Page 32 - The Indian EYE 042525

Newsmakers of the Week APRIL 25, 2025 | The Indian Eye 32

SHREYES MELKOTE Medal and the Blackall Machine Tool and Gage Award. He also was awarded
the Society of Manufacturing Engineer’s (SME) Gold Medal and Dell K. Al-
Professor appointed len Outstanding Young Manufacturing Engineer Award.

Interim Mechanical Engineering MENAKA HAMPOLE

Chair by Georgia Tech Yale professor honored with Early

Career Research Award

hreyes Melkote, the Morris M. Bryan, Jr. Professor for Advanced Manu-
facturing Systems, will serve as interim chair of the George W. Woodruff
SSchool of Mechanical Engineering beginning May 15.
He will assume the temporary role after Devesh Ranjan departs Georgia
Tech to become dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Wis-
consin-Madison. n April 8, Professor Menaka Hampole received an Upjohn Institute
“I am honored to serve the Woodruff School in an interim capacity. It is Early Career Research Award. The award is intended to provide re-
an opportunity to give back to the School and the Institute that have support- Osources for junior researchers (within six years of earning a PhD) to
ed me in my professional growth during the past 30 years,” Melkote said. “I carry out policy-related research on employment issues.
look forward to working with faculty, staff, and students until the next school Professor Hampole was awarded the grant for her work on “What Ex-
chair is chosen to lead it.” plains the Twin Gender Gaps in Higher Education? The Role of Outside Op-
Melkote has been a Woodruff School faculty member since in 1995. His tions”. The paper, written with co-authors Titan Alon and Laura Murphy,
research focuses on subtractive and hybrid manufacturing, industrial robot- explores how two gender gaps have appeared in higher education - women
ics for manufacturing, and application of artificial intelligence and machine are more likely to enroll in college and among college graduates, women have
learning methods for automated manufacturing process planning. worse financial outcomes post-college.
Melkote is the associate director for the Georgia Tech Manufacturing In- Menaka Hampole is an Assistant Professor of Finance at Yale SOM since
stitute (GTMI), Georgia Tech’s interdisciplinary research institute tackling the Fall 2023. Hampole’s primary research area focuses on topics at the intersec-
challenges facing manufacturers and helping to insure future global compet- tion of household finance and labor economics, with particular interests in
itiveness. He also serves as executive director of the Novelis Innovation Hub. topics of education financing.
“I am deeply appreciative of Shreyes’ willingness to step into this role Her research focuses on topics at the intersection of household finance
during our search process,” said Raheem Beyah, dean of the College of Engi- and labor economics. She has special interests in human capital and educa-
neering and Southern Company Chair. “This appointment reflects his excep- tion. Her work is supported by the NBER, the Russell Sage Foundation, the
tional leadership on campus. Shreyes’ achievements and dedication to Geor- National Science Foundation, and the Peterson Foundation.
gia Tech make him the ideal person to guide us through this transition period, She received a PhD in finance from Northwestern University Kellogg
and I look forward to continuing our collaboration in this new capacity.” School of Management, a master’s degree in economics from University Col-
Melkote was awarded Georgia Tech’s outstanding achievement in re- lege London, and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of
search engagement and outreach award in 2024. The annual honor is present- Chicago.
ed by the Office of the Executive Vice President for Research.
Melkote has published nearly 300 peer-reviewed papers in leading jour- To read more about Indian diaspora and Global Indians, log on to and follow
nals and conference proceedings. His honors include the American Society our website www.TheIndianEYE.com
of Mechanical Engineers’ (ASME) Milton C. Shaw Manufacturing Research

www.TheIndianEYE.com