Nagarkar wins alumni award for career achievements, University collaborations

Even though he left Binghamton University with two degrees more than 15 years ago, Kaustubh Nagarkar, MS ’02, PhD ’05, still maintains close ties with his alma mater.

Over the years, Nagarkar — now vice president, licensing, GE corporate business development — has partnered with the Thomas J. Watson College of Engineering and Applied Science on research projects, organized joint GE-Binghamton symposia and continues to offer guidance to current Watson students.

He also keeps in touch with Dean Krishnaswami “Hari” Srihari, who was his PhD advisor when studying systems science as part of the Watson Institute for Systems Excellence (WISE).

Nagarkar’s professional accomplishments and service to the University were recognized with an Alumni Achievement Award on March 18 during the Alumni Association’s 2021 Special Recognition Awards, which was held online this year.

“I’m excited and truly honored to get this award,” Nagarkar said in a recent interview. “It means a lot to me because it brings together all the opportunities that I received over the years while at Watson, and also the trust and support I received there as a graduate student. I have carried a lot of the advice and training through my professional years in industry.”

When he first arrived at Binghamton 20 years ago from western India, he faced the same unknowns that most international students do, such as navigating the culture and language of a new city in a different country.

Luckily, he said, “the support structure at the University was phenomenal. The warm and welcoming nature of people across the campus helped me to pull through that period.”

While studying at Watson’s Department of Systems Science and Industrial Engineering, faculty members offered him with a cohesive team structure at WISE that encouraged mentoring from both from professors as well as students further along in the program.

He also valued the strong ties to local and regional companies such as Universal Instruments, IBM, Endicott Interconnect (now i3 Electronics) and GE, which were crucial partners for his research into electronics manufacturing. “I felt like I was prepared and comfortable to navigate the dynamics of industry,” he said. “You know how industry operates and what their expectations are.”

Joining GE in Niskayuna, N.Y., as a researcher upon graduation from Binghamton University, Nagarkar works in his current role as vice president to build external partnerships to bring the company’s technology to market and develop strategic collaborations that shape research and development. His efforts have helped advancements in micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS), medical electronics, photovoltaics and power electronics packaging to successfully transition into products and create new businesses. He is an inventor on more than 35 patents and has authored more than 40 papers.

Nagarkarnoted that he continues to practice and apply the skills, advice and guidance he received at Watson every day.

“When we were engaged in our research or coursework, Dr. Hari frequently cited the motto of Harpur College: ‘From breadth to depth to perspective,’” he said. “Go as deep into a subject that you can go, then take a step back and look at the big picture. Look at the multiple facets of the problem you’re working on, get advice from diverse groups and build perspective.”

Another key piece of advice: “If you’re feeling uncomfortable taking on a new task or opportunity, it means you’re really learning something.”