From Scholarship to Success: Growing a Career Within Advanced Energy

Investing in the future by supporting bright young minds creates an exponential return, even in the short term. The development of new technologies depends on an innovative, entrepreneurial and prepared workforce that mirrors the diversity of global communities. Unfortunately, many students miss out on higher education opportunities due to financial barriers or a lack of access to practical experiences. Addressing these issues ensures the full potential of aspiring engineers and scientists is realized. 

To enable the growth of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) qualified candidates, Advanced Energy (AE) invests in today’s scholars including with the company’s annual AE STEM Scholarship. The scholarship also gives students the opportunity to grow within Advanced Energy. 

Uma Pratheebha Umaiya Kunjaram was pursuing her PhD in Electrical and Electronics Engineering at the University at Buffalo, the State University of New York (SUNY), when she was awarded the Advanced Energy STEM Scholarship in 2022. During her PhD candidacy, she worked at SUNY Buffalo to pioneer high-efficiency evaporator prototypes. These innovations supported significant initiatives by the U.S. Department of Defense and received National Science Foundation (NSF) funding. At that point, Uma had already earned her Bachelor of Technology in Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering from Sri Ramaswamy Memorial Institute of Science and Technology (SRM IST), as well as her Master of Science (M.S.) in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from SUNY Buffalo.

While Uma had previous internship experience and experience as a software developer, the Advanced Energy internship offered with the STEM Scholarship kicked off her engineering career as an electronics engineer intern at the AE site in Lockport, New York. AT AE, Uma developed a digitally driven capacitive sensing module using a DSP-based microchip microcontroller, improved the analog-to-digital conversion time by using optimized algorithms and completed in-depth performance tests of parts and systems. 

In 2023, she completed her second internship with AE, this time performing circuit design and testing, firmware programming, and data collection and visualization. These internships were instrumental in securing Uma’s full-time engineering position at Advanced Energy, showcasing the potential for internal mobility within the company.

Uma’s internships at Advanced Energy provided her with a clear vision for her future career. She was drawn to AE’s culture of innovation, collaboration, and empowerment. 

“From the chief technology officer to my direct teammates, everyone pushed innovation and encouraged all kinds of new ideas,” Uma said. 

Following these positive experiences, it was a natural development for Uma to look for a lasting position at AE. After completing her PhD in February, she joined AE as a Plasma Power electronic design engineer II, research and development, based in Lockport. 

Uma Pratheebha Umaiya Kunjaram’s journey exemplifies the transformative power of the AE STEM Scholarship and the importance of internal mobility within the company. By investing in talented individuals and providing them with opportunities to grow, Advanced Energy fosters innovation while building a dedicated and skilled workforce ready to tackle the challenges of tomorrow.

If you are interested in a career with Advanced Energy, see open opportunities here.