In Conversation with Nishigandha Kelkar

Working as the integration lead for displays on Boeing aircrafts, Nishigandha Kelkar is an aerospace engineer currently working at Collins Aerospace. Alongside being part of the team digitising the cockpit systems of a Boeing 777x, she is also the founder of the startup Project LaunchPad. Using her own experiences, this platform focuses on student mental health awareness as well as democratizing the knowledge for pursuing higher education. By becoming a TEDx speaker in June 2021, she is passionate about sharing her enthusiasm for engineering and advocates for young people to pursue higher education.

In an insightful interview led by volunteers Lily Tierney and Olivia Johnson, Nishigandha (Nishi) Kelkar shares her experiences as an aerospace engineer, and discusses the importance of role models, safety in aviation, and such as gender equality, the stigma surrounding obesity, and mental health…

Nishigandha Kelkar

Lily: Thanks for joining us today Nishi! We understand you're part of a team working on the digitalisation of a Boeing cockpit. Could you tell us a bit more about that project and your work within that team?

Nishi: Yeah, absolutely. So I actually have an aircraft model with me...This is a 1:200 scale model, so once it enters production, it is going to look exactly like this. One feature that I want to point out are the folding wingtips (Fig. 1). If you try to fold them like the way they are right now, you can see that it decreases the total wingspan and it can fit into traditional parking spaces. Then it extends its wingtips out so that it can fly in that extended state and therefore have better aerodynamic capability. This is a pretty neat aspect of this aircraft, which is the first to be done on a Boeing commercial airplane. Another interesting aspect about it is of course the touchscreen displays. For the first time, we're bringing touchscreens to the cockpit of a commercial Boeing aircraft. It will also be the largest and most fuel-efficient twin-engine jet in the world. So overall, many firsts on this aircraft for sure.

Figure 1 - A Boeing 777x with its wingtips folded. Credit: Dan Nevill , CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

As for my role, I am the integration lead, so I'm responsible for coordinating with different internal stakeholders to make sure that we stay on track with our schedule. I'm also responsible for the final delivery of the software build to our customer. Another technical role that I picked up on the team is the engine indication application focal. There are two GE engines [GE Aviation has supplied the engines for the Boeing 777x] on this aircraft and the status of these engines is shown on our displays. I'm responsible for making sure that the development and the verification activities for this application take place correctly. Often we get issues that are captured from flight tests, and it is my responsibility to identify the root cause for why it's happening that way, work towards determining a fix and verify the implementation.

Olivia: That was really interesting! I think a lot of people probably misjudge or misunderstand the role of an engineer, could you walk us through a typical day in your life?

Nishi: Sure! No two days are the same and to me, that’s the fun and challenging part of this job. Every problem that you try to solve brings a new learning experience, in some way, that then adds to your overall experience of building a product. 

So sometimes, I have meetings in place when we track the verification and validation activities because this project is at the tail end and is being heavily tested at this point. Then I'm also physically at the simulation facility, testing a new software build, trying to replicate a pilot's experience, and then evaluating how our software behaves. As an integration lead, I'm also responsible for the upkeep of our simulation facilities. I try to focus on getting into the lab, making sure that the correct load sets are present and basically getting the resource ready so that other engineers can actively come there and test.

Lily: That sounds like a really fun time. With regards to your work on the Boeing aeroplanes, I noticed on the SpaceX Crew Dragon that they also had a digital cockpit. We were wondering what you hope your work will do for the commercial aviation sector? Are we talking about more safety or just ease of use?

Nishi: Absolutely! So this is definitely going to be huge for the air transport industry. Let's specifically look at the rationale for why we're bringing about this change. So as we know, the pilot is already bringing tablets to the flight deck to assist with the process of flying. And, if we can bring that touchscreen capability to the displays, then that makes the flying process even more intuitive. So there are definitely human factors considerations that go into designing the cockpit so that the final goal of making the technology helpful for the pilot - by alleviating the burden the pilot experiences - can be accomplished. Along with the touchscreen, there are also a lot of technologies that really help reduce the burden that comes with flying, whether that's the alert messages popping up and telling the pilot what's going wrong with certain control systems, or the weather radar information overlapping with the map that the aircraft is following. In so many ways, it's surely adding to the pilot’s experience of flying thereby making air travel safer. 

Olivia: So, engineering is a really broad field and STEM is even wider in terms of what it covers. But what specifically drew you towards engineering and aerospace in particular?

Nishi: I was very drawn towards math and physics because it fascinated me that science concepts could be used to describe the big unknowns around us. Like how using physics concepts and mathematical expressions, you can weigh the gravitational force that an object experiences. And that to me was phenomenal. 

I’ve been attracted to aerospace more specifically due to my curiosity in this area sparked by the fact that we are really a tiny speck of everything that encompasses our universe. Astronautics gives us an opportunity to build technology that will then enable us to find out more about the universe. Looking at aviation, it is solving the world problem of connecting destinations so many thousand miles away. This is a situation I personally connect with as it is because of advances in aeronautical engineering that I'm able to get onto this metallic vessel and travel across the ocean in a little under a day to meet my family staying halfway around the globe. So it's really helping connect people and resources. Seeing such practical applications of STEM in the real world has drawn me towards pursuing this field.

Lily: That was really inspiring. So I really want to go into engineering myself, and I definitely take inspiration from some of the most prolific female engineers in history, such as Emily Roebling, who was working on the Brooklyn Bridge, and Mary W. Jackson, who was the first black female engineer at NASA. Is there anybody past or present that you take inspiration from?

Nishi: It’s wonderful to know that you are interested in pursuing STEM; absolutely, these are prolific women to gain inspiration from. When I was in third grade, I remember seeing Kalpana Chawla as the first Indian origin woman to go to space aboard her second mission on the space shuttle Columbia. And that's when I was very inspired by her journey as an aerospace engineer and an astronaut, as well. So it's definitely been very inspirational to see her go on that journey as a woman from a similar background that I have been brought up in. Suni Williams also had a huge impact on me while growing up. I remember that when I was in sixth grade, she went on-board the International Space Station, and broke the record for the highest number of hours outside the spacecraft by a woman, which I think was a little over 29 hours. So that was very inspirational to me at that impressionable age.

Olivia: Yeah, I think it's really important to have those sorts of role models. But what do you see as some of the main challenges that the aerospace engineering field is going to have to tackle in the next five years, especially due to the pressure to decarbonize and the impact that COVID-19 has had on the industry?

Nishi: The pandemic has definitely had an impact on the aviation industry because the drop in the number of travellers that we're seeing has directly impacted the economics of airlines. So it will be a while for us to pick up the traffic levels to that of the pre-COVID era. And even then there’s going to be changes that we inherit from our response to the pandemic. It’ll be interesting to see the evolution of business class post-pandemic and the digitization of the check-in experience.  

On the topic of climate change, aviation accounts for about 2.5% of global carbon dioxide emissions, as stated by the Global Carbon Project. And we're seeing that companies are proactively contributing their bit towards this cause, like Airbus, for instance, has announced plans to have the first zero-emission aircraft by 2035 using hydrogen fuel cells. And then Boeing has announced plans for improving their fuel economy and reducing noise pollution through their ‘Eco-demonstrator’ project. 

Looking at electric planes, that definitely could be a viable concept as well. Currently, we are limited from their use because of economic and technical reasons. We'll have to figure out how we can optimize the energy density of the fuel. In order for us to travel the expected range for our aircraft, we need to be producing the requisite energy but the specific energy of lithium-ion batteries, for instance, is not quite there yet. Also, we need the batteries to be affordable to airlines who choose to electrify their fleet, but currently, the jet fuel option is cheaper. But then I'm optimistic that we are definitely going to have better alternatives emerge soon.

Lily: Thanks for that insight. I actually watched the Airbus conference where they revealed the new designs, and I was blown away by some of their new ideas. And I think hydrogen really could be a possibility. So the next couple of questions are about your journey into STEM. What was the route you took to get to the position you are at now? Is there anything you would have done differently after reflecting back on your journey?

Nishi: I put myself out of my comfort zone. I have worked on the unmanned platform system, A320neo, Boeing 757, 767 and am currently working on the Boeing 777X and 787. I definitely gained a breadth of experience working on avionics technology that goes across these different platforms. 

Looking back, I'm very glad I did that because as nerve-wracking as it may be to work on this project that you don't have much technical experience in, the process of understanding the technology from scratch to being able to effectively contribute to a team is extremely rewarding. So I would suggest stepping out of your comfort zone and gaining experience with technologies you're really passionate about.

Olivia: I think that putting yourself out there and stepping out of what you're comfortable with is really important to be able to progress. So talking about your new startup venture, what was the inspiration behind it, and helping students in higher education with their mental health?

Nishi: I'm going to read out a few statistics here. These are from the mental health awareness organisation Active Minds. 75% of mental health issues begin by age 24, 67% of people below 24 do not seek treatment for anxiety or depression and 39% of students in college experienced a significant mental health issue. So I think the statistics clearly indicate that we need to rally our efforts towards this area, more specifically in mental health awareness for the youth. I feel like our society clearly focuses on aspects like “how do you get into college?” and “which degree do you want to pursue?” but there's so much that happens behind the scenes. 

Often, we have students who are leaving their home for the first time to go and study at these universities. So staying away from family, figuring out this new city, studying university-level content for the first time can all add up to elevate the student’s stress level. There's a lot that goes on during these years of life. I really wanted to reflect this aspect of it through talk seminars, through sessions where students get to understand maybe some of the tips that they could use, or what really goes on from a psychological standpoint during these years. So I'm hoping to spread awareness about these basic concepts through the platform in the hope that it helps our youth better navigate these years of their lives.

Lily: I think it is a really important message you're sharing there. So, I hope you don't mind, but we did a bit of LinkedIn research on you. We noticed that you graduated top of your class in Aerospace Engineering and Management, and were wondering, what sort of advice would you give to anybody pursuing STEM in higher education?

Nishi: Be relentless in whatever it is that you're trying to achieve! As much as the end goal of graduating top of my class feels good to me, if I’m to be very honest, I wasn't immune from moments of self-doubt and did experience insecurities. But at the end of it, I kept moving forward and supported the difficult times through my motivation to pursue these degrees. Maybe link it to the bigger purpose of what you're trying to achieve through all of this. For me, the accomplishment was really studying rocket science and then applying this knowledge to create technologies that help us to explore more about our universe or to help us connect more people.

When you work very hard towards achieving your purpose, I think that's when things start to sort themselves out, at least, in my personal experience. It's going to be difficult, in a lot of ways, there were definitely subjects that made me wonder what I was doing here or maybe made me question my self-worth. But then in these times, I think reaching out for help, maybe tutoring sessions, maybe following a study group, maybe looking up YouTube videos that explain those concepts, could serve in your favour.  So at the end of the day, work hard and try to keep treading along!

Olivia: Yeah, I think that's exactly right, though. So obviously, the field of engineering can be incredible and it can bring so many benefits. How would you suggest that we can encourage more young people, especially girls and minority groups into the field?

Nishi: I think what you're doing through your platform is great because exposure is very important. When you see people who have been able to accomplish their dreams despite all the odds that life threw their way, that's when you get motivated to try and do it yourself. And that is exactly what I experienced as well. I saw role models in women who have accomplished great feats in the aviation and aerospace industry. And then I thought to myself that I will be able to do that as well. 

Also, I think having outreach opportunities can help young people get their hands dirty. Through activities like coding exercises, building a demo bridge, understanding creating a snack pulley that introduces them to different fields like biomedical engineering, aviation, aerospace, mechanical, software engineering, and so on. I think really capturing their attention, and helping them see first-hand how exciting the process of creating something new can become.

Lily: And so perhaps a less serious question, but having just seen the launch of Richard Branson's Unity, and just yesterday, Jeff Bezos’s New Shepard capsule, if you were given the chance, would you be a space tourist?

Nishi: Absolutely, and in capital letters YES! Sign me up. I have been fascinated by space travel since I was a kid. So yes, this is definitely something I want to achieve. I’d jump on the opportunity whenever I get it and I'm hoping it happens one day.

Lily: And so that's sort of the end of our planned questions. I don't know if Olayemi, you've got anything to add?

Olayemi: Hello, I was wondering what you think about planes that get recalled? I am talking about the 737 Max, I think a lot of people are still worried that they have been put back into operation. Do you think that people are right to be worried?

Nishi: So I think in the development of complex technologies, there are definitely concerns that come up and I think they point to a variety of factors when we look at why that happened. Although I have personally never worked on the 737 Max project, I think just following from the news articles that are published I am able to understand any of the technical topics that have been mentioned because of my background in aerospace engineering. I've noticed that there has definitely been a concerted effort at Boeing's end to get to the bottom of why this happened and try to fix it. 

The other side of things that I'd like to point out is that there are regulatory agencies that uphold large companies to these standards, very similar to what we would see in the medical industry. There are certain hours of testing you need to perform and certain documentation you need to provide as evidence. They are definitely strict on designs you're putting forth and that continues to be the case, here as well. So again, following the news, Boeing has definitely been putting in a lot of effort, whether it's through continuous testing, redesign, getting to the bottom of the issue to try and fix this. And that coupled with the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration), following through on making sure that the regulatory concerns are met as well. In the capacity of working in the aerospace industry, I can attest to the fact that the companies work to achieve internal safety and quality benchmarks as well as regulatory standards set by the FAA, Transport Canada, EASA, etc.

Lily: Thanks for that Olayemi and thanks for taking the time to talk to us today Nishi!

Mhairi: Yes, thank you so much for joining us today, Nishi. I think that everybody will agree that your answers gave us a lot to think about. Personally, I knew nothing about aerospace engineering, so I feel like I learned a lot today and I'm sure that the others will agree, especially that some of the others are especially interested in engineering! Thank you so much for your time today, and for reaching out to be interviewed!

Nishi: Thank you so much for the opportunity, and it's really nice talking to you all. I hope this session was helpful in getting a sneak peek into aviation and aerospace engineering and wishing you the best with your future endeavours.