Antora Insider: 2023 Summer Intern Spotlight
Every year, interns from universities across the country join the Antora team, playing a key role in supporting Antora’s technology and mission. This summer, we welcomed our largest intern class yet, working on teams from Engineering Project Management to Policy.
Today, we’ll hear from a few of our fantastic summer interns, learning about their backgrounds and what drove them to join Antora.
Smriti Singh
I graduated from Texas A&M University in December 2022 with a Master’s in Industrial Engineering. This summer, I’m working as an Engineering Project Manager intern, focused on testing and data. I oversee and coordinate various test engineering activities while also establishing processes and infrastructure to support data-driven initiatives across multiple projects at Antora. Antora’s commitment to sustainability and its pivotal role in driving the clean energy transition resonated deeply with my own passion for making a positive impact and growing within the clean tech industry. On a lighter note, a fun fact about me: I hold the record for the most cups of coffee consumed in a single day at my previous workplace.
Nitin Balasubramanian
I’m a rising sophomore double majoring in Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering-Computer Science at UC Berkeley. I’m working with the thermophotovoltaic (TPV) team to support the development of the electrical discharge systems in Antora’s thermal battery. The thing that stood out the most to me prior to coming to Antora was the mission: Antora presented a unique opportunity to make a positive impact towards tackling climate change. After coming to Antora, I’ve been amazed by the passion in every talented person here, and it inspires me to work hard towards our goals. My fun fact: I’ve been to nearly every state in the country!
Matias Folloy
Originally from Costa Rica, I’m currently a senior at Purdue University, where I study Materials Science and Engineering with a Minor in Economics. This summer, I’m working on the thermophotovoltaics (TPV — Antora’s heat-to-power technology) team as a photovoltaics characterization engineering intern. I’m focusing on assessing the quality of each individual TPV cell and characterizing a small number of cells from every wafer to determine the overall performance of the wafer. At the end of my internship, I will analyze and present all the collected data from the characterization to continue to improve Antora’s TPV production process. I chose Antora because I was interested in working with my favorite type of material — semiconductors. I was also drawn to working at a startup, as my work feels meaningful to the company: I am more than just a number, and even the founders know me by name. A fun fact about me is that I have been to 3 continents in one day.
Ritesh Jagatramka
I attended UIC and graduated this Spring with a Ph.D. in Materials Engineering. This summer, I’ll be working on doing materials design and selection research for the emitter and electrode materials on the team building the electrical discharge system for Antora’s thermal battery. Besides that, I’ll be helping with the assembly of the electrical discharge systems and testing new designs. I chose to work with Antora because I’m closely aligned with the mission of the company to rapidly decrease global carbon emissions. I am most excited about working closely with different teams and contributing my knowledge towards building a more sustainable future. A fun fact about me is that I have been to the highest motor-able road in the world.
Jackson Parrell
I’m a senior at Stanford, majoring in economics and pursuing a master’s degree in public policy. I’ve spent my undergraduate studies focused on measuring and quantifying the effects of climate change and implementing policy and entrepreneurial solutions to address those effects. This internship is an opportunity to continue this work by supporting the business development and policy teams with government relations, GIS analysis, and project procurement. A fun fact about me is that I’m an avid outdoorsman and hold the world record for the youngest hiker to complete the entirety of the Continental Divide, Appalachian and Pacific Crest National Scenic Trails in one calendar year.
Interested in joining Antora’s mission? Check out our current openings to join us as we work towards decarbonizing industry and stopping climate change.
