Four undergraduate students from India studied at the UofL Conn Center for Renewable Energy Research as part of an international internship program from June through mid-August. The students are from the IMS Engineering College and ABES Institute of Technology in Ghaziabad, India. While at UofL, they lived on campus, worked in Conn Center labs, and undertook projects in renewable energy themes. The students focused on topics in solar energy conversion, energy storage, biofuels, computational analysis on materials, and water purification/fuel cells. At the conclusion of their internships, they gave presentations to UofL faculty, staff and students.
The program was pioneered with Conn Center by Dr. Savita Chaurasia, professor of Biotechnology at IMS Engineering College and visiting professor of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology at Bellarmine University in Louisville. The six students who worked on projects last summer are seeking funding for their work from India’s Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. One group of students presented their project, “E-bike for the Deaf,” at Catapooolt Product Czars, which is India’s largest product hunt and crowd funding platform, ranking in the top 60 of 800 presenters. The group credits their Conn Center internship with providing technical exposure to battery systems and the motivation to implement their innovations.
“One objective of the internship is that students start their entrepreneurial journey,” said Dr. Sraban Mukherjee, Director of IMS Engineering College. “It is heartening to see their confidence and clear vision for their future course of action.”
During their stay, the interns were able to meet briefly with UofL President Neeli Bendapudi, a native of India, who encouraged their efforts. “Providing opportunities for students to study renewable energy at the University of Louisville enables the translation of technologies that will have a bigger impact on the world. The cooperation of IMS and ABES underscores our shared belief in meaningful educational exchange,” said Dr. Bendapudi.
“The Conn Center is pleased to host an international cadre of researchers for short- and long-term residencies, including students from universities worldwide,” said Mahendra Sunkara, Director of Conn Center. “Past interns from IMS College of Engineering have returned to India to propel their experience abroad into local commercial success. We have high hopes for these students as well.