Mrudul Satbhai on Finding your Academic Niche
Satbhai portrait. Photo sourced from LinkedIn.
Mrudul Satbhai, MS ’25, advanced and intelligent engineering, completed his bachelors in India and came to Northeastern to pursue his interests in smart manufacturing. Among impressive research, co-ops, clubs, and a community of mentors and peers, Satbhai possesses a variety of successful projects and valuable skills that have set him up for success in the work force.
Mrudul Satbhai completed his master’s in advanced and intelligent manufacturing in the department of mechanical engineering in December of 2025. Before coming to Northeastern, Satbhai had completed his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering at Marathwada Institute of Technology in India. Satbhai always knew he wanted a master’s for the job opportunities it would provide, wanting to pursue his more niche interests under mechanical engineering.
New programs, new opportunities
As Mrudul was looking for master’s programs, he came across Northeastern’s Advanced and Intelligent Manufacturing Program, which was still a newer program at the time. He stated that his inspiration to pursue mechanical engineering came from his father, who worked in the manufacturing industry. As he followed his father’s career, he observed the manufacturing industry evolve from its conventional ways to a new digital age. “This is something I want to pursue,” Satbhai explains, describing his research into digital manufacturing.
Satbhai had been looking into many similar programs but choose Northeastern’s because it “…focuses on many different avenues of digital manufacturing,” describing how the course can focus on robotics, conventional manufacturing, AI, and how AI can integrate into manufacturing. He also is grateful for the Cyber Physical Lab, which he feels “is one of the greatest things to have in Northeastern for me as a AIM student.”
One experience Satbhai recalls fondly is his year-long research project with Associate Professor Sarah Jin, Distinguished Professor Sinan Müftü, and Associate Dean of Graduate Education and MIE Professor Sagar Kamarthi. His job was focused on supporting the mechanical hardware team, where Satbhai was able to explore the cyber side of additive manufacturing. They successfully published their paper “Part Authentication Through Encrypted Geometric-Magnetic Fingerprint Fusion in Cold Spray Additive Manufacturing” in MSEC 2025, which is a division of the American Society for Mechanical Engineering. Satbhai also cites his position as Teaching Assistant as an integral part of his graduate student experience, where he taught Manufacturing System Design (Fall 2024), Manufacturing Systems and Techniques (Fall 2025), and Integrated Automation (Fall 2025).
Co-op and extracurriculars
Satbhai in the lab at Insulet. Photo sourced from LinkedIn.
Satbhai completed a graduate co-op at Insulet last year as a global manufacturing engineer. Insulet is a completely automated manufacturing facility that manufactures automatic insulin delivery systems, essential for people with diabetes. Satbhai explains that he was drawn to this company because it both aligned with his career goals and his personal intention to serve people in need. He worked on three projects during his co-op, including improving the company’s vision system for smart manufacturing to reduce the false alarms that were causing unnecessary scrap. Additionally, after work he took a deep dive into PLC programming because he “…felt in would help [him] in [his] career.”
Outside of academics, Satbhai was a member of NU Sanskriti, an Indian culture club dedicated to spreading Indian culture and community to Northeastern students that are away from home. In Fall 2024, Satbhai was elected treasurer and in Spring 2025, he was elected president. In his time there, he helped organize multiple events each semester, trying to welcome and guide Northeastern Indian students as they relocate to Boston to complete their studies. Satbhai explains that this experience helped him learn many skills, like leadership, negotiation, communication, and advocacy, all which he feels will serve him with his career and beyond.
Looking back and lessons learned
Satbhai graduated last December, and looking back on this program he feels grateful for his professors and classmates. He explains that as an international student, he felt shy and hesitant to ask questions and look for help. He credits Professor Jin for mentoring him to become a better researcher. Additionally, he thanks his peers for apprising him of research opportunities at Northeastern, something that he had not considered when applying to Northeastern. Satbhai offers this recommendation to current students, “Start conversing with your professors, as they can guide you through what you want to pursue.” He is still in touch with his mentors, as they guide him with pursuits like his job search.
Additionally, Satbhai enthusiastically endorses the advanced and intelligent manufacturing master’s at Northeastern, emphasizing that the program makes a student “market ready” and that one can “curate [their] degree as [they] want.” Satbhai is confident that his hard work in the program, combined with the opportunities Northeastern has afforded him, will lead to a successful career.