From Pune to Purdue: Ananya Anand Nadkarni engineers smarter systems
When Ananya Anand Nadkarni left Pune, Maharashtra, India, to study at Purdue University, she was looking for more than a degree. She wanted an academic environment known for rigor, and one that would put her in labs and on project teams from the start.
Now a senior in the Purdue University Edwardson School of Industrial Engineering, with an expected graduation date of May 2027, Nadkarni has found both.
“I was drawn to Purdue for its strong engineering reputation and the opportunities it provides for undergraduates to get hands-on experience early on,” she said.
That hands-on experience became a reality through programs like STARS, EPICS and Vertically Integrated Projects. During the summer, she participated in the STARS program at the Birck Nanotechnology Center, where she received robust cleanroom training and worked directly with semiconductor fabrication processes.
The experience strengthened her growing interest in semiconductor manufacturing and statistical process control (SPC). “Getting cleanroom training and working with fab processes was an amazing opportunity,” she said. “It showed me how industrial engineering principles apply directly to advanced manufacturing.”
Nadkarni chose industrial engineering because of its blend of technical problem-solving, efficiency and systems thinking. She has long been curious about how processes, from manufacturing systems to supply chains, can be optimized and improved. Industrial engineering, she found, offers the ideal intersection of engineering and management, equipping her with analytical tools that can impact multiple industries.
Her involvement extends beyond research. She worked on an EPICS team and will continue her semiconductor research through Vertically Integrated Projects at Birck. Outside the classroom, she has been active in Purdue’s student community, serving on the Professional Development Committee for the Purdue Alumni Student Experience (PASE) program, where she helped create opportunities for students to gain career-focused experiences.
She has also grown as a leader through her work with Purdue Dining & Culinary, advancing into supervisory and managerial roles and now serving as a student manager.
Adjusting to a new country brought both academic and personal challenges. She credits Purdue’s supportive community, including professors, mentors and career resources like the Center for Career Opportunities, with helping her navigate those early hurdles. During her research experiences, she encountered steep technical learning curves, but guidance from faculty and peers, along with campus resources, helped her quickly build confidence and momentum.
“As an international student, I wanted a place that combined academic rigor with practical exposure,” she said. “Purdue gave me both — and a community where I could grow professionally and feel at home.”
Through research, leadership and a passion for smarter systems, Nadkarni is building a foundation to help shape the future of semiconductor manufacturing — one optimized process at a time.