Shruthi Kumar Raj, Ph.D.

Experience

• 

  Central Electrochemical Research Institute (cecri)

  Jan 2012 - Jan 2016

  Student Researcher

  Nitrogen doped graphene electrodes for energy storage applications | High power density device fabrication and characterization | Battery electrode materials synthesis | Carbon, graphene, carbon nanotubes | Superhydrophobic substrates and coatings

• 

  Indian Institute of Science (IISc)

  Dec 2013 - Jan 2014

  Intern

  Battery Hybrid Supercapacitors | Synthesis and Characterization of Anode, Cathode Materials | Device fabrication to power household appliances

• 

  National University of Singapore

  Jun 2014 - Jul 2014

  Trainee

  Experimental electrochemistry | Electrode kinetics | Lithium ion button and coin cells | Device fabrication and testing

• 

  Missouri University of Science and Technology

  May 2015 - Jul 2015

  Research Scholar

  Electrochemical CO2 conversion using palladium and gold catalysts | Electrocatalysis | Aerogel SiC synthesis and characterization | Analytical Chemistry

• 

  Michigan State University

  Jan 2016 - Jan 2020

  Doctoral Student

  - Collaborated with Department of Defense and Boeing to enable transition from hexavalent chromium coatings to other sustainable coatings in aerospace applications. - Investigated properties of Additively manufactured aluminum and compared against tradition rolled Aluminum productsInstrument Skills: Potentiostats, Electron microscopy, X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Raman/FT-IR Spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction.

• 

  The Hopes Foundation

  Jan 2016 - now

  Co-Founder

  I strongly believe that education is not just a path forward but a gateway to breaking the cycle of disadvantage and building a future where everyone can thrive. With this mindset that education is the key to unlocking a child's potential, I co-founded "The Hopes Foundation". For many years, we have witness firsthand, situations where talented students are forced to abandon their dreams due to financial constraints. The Hopes Foundation strives to be a lifeline to such children, providing critical financial assistance to continue their education. But our impact goes deeper.... We also conduct interactive, educational career workshops in Tier-3 schools to instill a growth mindset among students, a skill often missing in underprivileged communities. We want to give young minds, brimming with potential the knowledge and tools to navigate the job market and forge a brighter future for themselves and their families. At The Hopes Foundation we don't just want to change lives; we want to ignite them. Show less

• 

  Henkel

  Sept 2019 - Dec 2019

  Guest Scientist

  - Led an investigation to understand corrosion of automotive closure panels' hem joints leading to high OEM warranty costs. - Guided research on surface treatments, e-coat and alloy choices and provided suggestions for robust hem joint durability- Supervised ASTM standardized corrosion tests, analyzed results and published peer reviewed article

• 

  Novelis

  Jan 2020 - Jan 2021

  Scientist

  - Fundamental research on corrosion mechanisms in existing aluminum products, developing next generation high corrosion performance aluminum alloys for application in automotive, aerospace and Food and Beverage industries. - Managed projects aimed at understanding influence of alloy/microstructure relationships, pretreatment and intermetallic particles on corrosion behaviour of parent and /or painted aluminum sheet metal. - Supervised laboratory ASTM/ISO standard cyclic and accelerated corrosion tests and corrosion performance validation of aerospace and automotive aluminum alloys. Show less

• 

  Rivian

  Jan 2021 - now

  Led cross-functional vehicle attribute delivery for Rivian's entire product line, collaborating with Product Design, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Quality teams. Report directly to the VP of Attributes, ensuring alignment and high-level decision making.Owned vehicle environmental durability throughout product lifecycle - setting initial targets, validation, and securing sign-off for North American and European markets ensuring superior performance of all Rivian vehicles across diverse environments.Championed product development standards by defining requirements, test methods, and performance criteria for vehicle systems. Steered critical risk mitigation efforts for all Rivian programs, balancing business value and engineering efforts. My leadership in identifying and mitigating risks resulted in significant cost savings, exceeding $1 million in just one year through proactive lab-based testing and optimization. Show less

  • Staff Engineer

    Jun 2023 - now

  • Senior Engineer

    Jan 2021 - Jun 2023
• 

  Limitless Avenues

  Mar 2023 - now

  Director

  A social impact Education startup offering career exploration experiences in the US.

• 

  Inflection Point Ventures

  Oct 2024 - now

  Investor

  Investing in startups in Climate tech, Medtech, Healthcare.