M.Eng. students partner with Tesla on clean energy solutions

When Azhir Barodawala, M.Eng. '18, looks at the Cornell Duffield College of Engineering today, he sees a community worth investing in.

Now a staff sales engineer at Tesla, the R.F. Smith School Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) alum worked directly with current M.Eng. students on a real-world design project focused on utility-scale battery energy storage systems, a technology increasingly central to the future of the U.S. power grid.

The collaboration pairs M.Eng. students in Cornell's chemical and biomolecular engineering program with one of the world's leading clean energy companies, giving students the opportunity to tackle the same technical, financial and systems-level questions facing industry today.

"This is exactly the kind of experience that defined my time in the M.Eng. program," Barodawala said. "You're not just solving a textbook problem. You're working through the same tradeoffs, constraints and uncertainties you'll face on the job. Coming back to mentor students feels like giving back, and also giving forward."

Designing the grid of the future

The student team - Siddhant Dhende, Yi-Hsuan (Sharon) Chen, Chia-Hung (Alex) Liu, and Sreekar Mukkamala - is developing a full end-to-end plan for a 250 MW utility-scale battery energy storage system, reflecting the complexity of real infrastructure projects.

For Dhende, who came to Cornell from Mumbai with a background in chemical engineering and a focus on energy systems, the project represents exactly what drew him to the program.

"I wanted to move beyond textbook problem-solving and work on open-ended, industry-relevant challenges," he said. "This project brings together engineering fundamentals, systems thinking, and real-world decision-making in a way that directly connects to the future of energy and my long-term goal of contributing to sustainable energy innovation."

Under the guidance of Cornell faculty and with input from Tesla, students are evaluating everything from site selection and system sizing to cost modeling and financial feasibility. Their work addresses a central challenge in renewable energy: aligning electricity supply with demand.

"As solar and wind continue to expand, energy isn't always available when it's needed," Dhende said. "Battery storage helps solve this by storing excess energy and releasing it during peak demand. Our goal is to design a system that is reliable, economically viable and capable of strengthening grid stability."

The team is also assessing battery technologies, balance-of-system components such as inverters and transformers, and operational strategies including energy arbitrage and ancillary grid services.

Beyond technical design, students are building full financial models, calculating metrics such as net present value, internal rate of return, and levelized cost of storage - skills central to the M.Eng. program's emphasis on translating engineering insight into deployable solutions.

"This project brings together chemical engineering fundamentals, systems thinking and financial analysis in a way that's very true to industry practice," said Brian Bauer, professor of practice and associate director of the Master of Engineering program at the R.F. Smith School. "Having an alum from Tesla involved elevates the experience and shows students what's possible after Cornell."

Learning from those who've been there

For students, working with a Cornell alum embedded in industry adds a powerful layer of relevance.

"It's different when someone who once sat in your seat is now applying these tools at Tesla," Dhende said. "You gain insight into how technical analysis, economic modeling and system design come together to influence real decisions in the energy landscape."

Dhende said one of the most rewarding aspects of his M.Eng. experience has been applying classroom concepts, such as energy systems and process modeling, to practical engineering challenges.

"At Cornell, you see how fundamental chemical engineering principles can directly shape large-scale infrastructure and sustainability solutions," he said.

The collaboration also highlights one of the defining strengths of Duffield Engineering's M.Eng. programs: deep industry engagement. Alumni frequently return as project partners, mentors and guest speakers, reinforcing a culture in which professional success and community commitment go hand in hand.

Each year, industry partners work with Cornell faculty and M.Eng. student teams on projects designed to address real-world engineering and business challenges. These collaborations give companies the opportunity to explore topics relevant to their organizations while providing students with hands-on experience, professional mentorship and direct exposure to industry problem-solving. Faculty help frame project goals, while student teams deliver technical analyses, recommendations and next-step strategies informed by their work.

Giving back and forward

For Barodawala, the project reflects a belief that engineering education works best as a continuous loop between campus and industry.

"The M.Eng. program prepared me to think across technical and business dimensions," Barodawala said. "Helping today's students do the same is one of the most meaningful ways I can contribute."

For students like Dhende, the experience is shaping both immediate career goals and long-term ambitions.

"My goal is to work as a process engineer in the energy sector and contribute to cleaner, more reliable energy systems," he said. "Projects like this give you the confidence and practical skills to step into that role and make an impact on day one."

As the team finalized its feasibility analyses and strategic recommendations for their project presentation to faculty and Borodawala at the end of their year-long M.Eng. program, the students gained technical experience and professional confidence, industry fluency and connections that extend well beyond graduation.

It's a reminder that a Duffield Engineering education does not end with a diploma. It grows stronger as alumni return to help shape what comes next.