Experimental Engineer: Shraddha Chaplot

The Udaipur-born, American-raised hardware engineer recently joined Cisco’s Cloud Services team, located in the USA. Prior to that, she built and led Cisco’s Energy Star Compliance Test Lab to ensure Cisco products were energy efficient. She calls herself a Greengineer, which she says describes the creative aspect of being an engineer. A member of Cisco’s prestigious Silicon Valley Civic Council – an elite group of individuals who drive and monitor change in the community – where she is the Cisco champion for the STEAM initiative (Science Technology Engineering Arts Mathematics) the five-foot-one inch dynamo is recognised for her mentoring and leadership skills. Earning her place among other young global leaders to watch out for in 2014, she believes that innovation is for everyone who believes in taking and making their own opportunities and that products do not always need to be used in their conventional manner. When she’s away from her experiments, she relaxes in her waterfront California home, watching reruns of her favourite shows from the 1950s-80s.

First lessons: At five, her father taught her how to bring anything back to life with a screwdriver. Her family calls her their ‘Little Fixer.’

Secret passion: Taking math tests online for fun.

Alternate dream job: Backup dancer for Shakira, as she is confident her own hips don’t lie.