Ranjith Mahalikudi

Ranjith Mahalikudi

Master of Engineering in Energy Systems, 2018

EDF Renewables

Ranjith Mahalikudi graduated in December 2018 with a Master of Engineering in Energy Systems. By completing core coursework, a professional development requirement, and electives in suggested focus areas, students gain a sophisticated understanding of renewable energy solutions. This is what drew Ranjith to the degree. “The Energy Systems program offered me a multi-disciplinary and industry-oriented track to pursue my passion for renewable energy and sustainability. The professional development requirement gave me a chance to work in the industry and gain valuable experience,” he shared.

Professionally-oriented Master’s degree students must complete a professional development requirement as part of their degree. Students can choose from coursework, an internship, or a capstone design project to meet the requirement. Ranjith fulfilled his professional development requirement by participating in Caterpillar’s Parallel Co-op Engineering program. During his internship, Ranjith worked with the microgrid product team to perform energy analysis and descriptive modeling for Caterpillar’s microgrids. He also conducted performance and economic analyses on energy systems. The work he did at Caterpillar gave him the knowledge that he still uses today.

Ranjith also took advantage of the dedicated career services that professionally-oriented master’s students receive by connecting with Dallas Johnson, the professional master’s career services coordinator, over the summer before his final semester. “Dallas took the time to learn specifically about what my career interests were, what kind of formal education I had, and what kind of jobs I was looking for. Her advice was very tailor-made to my profile, and she gave me some valuable changes that greatly improved the way my resume looked and the content it had.”

In February, Ranjith started as an Energy Storage Engineer at EDF Renewables North America, a company that develops and manages renewable energy projects. He finds the education he received in the Energy Systems program incredibly useful in his current position. “I was exposed to engineering and economic concepts of solar energy systems, energy storage, and energy economics, as well as sufficient knowledge of other renewable energy systems. This gave me an in-depth understanding of the various technologies and how they can be deployed in the real world,” he explained.

Finally, we asked Ranjith if he had any wisdom to pass on to future students. His passion and commitment to the field were apparent in his advice: “The renewable energy industry is booming, but it is a very niche market. Pick your specialization and interest in the field of renewable energy and apply yourself in real-world situations and work towards that goal. The world needs thinkers like us to transition to a clean energy future!”