Grad Spotlight: Kiran Prakriya

The nine days Kiran Prakriya spent in Germany with the 2023 Global Engineering Trek cohort forged his connection with the University of Münster.

After graduating this month with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and a double major in physics, Prakriya will return to the University of Münster as a Fulbright Fellow for the 2026-27 academic year. Under the guidance of Hubert Krenner at the Physikalisches Institut, he will conduct research on quantum transduction.

Cultivating a passion for research, Prakriya collaborated with Northwestern professors Matthew Grayson, Aggelos Katsaggelos, and William Halperin. Under Grayson’s guidance, Kiran analyzed transient decays in both the time-resolved photoluminescence response of transition metal complexes and the photoconductive responses of amorphous oxide semiconductors. In a project with Katsaggelos, Prakriya developed a novel adaptive sampling algorithm to improve the efficiency and accuracy of X-ray spectroscopic image acquisition. With Halperin’s Low Temperature Physics Group, Prakriya investigated the properties of silica aerogel and the effects of impurities on superfluid 3He.

Outside of the lab, Prakriya played French horn with the Northwestern Philharmonia all four years and found community through pickup and intramural soccer games. In addition, he served as director of transitions program for Supplies for Dreams, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the educational experience for Chicago Public Schools (CPS) students. A CPS alum, Prakriya led mentorship programs, organized school tours, and provided high school application guidance.

We caught up with Prakriya, who discussed his experience at the McCormick School of Engineering, impactful collaborative experiences, and his advice for current students.

Why did you decide to pursue electrical engineering at McCormick?

I decided to study electrical engineering because I enjoyed the electricity and magnetism topics I was exposed to in high school physics. I especially liked the combination of mathematical problem-solving and fascinating phenomena such as Faraday’s law. I have also always liked working with my hands to build, fix, and take things apart to find out how they work, from household appliances to cars. In addition, I appreciated the versatility of the EE major and the wide range of career options.

How did the McCormick curriculum help build a balanced, whole-brain ecosystem around your studies in electrical engineering?

The McCormick curriculum has allowed me to explore a wide range of disciplines beyond electrical engineering. Along with EE courses, I received exposure to extensive coursework in biomedical engineering, physics, mathematics, computer science, and applied mathematics, as well as subjects such as art, sociology, and music. Although my primary interests are in solid state engineering and condensed matter physics, I was able to study topics related to medical devices, signal processing, cryptography, and languages. These diverse educational experiences have allowed me to develop a broad set of skills and have given me both technical depth and intellectual breadth, allowing me to approach problems from multiple perspectives.

Was there a course or instructor that changed how you think, not just what you know?

During my third year, I took two courses that changed how I think about science and engineering. ELEC_ENG 433: Statistical Pattern Recognition introduced me to traditional machine learning methods and culminated in a large final project that emphasized open-ended problem solving and data-driven thinking. I also took a physics course on quantum fluids which explored superfluidity/superconductivity, Bose-Einstein condensates, and other quantum dynamics of condensed matter systems.

These courses were very impactful because they went beyond the established fundamentals and instead exposed me to the mindset of how research is carried out in these fields. They taught me how scientists and engineers approach problems for which there are no known answers and bridged the gap between theoretical models and real experimental measurements. I also gained experience reading scientific literature, analyzing empirical results, and writing scientific reports and articles. The skills and perspective I developed in these courses have been invaluable to my research experiences so far and will continue to shape my future studies.

What skills or knowledge did you learn in the undergraduate program that you think will stay with you for a lifetime?

The most important thing I gained from my undergraduate education is a strong foundation in mathematics, physics, and basic sciences that I will use throughout my career. I also developed the ability to learn new material independently and to discuss complex ideas clearly. By working with the Office of Fellowships and Office of Undergraduate Research, I developed skills to effectively present my work and write grant applications. These experiences played a major role in helping me apply to the Fulbright Fellowship, in addition to preparing me for graduate school interviews and future research opportunities.

What's next?

After my Fulbright Fellowship, I will begin a PhD in applied physics at California Institute of Technology (Caltech) where I will work with Keith Schwab on developing devices for quantum-limited measurements using superfluid helium. I also plan to investigate unconventional quantum states, which occur when subatomic particles interact with each other in ways that produce behaviors not seen in everyday matter. By understanding these systems, I aim to advance fundamental physics and develop quantum technologies and devices that have practical and beneficial real-world applications.

After completing my PhD, I hope to become a faculty member at a research institution studying condensed matter systems and building next generation technologies that harness quantum behaviors.

What advice would you give to current or incoming electrical and computer engineering students?

First, I would recommend that incoming ECE students explore electrical engineering broadly early on by taking at least one class from each of the subfields of ECE. This helps students discover what genuinely interests them and will give them enough time to take deeper, more advanced courses in later years.

Second, I would also encourage taking a rigorous mathematics and physics curriculum because a solid understanding of these core disciplines makes it easier to grasp engineering concepts and to think about them at a deeper level.

Finally, I would highly recommend getting involved in research as early as possible. Northwestern has many great faculty members and labs doing fantastic research. Doing research first-hand is a valuable way to develop problem-solving skills and gain exposure to open-ended questions outside of the classroom. I personally would not be where I am today without the opportunity, guidance, and mentorship I received from my research advisers; PhD students Daehan Park, John Scott, and Lawrence Rhoads; and alumni Henry Chopp (PhD ’23, MS ’20, ’17), and Can Aygen (PhD ’25, MS ’18, ’17).