Alexandre V. Chirokov

M.S./Ph.D. 

Mechanical Engineering 

Graduated: 2005 

Thesis Title: Stability of Atmospheric Pressure Glow Discharges 

Link to Thesis: http://idea.library.drexel.edu/handle/1860/657 

Current Employer: JWM Partners 

E-mail: alex.chirokov@gmail.com

Ankit Desai

M.S.

Electrical Engineering

Graduated: 2004

Project Title: Pulsed Corona Plasma Technology for Treating VOC emissions

Current Employer: The MathWorks Inc. 

E-mail: desai.ankit@gmail.com

Personal Website: www.desaiankit.com

Background:

Ankit completed his Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from V.V.P. Engineering College, Rajkot India in 2002. While pursuing his Master of Science in Electrical Engineering at Drexel University, Ankit started working at the Drexel Plasma Institute as a Research Engineer. He worked as a Controls Engineer for the project titled "Plasma Cleaning of Exhaust Gases from Paper Mills and Wood Plants". He worked on the modeling and simulation of the project under the supervision of Dr. Alexander Fridman, Dr. Alexander Gutsol and Dr. Allon Guez. Ankit served as cultural and sports secretary for Pragathi - Graduate Indian Student Association at Drexel. He enjoys music, singing and dancing.

Ankit graduated in 2004 with Master of Science in Electrical Engineering and is currently working as a Senior Software Quality Engineer for The Instrument Control Toolbox at The MathWorks Inc, Natick MA .

Shailesh P. Gangoli

M.S./Ph.D.

Mechanical Engineering

Graduated: 2007

Thesis Title: Experimental and Modeling Study of Warm Plasmas and Their Applications

Link to Thesis: http://idea.library.drexel.edu/handle/1860/1864

Current Employer: Air Products and Chemicals Inc.

E-mail: gangolee@gmail.com

Personal Website: http://www.gangolee.com

Background:

Shailesh graduated with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Manipal University (http://www.manipal.edu), Karnataka, India in 2002. He came to Drexel University in 2003 to pursue Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering. Began working the Drexel Plasma Institute in January 2004 as a Research Assistant. He fell in love with plasma technology and decided to pursue a Ph.D. under the supervision of Dr. Alexander Fridman and Dr. Alexander Gutsol. He was an active member of the graduate student community and enjoyed organizing events, both at DPI and at Drexel, trying to keep everyone connected. During his stay graduate studies, he received the Teaching Excellence Award (2003-2004) and Graduate Student Service Excellence Award (2006-2007). He is an avid sportman and loves to play Cricket, Squash and Volleyball. Loves to watch Soccer and American Football.

He graduated with a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in 2007. Currently, he currently holds the position of Sr. Research Engineer at Air Products & Chemicals Inc. (R & D), Allentown PA.

Kamilla Iskenderova

Ph.D.

Graduated: 2003

Thesis Title: Cleaning process in high density plasma chemical vapor deposition reactor

Current Employer: EMCON Technologies

Chiranjeev Kalra

M.S.

Graduated: 2004

Francis “Mac” Haas

M.S.

Mechanical Engineering

Graduated: 2006

Thesis Title: Plausibility Analysis of Branching Radical Reclamation from HO2 in Plasma- Stimulated Ignition below the Autoignition Temperature Threshold

Current Position: Graduate Student, Princeton University Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Background:

Mac’s professional interests are in energy production and utilization.  While working on dual BS Environmental and Chemical Engineering degrees at Drexel, he co-oped twice with ExxonMobil and once with Turkish firm Ecoprotech.  It was on this last co-op that he collaborated with the Drexel Plasma Institute on the construction of a plasma-based tar cracking device for solid waste gasification, overseeing its construction and testing onsite in Istanbul.  Upon his return to Drexel, Mac joined DPI and worked on a series of projects, culminating in his MS thesis on plasma assisted ignition/combustion.

Mac is currently a PhD candidate in Professor Frederick Dryer’s Combustion and Fuels Research Lab at Princeton.