Finding an effective and timely solution to emerging global climate change and related environmental issues is a major challenge of this decade. The World Energy Council projects future primary energy demand to increase dramatically as the population grows and developing nations elevate their living standards. With these global concerns in mind, I decided to pursue doctoral research with enthusiastic hopes of contributing to a greener future.

As an international student, each and every stage of getting into a U.S. graduate school was an amazing learning experience. After months spent finishing the challenging process of applying to U.S. graduate schools, I still remember the day I got admitted to the University of Connecticut, Storrs mechanical science and engineering department. I was elated. But since it was my first visa interview and my first international journey, I also was nervous at the same time. The flight from New Delhi to Boston took almost 20 hours. But on August 10, 2011, I took a deep breath when the immigration checkpoint officer said, “You are all set.”