Sai Gourisankar

Classification: Senior

Hometown: Fort Worth, Texas

Research Area: Nanomaterials (colloids)

Why I chose to study Chemical Engerineering: I enjoyed math, physics, and chemistry in high school. I saw a Chemical Engineering education as combining all of those fields towards impactful applications. Some of the biggest technology challenges of the future – cleaner energy, more efficient healthcare – can be attacked using classical Chemical Engineering methods: material balances, transport equations, and separataions processes.

What I love about Austin: It’s a great city to bike in. Relatively good roads, great weather, and a friendly community.

My favorite class: I loved Transport Phenomena with Dr. Edison. His mathematical, rigorous approach to model processes challenged me and changed the way I looked at engineering problems.

Favorite TV show: Breaking Bad

Three things most people don’t know about me:
1. I’m a Dallas Mavericks fan.
2. I am on Texas 4000, doing a bike ride from Texas to Alaska next summer for cancer charity — 4, 500 miles
3. I enjoy reading historical nonfiction and biography.