UTD - The University of Texas at Dallas
10/27/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/27/2026 14:25
Engineering Fellowship Winner Has Eye on Changing Lives
Since then, Avhad has been building expertise and expanding her education as she pursues a doctoral degree in mechanical engineering at UT Dallas. Most recently, Avhad was selected for an Engineering for Change (E4C) Fellowship, a program spearheaded by several professional engineering organizations that supports students as they develop skills while working on projects that address real-world challenges related to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals.
Early Experiences Shape Education, Career Paths
When her family moved from Bermuda to Nashik, India, when she was a child, Avhad saw stark differences in people's access to resources and opportunities.
"Growing up between a developed country and a developing one exposed me to how unfair life can be just depending on where you are born," Avhad said. "These early experiences shaped my moral compass. One challenge I'm really passionate about is working toward reducing global poverty and improving access to education."
Through IEEE Smart Village, Avhad helped an entrepreneur in Zambia promote her solar-powered lapidary business. Avhad also visited a rural village in India where she saw how the installation of solar panels and batteries made it possible for children there to study at night and for local healthcare centers to have more reliable electricity.
UT Dallas researchers have designed a material that can store and discharge heat to help make building temperatures more comfortable and reduce electricity use.
"These experiences completely shifted my approach to engineering," Avhad said. "Engineering has the potential to transform the lives of people, especially with clean and affordable energy resources."
University Research Opens Opportunities
Avhad came to UT Dallas in 2018 and received an Academic Excellence Scholarship. In her junior year, she joined Dr. Shuang Cui's lab, where she teamed with researchers to develop materials and technologies for thermal energy storage and energy efficiency. Cui, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering and Fellow, Eugene McDermott Distinguished Professor, and her colleagues have developed and patented a wood-based material that can store and discharge heat to help make building temperatures more comfortable and reduce electricity use.
As an undergraduate, Avhad gained experience in materials design and optimization for energy-storage systems across a range of applications including buildings, solar power plants and batteries. She enjoyed research so much that she decided to pursue a PhD with Cui as her advisor.
Roma Avhad BS'22, with her PhD advisor, Dr. Shuang Cui. Avhad has worked with Cui since she was an undergraduate.
"What makes Roma stand out is her intellectual curiosity, perseverance and growing independence as a researcher," Cui said. "I have seen her develop from an undergraduate student seeking guidance into a confident graduate student researcher who asks thoughtful questions, critically evaluates results and takes ownership of her work. Her willingness to learn, persistence in overcoming challenges, and commitment to producing meaningful research make her highly deserving of the E4C fellowship."
"What makes Roma stand out is her intellectual curiosity, perseverance and growing independence as a researcher,. I have seen her develop from an undergraduate student seeking guidance into a confident graduate student researcher who asks thoughtful questions, critically evaluates results and takes ownership of her work."
Dr. Shuang Cui, assistant professor of mechanical engineering
Through the fellowship, Avhad worked with Nth Cycle, a Massachusetts company that develops technology to recover valuable materials from used batteries and mining waste. Her project involved helping the company design and optimize electrolytic cells, which use electricity to recover critical metals.
Avhad designed a system to manage heat in the cell and developed computer models to study heat transfer and optimize the cell's design, improving the efficiency of the metal recovery process.
"Since my research is a combination of chemistry and materials science, along with thermal and fluid sciences, it was very fulfilling to work on a project that combines these disciplines while working toward a sustainable future," Avhad said.
As Avhad works to finish her PhD, she is on track to graduate with Sustainability Honors. She volunteers with UT Dallas' Eco Hub and is certified as a UT Dallas Sustainability Steward. She continues to volunteer for IEEE Smart Village.
"I think the E4C fellowship is a big step toward a potential career in engineering for global development," Avhad said. "I hope to continue working on engineering problems in an industry related to sustainability once I graduate with my PhD next year. I would also like to pursue my own path in making an impact in social development in India. I am still carving out where I think my skills would be a best fit, but I am excited to see what is ahead."
UTD - The University of Texas at Dallas published this content on October 27, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on October 27, 2026 at 20:25 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]