Ibrahim Kaleel, a young researcher who hails from Kasaragod, Kerala, has made it all the way to NASA. He has discussed what it takes to work for one of the world’s most technologically advanced organizations.
Ibrahim Khaleel, a small-town boy from Kerala, works at NASA Glenn Research Center in Ohio, America. Ibrahim whose parents are Majeed and Zubaida, was born and brought up in Kasaragod, Kerala. He became a part of NASA by joining it as a post-doctoral research fellow in 2021.
Ibrahim finished his sixth grade at Little Lily English Medium School before enrolling at Kendriya Vidyalaya No.1 CPCRI in Kasaragod. He earned a BE in Aeronautical Engineering from Manipal Institute of Technology, a post-graduate degree from Ruhr-Universität Bochum in Germany, and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Politecnico di Torino in Italy.
Ibrahim stated that his trips to various places such as Poland, Germany, Europe, and the United States to attend international conferences during his degree study helped him acquire momentum in his life. He became a member of the International Research Group and met people from many nations.
Ibrahim says he never planned to get the NASA job. He says NASA was just his dream that he never knew he could realize.
Ibrahim says, “I’ve always had a fascination with engineering. I used to spend a lot of time as a kid fiddling with electronic equipment, and I was always fascinated by how they worked. After high school, I didn’t bother applying for medical school because I realized my true passion was engineering. Aeronautical engineering is a fascinating discipline, and space is breathtaking. That’s why I focused more on that area,” he explained.
Ibrahim says, “During my PhD, I created a piece of software. They expressed an interest in incorporating the software into NASA’s code.I finished it in two weeks and they were really impressed. We organized conferences, and studies were also submitted as a result of this.”
