Bio

My name is Kapil Surve and I currently work as graduate researcher in UH with focus on testing engineering polymers in extreme conditions to develop stronger materials. I am passionate about making the world a better place through technology, innovation and yoga-meditation.

I started my Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering at UH in August of 2018. My Doctoral work is based on "Improving High Performance Plastics by adopting methods to mitigate degradation in extreme conditions" and am also interested in bringing the technology used in my work to practical usage. I got my Masters and my Bachelors in Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science (with Hons.) from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) in 2017.

Hard-tech. entrepreneurship is one of my future goals. I deeply care about making the world a better place through the design, development and deployment of useful materials. Through courses at UH, I have spent a lot of time gaining the required diverse technical expertise in soft (simulations, programming) and hard skills (material testing and characterization).

Apart from work, I also volunteer my time with UH students through a socio-cultural club we revived at UH called 'Hindu YUVA'. I am also a practitioner of "Ashtanga Yoga Vinyasa" system (sequences of postures connected by breath) having taken classes at a yoga-meditation based program run by Aum Ashram San Antonio.

I have trained with the UH Rugby Team for 0.5 years and enjoy rugby a lot. I am fond of listening to Indian and Western classical music and regularly go to musical events in Houston. I read a lot and have ended up traveling a lot as well (11 countries). I love hiking and lying down on grass looking up at the sky!

Leadership Experience

2014-2015

Intervention Analysis for Kurlod-Botoshi

Centre for Technological Alternatives for Rural Areas, IITB

Provided strong leadership for team of 4 developing data-driven design of watershed interventions

Assessed capabilities of various reservoirs in a report that lead to building of a medium-scale bund in the region affected by water-scarcity

2020-2022

President, Hindu YUVA at UH

UH socio-cultural club for practicing/promoting Indian culture

Led teams of 3-9 people and organized 25+ events benefitting 2000+ people while mentoring core board

Oversaw conduction of events focused on physical (sports and Yoga classes), mental (group discussions and invited talks) and spiritual (meditation sessions and religious festival celebrations) wellbeing of UH community

2015-2017

Convener, Group for Rural Activities (GRA)

IITB club providing exposure to impactful work in Indian villages

Provided rural exposure to 200+ students by conducting 10+ visits to orgs working for land, water, agriculture-related issues and community-capacity building in remote villages

Organized 10+ invited talks and movie screening activities on campus to promote impactful work conducted in key areas by individuals/orgs.