The field of Aerospace comes alive when you go beyond textbooks and start connecting what you learn in theory with real-world problems.

Prasanna Ponnusamy, our next pathbreaker, Scientific Researcher at the German Aerospace Center (DLR)-Institute for Software Technology, works on creating computer simulations of 3D printing of metals.

Prasanna talks to Shyam Krishnamurthy from The Interview Portal about how her background in Aerospace and Thermoelectrics paved the path for a career in research and high performance computing !

For students, even if your career path changes, your degree is never wasted. Think of it like building blocks — once you have a strong base, you can branch out in many directions.

Prasanna,  what were your growing up years like?

I grew up in poverty in the outskirts of Chennai, Tamilnadu. I am from a big family of 8 (I am the 8th child with 5 girls and 3 boys) and my father abandoned the family when I was 2 years old. My mom, who was a housewife, raised us all alone. We could not afford a school for me until the age of 8. Soon after my first sister went to work (she finished Bachelors in physiotherapy and started working as a medical rep), I could go to a proper school.

I spent my free years until 8 contemplating the world and how it functions. I spent most of my free time climbing trees, playing with batteries and lights and this brought me into science in the later years of my life.

During school, I was keen on science subjects as they were gradually beginning to provide answers to my questions about the world. At the age of 13, I participated in the Dupont India challenge on a science paper contest and my paper was among the top 15 papers in India on Nutraceuticals. I also topped the district with a total of 485/500 in matriculation class 10 exams. Since I was also the 5th in the state, I was invited by the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), to visit the Structural Engineering Research Institute (SERI) in Chennai to encourage me to go into science. Since science was my major interest, I thoroughly enjoyed this visit.

I passed class 12 state board exams with 97% marks enabling me to take the course of my dreams at the Madras Institute of Technology (MIT, Chennai).

What did you do for graduation/post graduation?

For my graduation (Bachelors), I took aeronautical Engineering at MIT and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We had courses about the three major aspects of aircrafts,

  • the structure (the material and the structure airplane is made of and how it withstands forces),
  • aerodynamics (airflow which causes the airplane to fly),
  • propulsion (the engine that pushes the airplane forward).

Since I was interested in the material aspects of the airplane I went onto do a post graduation in TU Delft in Netherlands on Aerospace Materials. Since TU Delft was ranked one of the top colleges for aerospace engineering I applied there and got selected fortunately.

I also then pursued my PhD in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from University of Duisburg-Essen (UDE) in Germany

What were some of the influences that led you to a DeepTech, Research intensive career in Thermoelectrics?

During my class 5 I read the story of Kalpana Chawla in my English book and additionally I happened to witness an airshow in Marina beach around the same age. I was awestruck at how airplanes were maneuvered and this inspired me to take up aeronautical engineering.

Above all, my Mom always encouraged us to be the best we can ever be, and she is the reason I could be a good person throughout my life and achieve my goal.

Tell us about your career path

This is an interesting question because my career goals were tuned during this period.

When I joined Aerospace Engineering at MIT, Chennai, I knew the subject would be challenging. But I also felt that if I wanted to truly understand airplanes, I should go beyond just textbooks.

That’s why I took part in extra activities:

  • Paper Presentation (2012): Along with my friend, I worked on a concept for an Unmanned Multimode Vehicle. Preparing the paper taught me how to connect what I was learning in class with real-world problems. More importantly, standing on stage and presenting gave me confidence to communicate my ideas.
  • Flight Training at IIT Kanpur (2013): This was a life-changing experience. Until then, airplanes were mostly equations and diagrams for me. At IIT Kanpur, I got to see flight operations, instruments, and even how pilots are trained. It felt like a dream — suddenly, the “theory” became “real.” Thanks to MIT, this was part of our curriculum.

Both these experiences showed me that aerospace is not just about passing exams; it’s about building skills, applying knowledge, and experiencing the field. They kept me motivated even when the subject got tough.

Key message for students:
Don’t be afraid to step outside the classroom. Join competitions, training camps, workshops — even if they feel small, they can open your eyes to what the subject really means.

During my masters in aerospace materials, I had to do a mandatory internship as part of my curriculum. During this time I came to know of a senior who did his internship at the German Aerospace Center (called DLR in German abbreviation) in Germany. Encouraged, I also emailed people at DLR regarding my interest to work on an energy related topic called Thermoelectrics, and they gladly accepted my request. I did my internship on the performance analysis of thermoelectric generators (a theoretical study using a software called ANSYS).

DLR is a research institute and this is the first time I got to work at actual research. I felt so alive while doing research that I realized this is where I belong. Previously, though my aim was to get into big airplane companies like Airbus, General Electric (GE) etc, research at DLR opened my eyes to the world of scientific research and I thrived.

After my internship I was obsessed with the challenges of thermoelectric research that I chose to do an experimental Master thesis on thermoelectric materials at Fraunhofer Institute in Dresden, Germany.

My research was on synthesis and characterisation (measuring properties) of high temperature thermoelectric materials using boron carbide with Titanium dioxide nano-materials as additives.

Soon after my Master’s thesis, I was invited back to DLR for a PhD in thermoelectric performance estimation through a DAAD fellowship, which I pursued with pleasure and graduated with doctorate in natural sciences in 2022.

For my PhD, I continued on my internship research, performance analysis of thermoelectric generators. Here, I developed my own method for faster and efficient estimation of efficiency and power output of thermoelectric generators.

After this, I wanted to expand on my computational skills and joined the Institute of Software Technology of DLR as a Postdoc. Here I work on simulation of the 3D printing process using High Performance Computing (HPC) techniques.

How did you get your first break?

My first break happened through my DLR internship. The head of the department of Thermoelectrics was so kind to answer my email regarding my interest to work on the topic, this is how my whole career started ! Not only that, the whole atmosphere in DLR was so welcoming and kind that they took my ideas into account and treated me equally even though I was just an intern. That gave me the confidence that I belonged in research.

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

Challenge 1: This was the money I needed to join TU Delft. My fee and cost of stay came to around 40 lakh rupees in total that I didn’t know how to manage. Thankfully, my first sister was settled in Dubai and was able to lend me a loan for my studies which I repaid through my PhD scholarship.

Challenge 2: Cultural differences: especially when I first landed in the Netherlands, everything was so different. However I took it positively and adapted quickly to the new  culture. Especially for exams, in India we are used to writing long convoluted answers, however they require short precise answers. I quickly managed to understand this and passed more than the required credits during my study.

Challenge 3: During my PhD, my funding was about to run out. It was a critical time during COVID. Being away from home during such times isn’t easy either. I managed to get further funding stating the reasons clearly and my friends here helped me manage the COVID crisis.

Where do you work now?

I work as a Postdoctoral Scientist at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in the Institute of Software Technology. DLR is a huge research center with several institutes focused on different topics, like materials, thermodynamics, data science, propulsion technology, aerospace medicine etc. Among them, the Institute of Software Technology is one.

What problems do you solve?

I work on creating computer simulations of 3D printing of metals. For example, when a laser melts metals into tiny metal powders to build complex parts, I try to predict how the heat flows, when the material melts or solidifies, and whether cracks might form. These simulations help engineers design safer, stronger parts — like turbine blades or spacecraft components — without wasting expensive experiments.

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

Basic Mathematics & Physics → learned during my school, Bachelor’s and Master’s.

Programming (C++, Python, HPC) → I picked these up step by step: from simple coding in college to advanced supercomputer simulations in my PhD and postdoc.

Problem-solving & creativity →My free years until the age of 8 where I could think freely and contemplate. Research often means finding solutions where there are no textbooks, so you need persistence.

My Aerospace BTech and Master’s in Aerospace Materials are very much connected to what I do today.

In Aerospace, you learn the fundamentals of physics, mathematics, structures, materials, and fluid flow. Even though my current work is in computer simulations, the foundation still comes from those courses. For example:

  • When I simulate how a laser melts metal in 3D printing, I use the heat transfer equations I first saw in aerospace.
  • When I check how a material cracks under stress, I rely on the material science knowledge from my Master’s.

The transition happened naturally. Aerospace gave me the core science background, and research + coding gave me the tools to apply it. Together, they allow me to work on advanced topics like 3D printing and high-performance computing.

So yes — the link is strong: Aerospace built the base, research gave me direction, and coding gave me power to apply it.

Message for students:
Even if your career path changes, your degree is never wasted. Think of it like building blocks — once you have a strong base, you can build in many directions.

What’s a typical day like?

Mornings: I check results of my computer simulations that may have run overnight on a computer.

Daytime: I discuss with colleagues, write new code, design experiments, or prepare presentations.

Afternoons: Meetings with teams, or continue work from before. I also started DLR Internationals network since DLR is international and I sometimes work on it to improve the working conditions of internationals at DLR.

Evenings: I read research papers or write reports.

What is it you love about this job?

Research is all about problem solving. The best part is the freedom to explore and create new ideas. Research feels like solving puzzles every day. I also love the international culture — working with scientists from many countries keeps me inspired.

How does your work benefit society?

MY current work 3D printing has the power to change industries:

  • Aerospace: lighter, stronger airplane parts → less fuel → lower emissions.
  • Medicine: customized implants for patients.
  • Sustainability: less waste because material is used only where needed.

By making simulations more accurate, I help speed up innovations, reduce costs, and reduce trial-and-error in labs. In the long run, this means faster solutions for real-world problems like climate change and energy efficiency.

My previous work thermoelectrics means ‘thermal’ into ‘electricity’ or vice versa. It can help harvest waste heat from stoves, engine exhausts, etc and convert those into useful electricity. The main application for thermoelectrics is its use as batteries for space probes when solar panels cannot be used in space ( when its dark in space). It has been used in voyager, enabling us to take pictures of actual planets, rovers like curiosity, perseverance etc. It enables space exploration in deep space.

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

The most memorable project for me was my first thermoelectric research at DLR. It was the first time I saw my ideas taken seriously, even though I was “just an intern.” I worked on predicting how thermoelectric generators could turn waste heat into electricity.

Even today, whenever I see a hot exhaust pipe or a heated surface, I think: “What if we could turn this into power?” That project gave me my identity as a researcher.

Your advice to students based on your experience

My main advice to students is to be free and choose their career based on their strengths and weaknesses.

  • Stay curious. Curiosity is free, and it’s your biggest strength.
  • Don’t fear failure. Every “no” or mistake is just one step closer to a “yes.”
  • Ask for opportunities. One email changed my life — don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, scientists, or industry leaders.
  • Value support. Family, teachers, and friends will play a big role. Respect their efforts.
  • Dream big but break it into small steps. That way it feels less overwhelming.

“If you are curious, persistent, and brave enough to ask for chances, the world will open doors for you.”

Future Plans?

I want tocontinue working on simulations and high-performance computing, but also apply my skills to problems that directly impact energy, environment, and healthcare. In the long run, I’d love to guide young students from India who come from humble backgrounds like mine — to show them that science and research careers are possible for anyone, not just for the privileged.