, and most of my family ran small businesses there. My childhood was much like what you might imagine for a typical middle-class family then (late 90s). We focused on schoolwork and exams and had little time for extracurricular activities. I was good at math and science, but I didn’t enjoy memorizing things (that is what biology was to me then). Looking back, I had great math, physics, and chemistry teachers who sparked my interest and curiosity and probably not-so-good teachers for biology. So, I decided I wanted to be an engineer. Back then, I thought being an engineer or a doctor were the best options for making a good income and having a comfortable life.

After finishing 10th grade as the top student in my school, I knew it was time to start preparing for the IIT-JEE exams. But here’s the thing: Agra didn’t have those big coaching centers like FITJEE or Bansal classes. Going to Kota, Rajasthan, was too expensive, and my parents and I knew I was not ready to live alone. Also, no one in my family was an engineer or a doctor, so I had no one to guide me in preparing for those tough national-level exams. So, I enrolled in another school (my earlier school was only till 10th grade), hoping that doing 11th and 12th grade would prepare me for the IIT-JEE exam. Then, I can take the exam, and if I do not do well, I can take a ‘gap year’ in Kota and retake the exam.

After a week in the new school, I did not like any of the teachers and what and how they were teaching, so I decided to attend extra classes in math, physics, and chemistry from local teachers who taught at the IIT-JEE level. Looking back, I don’t know how I managed it all. There was a time when I only slept for 3-4 hours a day for about 3 months! All that hard work paid off in the end. I achieved a rank in the IIT-JEE that was under 1000.

What did you do for graduation/post graduation?

I never really expected to do so well in the IIT-JEE exam. Once returning from a trip to Haridwar and Rishikesh, my dad pointed out IIT-Roorkee to me. So, I knew about that IIT. Back then, if you got a rank around 2000, you could get into a bachelor’s program in architecture at IIT Roorkee, and that was my original plan.

But then, I scored even better than I thought I would, and like most people, I checked out what others with similar ranks had chosen previously. My parents didn’t want me to go too far from home, leaving us with two options: IIT Delhi and IIT Kanpur. Based on my rank, I could have pursued Chemical Engineering at both, and I ultimately chose IIT Delhi. I had no idea what Chemical Engineering was when I began! Believe it or not, that was the case for most of my classmates in the chemical engineering program at IIT and students in other engineering fields.

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

Now, once you get into a top engineering school in India, such as IIT, the rumor is that the life after that is ‘chill,’ i.e., you can relax and enjoy and not work crazy hours. And that turned out to be completely wrong. IIT-Delhi was a sprint where you knew you were competing with the best and most hardworking minds, and you needed to stand out of the crowd during job interviews to get the highest salary packages. So, many students were in the race to collect points for their curriculum vitae by doing internships, extracurricular activities, sports, etc. With the same purpose, I asked one of my professors whose lectures I attended to allow me to pursue a small research project in his lab. 

It was the summer of my second year of undergraduate, where I spent three months staying in the hostel (in scorching heat without any air-conditioning or even an air-cooler) working on a research project on developing a process on the manufacturing of biologics (or protein therapeutics such as insulin). That was my first exposure to research, and I loved every aspect of it – the opportunity to explore something new, challenge conventional knowledge, develop expertise and specialization, and tinker in the lab and test hypotheses. I then spent a significant amount of my remaining two years of undergraduate working in the lab and doing research projects (along with the regular coursework), and when I was about to graduate, I was sure I wanted to do a PhD. 

Along with the love for scientific exploration that I developed during my undergraduate studies, my decision to pursue a PhD was also enforced by the fact that no “real” jobs existed for chemical engineering graduates in India (or for other engineering graduates unless you wanted to do programming, consulting, or management). I instead wanted to be in the lab and solve engineering problems.

Tell us about your career path

I never planned to follow the career I have pursued so far and be where I am today. Very few careers are a well-defined logical series of steps. The good news was that while doing research projects during my undergraduate, I “unknowingly” prepared a highly relevant profile for PhD applications. I was able to publish multiple research papers in peer-reviewed publications, had well above average grades, and was able to get strong letters of recommendation. I got admitted, directly after my bachelor’s degree with a full scholarship, into one of the top chemical engineering programs in the world. 

When I came to the US to pursue a PhD in chemical engineering, I explored many different research areas – each very different from the other. I dabbled in things like finding efficient ways to heat or cool buildings, creating materials for delivering drugs and keeping patients safe from infections, and even turning plastic waste into valuable chemicals. When it came to picking a specific research topic, it wasn’t just about the topic itself. It was more about whether I could work with a professor and whether the topic had real-world applications.

I earned my PhD in chemical engineering from UW-Madison – designing non-stick polymeric coatings. These coatings are like super slippery shields – they make ships and submarines glide through the water faster, stop algae from sticking, and even help squeeze out every last drop of ketchup from a bottle. They’re also a shield against bacteria on medical devices, preventing infections.

While at UW-Madison, I embraced the full spectrum of opportunities available. I knew that this phase marked my final chance to enjoy the liberties of student life and have an enormously resourceful ecosystem around me, so I engaged in a diverse range of activities. These included pursuing a minor in business, dedicating my time to volunteer for non-profit organizations, and actively participating in various extracurricular pursuits.

After graduation, I was searching for a job where I could use my technical skills to tackle deep scientific challenges. I was incredibly excited about biotechnology, seeing how it was revolutionizing the game of fighting diseases. 

How did you get your first break?

Many would attest that securing a job after completing a PhD can be challenging. It hinges on various factors specific to your situation and often outside your control, including your research focus, the industry connections of your PhD advisor, your existing professional network, visa status, and the prevailing job market conditions.

Additionally, my PhD research wasn’t immediately aligned with my desired field of biopharmaceuticals. I applied to more than 50 jobs and received interview requests for around 5. Finally, after a year of persistent effort, I received an offer from a biopharmaceutical company, which I gladly accepted.

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

I graduated during the COVID-19 pandemic when job opportunities were relatively scarce.

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to landing a job. However, a few principles undeniably make a difference: perseverance (if you keep at it, success will come), honing soft skills (while technical expertise is crucial, effectively presenting yourself verbally and in writing is often the critical factor where many candidates stumble), and being honest with yourself.

Where do you work now? Tell us about your current role

So, I work at a company called Regeneron Pharmaceuticals that makes biotherapeutics. These are treatments made of proteins that help people facing tough health challenges, like dealing with liquid tumors such as leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. But the tricky part is that making these special treatments isn’t as simple as mixing ingredients in a regular lab. These treatments are made by growing a bunch of tiny cells in a special reactor. These cells are obtained from Chinese hamsters and modified to add the code in their DNA that tells them how to make special proteins. As they grow, they munch on nutrients and create these life-saving proteins.

Once the proteins are ready, my team and I get to work. We carefully collect and purify the proteins. My job is to make sure this purification process is perfect. Every day, my team and I dive into exciting experiments in the lab. We plan and perform tests, analyze data, and keep up with all the discoveries that can help us make these treatments faster and cheaper.

What are the skills required for your role? How did you acquire them?

To be great at my job, you need subject-matter expertise and skills like logical thinking, problem-solving, and patience. Determination, hard work, and good communication skills are super important too. We are solving problems that are hard and have not been solved before, so success takes time, and the journey is filled with failures.

But the best part of my job? 

Every day is a brand-new adventure! Each day brings different challenges to solve, and I love every moment of it. I get to play in the lab, testing out ideas and finding solutions. I’m surrounded by a team of awesome, super-smart colleagues who help me grow, not only as a scientist but as a person, too.

How does your work benefit society? 

I’m fortunate to work in a field where I can make a difference in people’s lives by helping create new medicines and treatments. Making a new medicine is like a long, exciting journey. It takes about 5 to 10 years to create one! So, some of the projects I’ve worked on have yet to make it to patients. But I’m looking forward to the day when they do.

One of the best parts of my job is that I get to be a mentor. That means I get to guide and support students like you, along with college students and young scientists. I get to share my love for science and help them discover all the fantastic things they can do.

I also present and share my research, discoveries, and findings with the broader scientific community, helping everyone develop new treatments faster and cheaper.

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

I’ve had the privilege of contributing to numerous projects that hold the potential to significantly impact the lives of many patients in the near future. What also stands out as the most thrilling and personally rewarding is witnessing the growth and success of the students and young scientists I’ve had the privilege to mentor during both my PhD and professional journey.

Your advice to students based on your experience?

Here are some valuable lessons I’ve learned along the way that I’d like to share:

Evolve with your interests: Understand that your interests and likings may change over time. Instead of rigidly sticking to one path, identify the deeper motivations that drive you and act on them daily.

Your career is a marathon: Think of your career as a long-distance race, not a sprint. While having a fixed goal and a logical plan for it is helpful, be prepared for unexpected twists. Take your career one step at a time, make consistent effort, and let your unique story unfold.

It’s okay not to be okay:  When feeling sad, lonely, or depressed, reach out to people around you. 

Intelligence is overrated and honesty is underrated: You might not be the most intelligent person in the room, but you can always be the most hardworking. Also, leaders who command respect have high integrity. 

Treat others as you wish to be treated: How you treat others is how you’ll be treated in return. Practice empathy and be genuine in your interactions.

Future Plans?

I don’t know what I will be doing next. I am taking my career one step at a time and enjoying where I am and what I do. Also, whatever I will do next will involve solving complex technical problems, mentoring young students and scientists, and lots of engineering.