By Ritu Jha-
With the theme Emerging Innovations in Engineering, the American Society of Engineers of Indian Origin (ASEI) celebrated the 36th National Convention ASEICon 24 that drew scholars, experts, and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) students from across the U.S.
Held at Cal State Fullerton on September 21, ASEICon 24 also honored four individuals by giving scholarships to STEM students. Founded in 1983 in Detroit, Michigan, ASEI was formed to exchange and collaborate technologies between India and the U.S.
The scholarships of $1000 was given to Tharika Sundaram of Georgia Tech University, Prerana Bhasein of the University of Maryland, Musharraf Shaikh of California State University, Long Beach, and Keshav Daga of California State University. Daga was also recognized as the ASEI Student of the Year.
Sundaram, a second-year Master’s student in Aerospace engineering, learned about ASEI through a friend while discussing how they didn’t know about any Indian engineering communities in the U.S. “We ended up establishing a student chapter of ASEI at Georgia Tech. This amount will help me to pay my tuition fees at Georgia Tech,” she told indica.
Another student Shaikh, pursuing a Master’s degree in Information Systems, told indica that his goal is to leverage technology and data analytics to drive impactful business decisions. He first learned about ASEI through the university’s South Asian Student Association (SASA). They were actively promoting the 2024 ASEI National Convention, and he was intrigued by the organization’s mission to empower and support engineering students and professionals of Indian origin.
“This led me to explore ASEI’s scholarship opportunities, and I’m incredibly grateful to have been selected as one of the recipients. The scholarship amount of $1,000 has been a tremendous help in supporting my educational journey. For an international student studying in the U.S., financial assistance like this is invaluable,” Shaikh said. “It helps alleviate some of the financial pressures associated with tuition, books, and other academic expenses.”
Adding on, he said that receiving this scholarship from ASEI isn’t just about the monetary support — it also represents recognition for his hard work and dedication. “This gives me even more motivation to strive for excellence. It has truly been an honor and will allow me to focus more on my academic and career goals,” Shaikh said.
For Daga, receiving this scholarship has been an incredibly uplifting experience. Daga, who is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Computer Science, is committed to academic excellence and community engagement.
He learned about ASEI through professional networking and was inspired by their mission of supporting STEM talent. The ASEI National Convention was organized at CSUF, and the speakers — many with over 20 years of industry experience, including several founders — offered invaluable insights.
“I learned so much from their diverse perspectives. The scholarship has eased financial pressures, allowing me to focus on my studies and future ambitions. More than just financial help, this award represents a recognition of my hard work and dedication,” Daga said. The convention itself was incredibly enriching, with top-notch speakers who shared their experiences and wisdom. It motivated him to continue striving toward both personal and professional growth, knowing that he has been supported by a community that believes in his potential.
Sanjay B Dalal, founder & CEO of oGoing.com, the National Convention Chair and National Board Member of ASEI shared about giving scholarship to students. Dalal told indica that the criteria for scholarships were based on academic honors, leadership and extracurricular activities, GPA, and the students’ statements on why they deserve the scholarship.
Judges for the scholarship competition were from Cal State Fullerton — Professor Deepak Sharma, and Professor Sajil James. Each of these students who got the scholarship had also volunteered at the event.
“They helped us a lot before and during the convention. And we could see their leadership skills in action,” Dalal said.
At least five or six students came from Georgia Tech to attend this convention and they were deeply inspired to start their chapter. “I was told recently that Georgia Tech University already started an ASEI student chapter. The new chapters will also begin very soon,” Dalal stated.
“The new Georgia Tech student chapters will bring more awareness for students, for career opportunities in engineering. They will also bring external innovators, engineers, and scientists established in the local areas to the colleges or campuses for fireside chats. They will also invite local companies wherever and whenever possible, who are hiring foreign students, as well as Indian-American students, as well as those who are from India. Their focus is learning as well as exploring opportunities,” he added.
“Our founding principle is to inspire the next generation. The next generation is our engineers, scientists, and mathematicians. They are the ones who are going to lead and take our world forward. If we can inspire them today and make them future leaders, and innovators, then they will in turn do the same. This is part of our mission and this is what we do,” Dalal said. “Our mission is to create a national network of technical professionals from the Asian Indian diaspora living in the U.S. to provide a platform for networking, career advancement, community service, technology exchange, and most importantly, to develop the next generation of scientists and engineers. That is true to our heart.”
At the convention, the participants interacted and were inspired by the keynotes, insightful panels, and availed of networking opportunities. Veejay C Patell, founder & CEO of beyondGreen biotech, was awarded the ASEI Entrepreneur of the Year, while Astha Kukreja, Staff Systems Engineer at Latitude AI, won the ASEI Engineer of the Year for their outstanding leadership and dedication towards innovation, entrepreneurship, and engineering. A perpetual scholarship endowment from Manu Shah of the Shah Happiness Foundation and MSI family was also announced. The endowment will fuel at least three annual student scholarships each year.
“Our first focus was to bring STEM students and professionals together so that they can be inspired by our keynote speakers on innovation in engineering, and the latest things that they should be thinking about. That inspiration could lead to more learning, and opportunities, and could lead to them becoming future innovators,” Dalal said. Apart from students scholarship, ASEI also held six different panels on artificial intelligence, commercialization, and innovation.
“We also had panel discussions on women’s engineering leadership, sustainability and renewable energy, med tech, and health tech. We wanted to bring to the forefront some of the leading women engineers who are making a difference,” said Dalal.
Keynotes and special addresses at the event included Dr. Raj Vedam – Multi-Disciplinary Explorer: Engineer, Mathematician, Historian, and Scientist, Dr. Parag Havaldar – Academy Award winner Computer Scientist, Manu Shah – Engineer to Entrepreneur of Multi-billion dollar self-made enterprise, and Paul Bailey, executive at AOA, ex-Walt Disney Imagineer and R2-D2 Expert, Dr. Bhavya Lal, former Associate Administrator for technology, policy, and strategy at NASA, and Keyur Maru, Architect at SDA and Regional Director, BAPS West. A total of 31 keynote speakers and panelists shared their insights and experiences on innovations from varied industries.
According to Dalal, the convention was interrupted by Covid for a couple of years. “We couldn’t do it physically. Next year’s convention most likely will be organized by a host chapter. We have five chapters – Detroit, Silicon Valley, Southern California, Dallas, and Washington, DC. The 2025 convention is likely to be in held Dallas. ASEI, which began as a conglomeration of engineers, has broadened its spectrum to include all of STEM — science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Our core focus remains on our STEM students of Indian origin and Indian American students, and helping them with new opportunities, leadership, and careers, where they will be future leaders and ambassadors of ASEI.”
