Meet Pooja Menon of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Pooja Menon.

Hi Pooja, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born and raised in Mumbai, where daily life meant navigating heavy traffic and limited space. These challenges weren’t just inconveniences—they became the spark for my passion to create engineering solutions that could help improve urban living for millions.

In the final year of my undergraduate engineering program, I had the opportunity to bring that passion to life through the Texas Instruments Innovation Challenge. My team and I designed a modified MOSFET-based device that could detect open parking spaces and allow users to pre-book them in real time. That project showed me the kind of impact thoughtful engineering could have on everyday life—and I was hooked.

That drive led me to pursue my Master’s at Cornell, where I had the space to grow both technically and creatively. One of my most meaningful projects was building a rescue drone designed to help guide people out of burning buildings. It was a powerful reminder of how technology can do more than solve problems—it can save lives.

Today, I work at an EV company that designs and deploys fast chargers across Southern California. Working in Los Angeles has been an eye-opening experience—it’s a place where innovation, sustainability, and diversity intersect in exciting ways. Being immersed in this environment has pushed me to think beyond just solving technical problems. It’s inspired me to dive deeper into sustainable design, equitable infrastructure, and how engineering can shape more livable, future-ready cities.

I’ve gone from programming microcontrollers in grad school to leading large-scale, high-power infrastructure projects with tangible, statewide impact. And this is only the beginning.

Looking ahead, I’m excited to keep contributing to sustainable innovation—especially in the areas of urban congestion, EV adoption, and smart infrastructure. There’s so much more to build, and I’m ready to be part of that change.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s definitely been an interesting journey—one that I’m incredibly grateful for, but not without its challenges. When I decided to move across the world to a new country, I didn’t fully grasp the magnitude of what that entailed. Leaving behind family, friends, and everything familiar to start over and build a new community was both exciting and daunting.

My first year was particularly tough. I had enrolled in an accelerated Master’s program at Cornell, which meant completing two years’ worth of coursework in just one. On top of that, I took on a Teaching Assistant role for a demanding Robotics course. That experience quickly taught me the importance of time management and maintaining a healthy work-life balance to prevent burnout.

As if that weren’t enough, I graduated during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The job market was full of uncertainty, and starting a new role while working remotely—disconnected from colleagues—was isolating and mentally draining.

There were many other challenges along the way, but each one taught me something valuable. Looking back, they’ve shaped me into a more resilient and adaptable person.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I work as a Senior Design Engineer on the charging team at an electric vehicle (EV) company. My role involves identifying locations that will need EV charging infrastructure in the near future and designing fast chargers for those areas. This includes collaborating with local utility companies, analyzing engineering studies, and ensuring that our chargers provide an optimal customer experience without overloading the electrical grid.

What sets my work apart is the balance between technical innovation and real-world impact. I specialize in designing high-power charging systems that are both efficient and scalable, helping accelerate the shift toward clean transportation.

As a female engineer in a large organization, I’m also passionate about representation and mentorship. One of the proudest moments in my career so far was organizing a field trip for middle school students from a local school. We invited them to tour our facility, see the EVs we build, and interact with our in-house engineers who work on different parts of the vehicles and chargers. We also created hands-on group activities to introduce them to the basics of electromagnetism—and their excitement was contagious.

By the end of the visit, we had a room full of curious, bright-eyed students asking thoughtful questions. One girl was so inspired, she wrote and sent us a short storybook about her experience during the field trip. Moments like that remind me why I do what I do. Inspiring young minds—especially young girls—to pursue careers in STEM is something I care deeply about, and I hope to continue creating opportunities that make engineering feel accessible and exciting to the next generation.

We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I consider myself incredibly fortunate to have had a strong support system—parents, teachers, and friends—who believed in me and gave me the freedom to dream big and pursue my own path. That kind of support is a gift, and I never take it for granted.

Luck, to me, has shown up in the form of opportunities—moments that nudged me forward, challenged me, or placed me in the right room at the right time. But it was never luck alone that carried me through. It was the determination to show up, the resilience to keep going when things got tough, and the belief that I could grow through every challenge that truly shaped my journey.

This is just the beginning—maybe 25% of the road I hope to travel. The rest? I’m excited for it. I know there will be more obstacles, but also more chances to grow, to learn, and to make a difference. And if luck happens to show up along the way again, I’ll be ready to meet it with hard work and open arms.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/travellife_pm
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/pooja.menon.7773
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/poojamenon12