Supraja Kumar

Engineering Analyst

As an Engineering Analyst for the Smart Surfaces Coalition, Supraja will be studying the relationship between urban mobility and heat islands. She is interested in analyzing the impact of climate change on mobility and potential improvements to be made to cities through Smart Surface implementation. She will specifically be analyzing the improvements in air quality and thermal comfort from the addition of reflective coatings, cool roofing, and vegetation.

Supraja is a recent graduate from Rutgers University where she majored in Mechanical Engineering and Physics. During her time at Rutgers, she worked on research in radiative cooling technology and energy-efficient processes to manufacture boron carbide. She also has engineering experience designing sustainable water systems for rural communities in Kenya and Tanzania through Engineers Without Borders USA. 

Supraja is passionate about sustainable design in the water-energy nexus and equipping vulnerable populations to deal with the effects of climate change. She is excited to build a career as a scientist tackling climate challenges and is grateful for the opportunity to learn from the team at the Smart Surfaces Coalition.