Hello,

I am Yashraj Gurumukhi, a graduate engineer in making. I am working towards a PhD in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. I work with Dr. Nenad Miljkovic at the Energy Transport Research Laboratory in the field of heat transfer. My current research focuses on characterization of battery materials and thermal designs for next generation of batteries, along with a dash of capacitive frost sensing for increasing defrosting efficiency in heat exchangers. The work is a combination of experimental and computational modelling.
You can find more about my research here.

I am also currently looking to be hired for an internship.
My aim is to work towards solving challenging problems and implementing innovative ideas that can enable a better life for all.

Previously

I grew up in different cities of India, but the one I would call home is Mumbai. I lived an amazing 10 years of my life in Mumbai.

Four of those years were spent at IIT Bombay, where I went to get an undergraduate education. I started my B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering in 2014. Since my early years, I have been passionate about automobiles. At IIT Bombay, I got the opportunity to work with the IIT Bombay Racing team. I was fortunate to work with an interdisciplinary team of highly committed members that taught me way more than just building electric vehicles (EVs). I started as a design engineer responsible for the steering assembly. The technical aspect of the role helped in honing my skills as an engineer, innovating and improving reliability at the same time. This experience also taught me about time management, dedication, and interpersonal skills. I also got the opportunity to visit Silverstone, UK, where the Formula Student competition is held annually. My final year with the team was in the capacity of one of the two co-leads for the mechanical subsystem. The responsibilities grew in scope and this was a great learning experience in team bonding, representation, and management. Perhaps the most fun aspect was visiting the Auto Expo 2018 in Delhi to present our vehicle, and getting to meet all the auto experts that I had been watching and reading from when I was a kid.

After completing my undergraduate degree in 2018, I started attending graduate school at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. I came to get a Master’s and enjoyed the challenge presented by the many problems that came up while working on my projects of applied as well as fundamental nature. Initially, I worked on defrosting with structured surfaces and thermal management of electronics. I enjoyed the process and decided to work on a few more projects from their inception to completion. It also helped that my lab members and advisor were a joy to work with. And that is how I ended up becoming a PhD candidate. On a side note about Champaign-Urbana or “Chambana”, I find it to be a cozy and lively town to spend school years in, though it can be a touch too cold at times.

When time permits, I also am an avid tech enthusiast and a gamer. I try keeping up with the latest trends in the world of automotive and tech industry, out of sheer interest. The field of heat and energy lies at the confluence of the above-mentioned industries. So, fortunately, this hobby sometimes proves to be useful for my research as well.