Arkasama is pursuing a PhD degree in mechanical engineering with a focus on thermal-fluid
systems. She is originally from Kolkata, India and moved to Stillwater, Oklahoma in 2011 to
attend Oklahoma State University. Her experience growing up in India helped her develop
interest in renewable energy and energy efficient solutions. During her undergraduate career, she
worked on projects involving ground source heat pump systems and alternative refrigerants.
Arkasama also gained experience mentoring students as a calculus tutor and a supplemental
instructor for physics. She secured an internship at Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan during the
summer of 2014 where she analyzed carbon nanotubes using a transmission electron microscope.
Arkasama graduated in 2015 with honors and started her graduate degree at The University of
Texas at Austin. She is co-advised by Dr. Webber and Dr. Leibowicz and her research focuses
on the integration of energy storage and solar photovoltaic energy with the conventional grid in
Austin. She uses optimization models to assess the combined ability of distributed energy
resources and demand response to reduce peak load in the residential sector. Arkasama is also
interested in engineering education and sustainable energy systems in developing countries.