Meet a #futureshaper: Shilpa Venkatraman

The future of industry will be devices and machines operated remotely with artificial intelligence, said technology specialist Shilpa Venkatraman.

Keeping workers as safe as possible – especially in industries like oil refineries and pharmaceuticals –  is a priority, she said.

“Safety is paramount,” Shilpa said.

Based in Bangalore, India; here is her #futureshaper story.

What do you do?

Imagine making two electromechanical boxes talk to each other and exchange information. I develop the medium that these units can use to communicate. Similar to how human beings talk to each other with language, I work on developing the language used by some of these electromechanical units.

What gets you excited about coming to work every day?

I work on a distributed control system, which is an amalgamation of numerous subsystems. As the product is so huge, the learning and exploration continues forever. The work gets me excited every day. The ecosystem at Honeywell fosters constant learning, futuristic thinking and working with utmost integrity. It’s such a wonderful feeling to be at such a place.

What do you wish people knew about Honeywell?

Honeywell is a powerhouse of opportunities. It has opportunities for varied disciplines, be it engineering, research scholars, business graduates - name it and you have it here.

I would also like people to know that it is an institution which is so varied in its offerings, starting from air purifiers, thermostats to oil & gas refinery automation to airplane engines. It is such an amazing feat that Honeywell has achieved by being a major market player in such varied markets.  

Why is the future important?

The future represents positivity/optimism and positivity is the essence of life. The future is what you look forward to, for betterment. Every living being evolves over time and there has to be a difference in the way we live our lives today and in the future.

Be it for us, or for our future generations to come, the thoughts and deeds that we put in today dictates the way the future is going to be. It must be well thought out, with absolutely the right intent.

How does your job make tomorrow better/safer than today?

Our products are used in oil and gas refineries, pharmaceuticals and other industries where safety is paramount.

The products that we develop as part of the job, is primarily aimed at solving the current problems that our customers face. But, our design thinking does not stop at that. We evaluate how the product can be used in years to come and whether our products solve future problems as well.

What qualities do you think a #futureshaper should have?

Future shapers are indeed optimists, being farsighted to make sure their thoughts and deeds are in the right direction, making sure they are creating a better world for the generations to come.

What advice do you have for someone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

Nothing can be a substitute for hard work. Having said that, keep the antenna on to identify opportunities and use them wisely - make sure it helps yourself as well as others.

What do you for fun?

I love travelling to various places. Besides that, music, spending time with friends, family and my pet :)

Learn more about what it is like to be a #futureshaper.