Tuesday, Nov 18
Opening for Session 05-01-04: Manufacturing Processes & Materials Design
Choosing between careers in Industry, Academia, and Government Agencies can be one of the most important and challenging decisions for engineers and scientists. Each career path offers unique opportunities, challenges, and cultures from high-paced product development cycles and commercialization in industry, to research-driven environments and teaching in academia, to mission-focused work in government agencies shaping policy, standards, and national initiatives. This panel will explore how to make the right choice, how to prepare, & how to successfully land opportunities.
What is discussed:
- Understanding the career paths: Key characteristics, benefits, and challenges of Industry, Academia, and Government Agency roles.
- How to evaluate your skills, interests, and long-term goals to determine the best fit.
- Career transitions: How professionals move between sectors, and what skills make such transitions successful.
- Job search strategies: Effective approaches to finding and securing roles—networking, publishing, applying, and interviewing.
- Early-career preparation: What students, recent graduates, and early-career professionals should do now to position themselves for their desired sector.
Meet the Experts: Our panel includes professionals with first-hand experience in Industry, Academia, and Government Agencies, offering candid insights and advice.
Who Should Attend? This panel is ideal for undergraduate and graduate students, postdocs, early-career professionals, and mid-career professionals considering a career change.
Moderator
Dr. Purvee Bhatia
Research Engineer, AI & Smart Manufacturing Innovation
University of South Florida
Dr. Purvee Bhatia is a Research Engineer in AI and Smart Manufacturing Innovation at the University of South Florida’s Smart and Sustainable Systems Lab. Her work lies at the intersection of agentic AI, computer vision, and edge computing, where she develops intelligent systems for real-time process optimization and decision-making in advanced manufacturing environments. She specializes in Vision Transformers, AI agents, and advanced process analytics for smart manufacturing. Dr. Bhatia’s research bridges advanced research and industrial applications designing AI-driven frameworks that improve quality, operational efficiency, and sustainability, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises. A Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and recipient of the McKinsey Forward Program Badge, she drives transformation through practical, scalable, and human-centered AI solutions. Beyond her research, Dr. Bhatia has served as a consultant with FloridaMakes, where she designed and delivered training on AI and edge computing for educators and industry professionals. She leads strategic planning for Introduction to Production Systems Certificate course to improve learner engagement, retention, and curriculum alignment with industry priorities. Her work has led to peer-reviewed publications and invited talks in the field of smart and sustainable manufacturing. She has also mentored several graduate and undergraduate students in research on machine vision, additive manufacturing, and predictive modeling. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering where she worked on debris removal from lower earth orbits and has also worked with Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures (India) where, she contributed to the digitization of manufacturing workflows for tactical airlifters such as the C-130J Super Hercules during her tenure.
Panelist
Dr. Vikram Bedekar
Manager of Materials Development R&D
The Timken Company
Dr. Vikram Bedekar is an accomplished materials scientist and engineering leader with over two decades of experience advancing metallurgical innovation at The Timken Company. As Manager of Materials Development R&D, he oversees global initiatives spanning induction hardening, coatings for wind and aerospace applications, additive manufacturing, and advanced heat treatment technologies. His leadership drives innovation across a $100 million product line while mentoring a diverse team of scientists and engineers. Dr. Bedekar has authored more than 30 peer-reviewed publications and holds three patents. His research has significantly influenced understanding of fatigue, wear, and tribological behavior in bearing steels, bridging scientific insight with industrial impact. He has been honored with the prestigious F. W. Taylor Medal, is a CIRP Fellow, and has chaired sessions at the International Conference on Metallurgical Coatings and Thin Films since 2019. Dr. Bedekar’s collaborations with national laboratories, including Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and his mentorship of doctoral researchers across the U.S. and Europe reflect his commitment to advancing the global materials community.
Panelist
Dr. Muhammad P. Jahan
Associate Professor
Miami University
Dr. Muhammad P. Jahan is a tenured Associate Professor in the Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering department at Miami University. He was the graduate program director of the Mechanical Engineering graduate program from Jan, 2020 to Jul, 2023. Dr. Jahan completed his PhD from National University of Singapore in 2010, and worked as a Postdoc at University of Arkansas (2010 – 2012) and as a tenure-track Assistant Professor at Western Kentucky University (2012 – 2016). Dr. Jahan worked at Makino Asia Pte Ltd as an R&D Engineer (2009 – 2010) before returning to academia. Dr. Jahan's research interests are in the areas of Advanced, Additive, Subtractive, Hybrid, and Micro and Nano Manufacturing. Dr. Jahan’s research has been supported by federal, state, and industry grants including NSF, NSF-KY EPSCoR, ODHE, NASA OSGC, LAM Research Corporation, M K Morse Company, and Bullen Ultrasonics. He has received a total of over $3M from internal and external grants as PI and co-PI and published over 150 peer-reviewed articles in refereed journals and conferences. He received four best paper awards including the Outstanding Paper Award from Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME, USA) and A.M. Strickland prize from the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE, UK). Dr. Jahan is a Fellow of American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and active members of Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME), and American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE).
Panelist
Dr. Jayadeep Karandikar
Senior R&D Staff
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Dr. Jaydeep Karandikar is a Senior R&D Staff in the Advanced Machining and Machine Tools Research Group, Manufacturing Science Division, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. His broad research interests include machining process modeling, monitoring, & optimization, and smart manufacturing. Dr. Karandikar is also a Lecturer in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville where he teaches graduate level courses in manufacturing processes and mechanical vibrations. Before joining ORNL, he was a lead research engineer at General Electric Research, Niskayuna, NY from 2014 - 2019. Dr. Karandikar has authored more than 30 peer-reviewed journal papers, three book chapters, and holds three patents. Dr. Karandikar is currently serving as the Vice Chair of the Manufacturing Engineering Division. Dr. Karandikar has won several awards including multiple ORNL innovation awards, SME SM Wu Research implementation award, and the Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer award. Dr. Karandikar earned his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of North Carolina Charlotte in 2013 and MS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Florida in 2010.
Panelist
Dr. Sekhar Rakurty
Research and Development Manager
The M. K. Morse Company
Dr. Sekhar Rakurty has over a decade of experience in industrial research and development in the manufacturing sector, focusing on cutting and machine tool design, as well as advancing sustainable, AI-assisted manufacturing processes. He earned both his M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Utah. Dr. Rakurty holds more than 16 approved patents across the United States, Canada, India, Japan, Australia, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Ireland, and Mexico, with five additional patents pending. His patented technologies are commercially available and used by a global customer base. He has authored over 25 peer-reviewed publications in leading international journals and conferences. He currently serves as the industrial Principal Investigator on multiple federally and industry-funded research projects focused on developing advanced manufacturing methods and cutting tools for extreme environments. Dr. Rakurty is the Vice Chair of the ASME Board on Standardization and Testing, an Associate Editor for the Machining Science and Technology journal, and an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Akron.