University of Houston engineering professor n

The most coveted prize in the industry of global vitality – the World Power Prize bestowed by the Global Strength Association – has been awarded to University of Houston Distinguished Professor of Engineering Kaushik Rajashekara. The prize occupies rarified air, in truth. Only 3 folks in the earth have been chosen for the honor this yr out of 119 nominations from 43 international locations.  

Assume Nobel Prize for science or Academy Award for film. That’s the degree of award Rajashekara, who humbly likes to be identified as “Raja,” has taken dwelling.  

As the previous direct propulsion procedure engineer for Basic Motors’ Effects electric powered vehicle, Raja could be better acknowledged as the male who assisted progress the technologies that led to the initial commercially produced electric powered car, the GM EV1 in 1995.  

He calls himself a “futurist” because he is often working on futuristic initiatives. Following ushering in the era of electrical and hybrid cars from 1989-2006 by advancing the technologies such as the EV1, he still left his place at GM/Delphi for his future revolutionary undertaking. At Rolls Royce, he labored on sophisticated architectures for a lot more electric and hybrid electric aircrafts bringing to lifestyle his notions of changing ancillary tools employed on aircrafts (like air conditioning and cooking equipment) to electric power, leading to up coming era aircrafts past the 787 Dreamliner-sorts. 

With those people futuristic assignments in the previous, he states the upcoming significant detail will be flying vehicles – and he’s all in. If his keep track of document is evidence, it might be time to seem skyward for a parking spot. 

“Professor Rajashekara does not see limits, only options. Electrical vehicles are shifting the way the globe moves, and he has performed a critical function in the exploration and improvement of this innovation,” mentioned Renu Khator, College of Houston president. “I congratulate him for this effectively-acquired world distinction and for his purpose in positioning the College of Houston as the ‘Energy University.’” 

The prize 

Rajashekara is the winner in the New Approaches of Power Applications category for fantastic contributions to transportation electrification and vitality efficiency systems though minimizing electrical power era emissions. He is engaged in electric power vegetation for electrical, hybrid and fuel mobile motor vehicles electrical and hybrid electric plane programs hybrid flying vehicles and electric powered vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) cars. He is the operator of 36 U.S. patents and 15 international patents.  

The prize honors “outstanding scientific exploration and scientific-technological developments in the subject of electricity which advertise increased efficiency and environmental security for energy sources on Earth in the passions of all mankind.” 

He is joined as a 2022 laureate by Viktor Orlov, chief professional of the Centre for Modern Systems (Rosatom in Russia) and pioneer in thermonuclear physics and Mercouri Kanatzidis, professor of chemistry and resources science at Northwestern University and senior researcher at the Argonne Countrywide Laboratory. He is a single of the most highly cited chemists with about 1,450 published scientific papers. 

The laureates ended up chosen by the international committee of scientists from 11 nations: United States, Italy, China, Hungary, India, Japan, Singapore, South Africa, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and South Korea. The awarding ceremony will be held for the duration of Russian Vitality 7 days in Moscow, Oct 12-14. 

“I have been working on transportation electrification for a extended time, beginning with Rail Transportation in ABB, then electrical and hybrid motor vehicles in General Motors and Delphi, and then for Plane electrification in Rolls-Royce. At the University of Houston, I was in a position to go on to get the job done in this region and advance the technologies for cutting down emissions,” stated Rajashekara.  

Still with that pedigree, Raja was stunned when news of the award came. 

“When I been given the e-mail about my range, I could not feel it for a moment.  This award undoubtedly exhibits the value of electricity effectiveness improvement and reducing emissions, specially in the spot of transportation, which is responsible for a significant portion of world wide emissions,” reported Raja.  

His awards are several. He has posted far more than 250 content in worldwide journals and meeting proceedings, co-authored a person ebook with IEEE Press, and has penned 6 monographs and personal chapters for eight textbooks. He was elected a member of the U.S. Countrywide Academy of Engineering in 2012, the Indian Nationwide Academy of Engineering in 2013 and the China Countrywide Academy of Engineering in 2021 for his contribution to progress of the electric power conversion programs in transportation. He is a laureate of the IEEE Medal for Environmental and Safety Systems (2021), the Richard Kaufman Award (2013) and various other prestigious awards. 

“The World wide Electrical power Prize is reserved for the ideal of the finest in vitality, and Professor Rajashekara is surely that,” explained Ramanan Krishnamoorti, UH main strength officer. “Since becoming a member of the College of Houston in 2016, Raja’s huge information and incredible investigate output has been instrumental in strengthening the intellectual base at UH and our strategic partnerships with the power sector.”   

Incredible journey 

Rajashekara’s record of becoming a giant in his field is even a lot more amazing than his innumerable accolades. As a very little boy growing up in a village in India with his dad and mom and two brothers, he lived in a one home lean-to that he claimed was more compact than the place of work he now occupies at UH. He study by kerosene lamplight and though neither of his mom and dad had been educated, his mom was identified that her kids would do much better and be the very best at whichever they pursued.  

Higher college arrived to his village in time for him to go to. He cobbled with each other scraps of paper, gluing them to do his homework.  

His greatest challenge was funds. In today’s bucks, the salary his father built for every thirty day period would equal about $1.75. But his circumstance held neither he nor his siblings again. A person, like him, is an engineer and the other is a physician. An inborn and unrelenting will to accomplish was borne in the Rajashekara spouse and children. 

Coming from such humble beginnings, Rajashekara states he is very pleased of his part in convincing a skeptical modern society that electric automobiles could grow to be truth. 

But he states he’s proudest of his capacity to support pupils, colleagues and close friends do well. “To aid them be successful in their lives and professions is what I want to see,” he said. 

That, and them traveling to operate in their cars about an expanded UH energy plan.