Statement of Goals and Experiences

Virginia Tech
MS program in Electrical Engineering, fall 2010
Focus on Power Systems
Student applicant - Vipul Gholap
DOB: 01/02/1989

Frustration has accompanied me every single day of my school and college

life. My community has been subject to severe power cuts over the last few
years. Often, my preparation for examinations was hampered, my mother
had difficulty cooking meals – it was not easy. And all of these happening in
Mumbai, one of India’s premier cities, only made me wonder about the state
of other regions. Over time, I have committed myself to the cause of power
generation and distribution, to bring clean power to all homes in India. To this
end, in the long-term, I see myself join the Government of India as a
technocrat adviser in the energy and power department.

My short-term goal is to work for corporations like ABB or General Electric,

where I can grow and enhance my knowledge in power system applications
and the control systems involved in it. Specifically, I wish to work in the John
F. Welch Technology center of the General Electric in Bangalore. Bharat
Heavy Electricals Limited is another place which holds the lure of practicing
principles of productive engineering.

Post high school, I began studying Electrical Engineering at VJTI and have
exploited every opportunity in the last four years to maximize my learning’s.
My professors have helped me navigate through elaborate coursework and a
number of relevant projects and research.

In the second year of my program, the course in Electrical Machines

fascinated me with its applications like motors, generators, alternators and
transformers. Experiments in the subject lab further strengthened my basic
concepts and were complemented by the Industrial visit to Crompton
Greaves Co., leading manufacturers of electrical machines in India.
Application of semiconductor power devices in various industrial drives also
interested me a lot. I have also delivered seminars on various topics in
electric machinery.

Another visit to the Jayakwadi Hydro Power Plant gave me an understanding

of hydropower generation. The technical challenges and the triumphs of the
Hydo power project greatly amazed me. My interest in power and energy
increased greatly thereafter and I read extensively on energy and power
systems.

In continuation with my interest, my final year project is an energy audit of

the Electrical Engineering department of V.J.T.I. It assumes significance due
to the fact that V.J.T.I’s power consumption has increased during the last few
years. The audit is aimed at obtaining a detailed idea of the end use energy
consumption activities and identifying, enumerating and evaluating energy
saving opportunities. The target is to achieve savings in the energy
consumption of the electrical engineering department to the extent of 20%.
Simultaneously, with my final year project, I am working on a POWER
QUALITY SENSOR using a microcontroller.

Besides, I am actively involved in research on Random Walks in Electrical

Networks under Dr. N. M. Singh. This particular field of research has
interested me because it links the probability theory to electrical networks.
Using the probability theory as a tool for solving some of the basic electrical
networks has already been achieved. We are further expanding this theory
for applying it to the large, infinite networks. The first stage of the research is
to establish a connection between electrical concepts of current and voltage
and corresponding descriptive quantities of random walks. Further the
research aims on solving infinite networks and also to link the probability
theory with some of the basic network theorems. I am keen on investigating
how different systems are linked to each other and how can we use this
common chain to solve some of the major problems smartly. The complexity
of a network, if solved by using the probability theory would certainly be a
boon.

The research has helped with my long term goal of developing a SMART
POWER GRID wherein each entity would be connected to a particular grid.
The interconnection of many systems to the grid will increase the reliability
and efficiency of the whole system. Nationwide array of TALKING GRIDS will
certainly make my country energy sufficient as well as energy efficient.

It is such practicable projects that I wish to work on even at graduate level.

Since the American education system primarily focuses on the practical
applications of existing concepts and promotes innovative research, I aspire
to study here. Virginia Tech, with its excellent research facilities at The
Center for Power and Energy lab, strives for developing new technologies.
Prof Arun Phadke’s research in smart power grid has further incited me to
apply. I am sure that my graduate research work will help me eventually
alleviate the power problems around the world.