About

Who am I?

I was born and brought up around the foothills of the scenic Western Ghats of India. I graduated with a degree in electrical engineering from Dr. Mahalingam College of Engineering and Technology, affiliated with Anna University, Tamil Nadu. Upon completing my bachelor’s education, I went on to work with Mahindra and Mahindra for 18 months as a service and training engineer. During my time with industry, I saw the potential of engineering in the real-world. I was motivated to develop more knowledge and skills in energy engineering and chose to pursue a master’s education. During my master’s, I had the great opportunity to work with researchers and research projects that brought engineering solutions to the “common people” and improving their livelihood. Parallelly, my engagement with SPEED (Student Platform for Engineering Education Development) gave more perspective to the field of engineering education. And finally, a wonderful link of my interests in energy and engineering education happened through the doctoral program at Purdue University.

Linkedin

Research Interest lies in:

I am interested in investigating the role of engineering in supporting localized development by collaborating with members of traditionally under-represented groups. I research that via three broader research aims:

1.) Ways teachers and facilitators located in developing communities engage with diverse learners, remember, recognize, and integrate local knowledge and develop skills to teach localized engineering, and sustain their practice

2.) The role of participatory action research as the methodology for engagement and collaborative decision-making with learners and educators participating in localized education

3.) Role of localized engineering in supporting the Psychosocial Support (PSS) and building Socio-Emotional Skills (SES) of our learners in fragile contexts

Awards and Honors:

• 2018 Graduate Teaching Certification, Center for Instructional Excellence, Purdue University

• 2017 Graduate Student Teaching Award, School of Engineering Education, Purdue University

• 2015 Explorers Fellowship, Purdue University

• 2014 IGIP-SPEED Young Scientist award

Professional Experience:

• Research Assistant at DeBoer Lab (2015 – 2020)

• Teaching Assistant at School of Engineering Education (2016 – 2018)

• Co-founder, Footsteps (40 months)

• Research Analyst at Markets and Markets (16 months)

• Assistant Manager – Service and Training at Mahindra and Mahindra (18 months)

• Project Evaluation Intern at C&S Electric (3 months)

Education:

• Ph.D. in Engineering Education (2020) – Purdue University, USA

  Dissertation Title: Enabling untrained teachers to be engineering facilitators: A design-based research study of teacher professional development in fragile contexts

• M.Tech. (Masters in Technology) in Energy Engineering (2014) – University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, India

• B.E. (Bachelor’s in Engineering) in Electrical Engineering (2010) - Mahalingam College of Engineering and Technology, affiliated to Anna University, India

Recent News and Publications:

• Radhakrishnan, D. & DeBoer, J. (2021). Young Engineers and Their Role. Chapter 2.3, UNESCO Report on Engineering for Sustainable Development. https://en.unesco.org/reports/engineering

• Claussen, S. A., Radhakrishnan, D., Haney, C. L., Kimani, S. N., Wairimu, E., Kimutai, W., & DeBoer, J. (2020). An innovative model for engineering study abroad in a nontraditional context: An evaluation of student and community outcomes. Journal on Excellence in College Teaching, 30(4), 121-156.

• Dridi, A., Radhakrishnan, D.B., & DeBoer, J. (2020). Challenges of Distance Learning in Refugee Camps: When Internet Connectivity Fails, Human Connection Succeeds. The International Review of Research in Open and Distance Learning, 21(3).

• Napoli, A., Nyaga, K., Radhakrishnan, D., & DeBoer, J. (2020). Students Becoming Supervisors: Student Transformation During a Cross-National, Collaborative Community Engagement Project. Purdue Journal of Service-Learning and International Engagement, Volume 7, Issue 1, Article 18. 10.5703/1288284317243

• Radhakrishnan, D., Kimani, S., Wairimu, E., Kimutai, W., Kimani, S., & DeBoer, J. (2019). Engineering teachers as action researchers through a community of practice at an alternative school for “street youth” in western Kenya. Research in Engineering Education Symposium, Cape Town, South Africa, 2019.

• Radhakrishnan, D.B., DeBoer, J., & Kimani, S. (2018), Teachers as Guides: The role of teachers in the facilitation of technology-mediated learning in an alternative education setting in western Kenya. Paper presented at 2018 ASEE Zone II Regional Conference, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana.

• Radhakrishnan, D., Capobianco, B., & DeBoer, J. (2018), But Why: Becoming reflective practitioners to preserve originality at an alternative school in western Kenya. Paper presented at 2018 Action Research Network of the Americas (ARNA) Annual Conference, San Diego, California.

Current research in the lab:

• Localized Engineering in Displacement

  • Implementation partner & site:

    • Plan International - Zimbabwe

    • Tumaini Innovation Center - Kenya

    • YES Kakuma - Kenya

• Participatory Action Research of Connected Learning Programs in Emergencies