Shubham Ravan
Major: Master’s degree
Adviser: Travis Anderson, Ph.D.
Department: Chemical Engineering
Originally from Kolhapur, India, Shubham Ravan is a first-year master’s student and graduate student researcher specializing in semiconductor fabrication and characterization. His expertise lies in scaling processes from lab to commercial scale, optimizing manufacturing efficiency.
He recently received the Chemical Engineering MS Research, Leadership and Service Excellence Award. This recognition reflects not only academic performance but also contributions in mentoring, research and leadership.
He was also elected to be the representative for the master’s student cohort in chemical engineering, tasked with improving academic engagement and professional development. Additionally, he helps coordinate professional development workshops, benefiting the 80-plus graduate students in skill-building and career growth.
Here, Shubham shares more about his journey:
What inspired you to pursue your field of study?
I was always fascinated by how everyday products were converted from raw materials. Chemical engineering is like modern-day alchemy, where you create something valuable using the least amount of resources with science, problem-solving solving and creativity.
What are your goals and aspirations?
I want to develop expertise in engineering knowledge/skills and apply them to challenging engineering problems. I aspire to meaningfully connect the dots between research and industrial application.
I aspire to be a skilled engineer working on cutting-edge technologies in the semiconductor-manufacturing field. I plan to gain hands-on experience through internships, research projects and industry collaborations to deepen my understanding of real-world applications.
What is the most interesting or challenging class you’ve taken?
Process Control. The deep intersection of problem-solving, mathematics and science was absolutely thrilling. I enjoyed learning how dynamic systems behave and how we can manipulate them to maintain efficiency, safety, and optimize product quality.
Outside of school, what are your favorite hobbies or interests?
I love staying active with badminton and table tennis as they both keep me competitive and energized. I also enjoy reading, especially books on science fiction or biographies. They help me gain new perspectives and provide me a healthy escape to challenge my imagination.
What’s the last book you read?
“Dune” (1965) written by Frank Herbert. It’s an insanely well-written novel for its time, with complex undertones of environmentalism, politics, religion and futuristic technology. It’s a timeless novel and makes me admire the capacity of human imagination and the craft of writing, an art fading fast in the era of AI.
Name a place on your travel bucket list?
Cappadocia, Turkey.