I am a mechanical engineer who builds things from first principles. When everyone else accepts convention, I go back to the physics. I move fast, test early, and course correct.
Originally from Delhi, India. MS and BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan. Now based in Los Angeles.
What I Have Built
Alkaline Water Electrolyzer (DanVeer 1) — Built a bipolar alkaline water electrolyzer entirely from scratch during grad school. 175 cm² nickel electrodes, polypropylene frame plates, laser-cut EPDM gaskets, PES diaphragm separator. Got to 2.4V per cell at 10A. No funding, no dedicated lab space, built against my professor’s advice. I just wanted to understand how electrolysis actually works at a fundamental level, and the only way to do that was to build it.
Liquid Rocket Engine (In Progress) — Designing a GOX/propane bipropellant rocket engine from the ground up. 150 N thrust, 200 PSI chamber pressure, doublet impinging and pintle injector variants being tested in parallel. Currently in the injector geometry phase with 3D-printed cold flow testing planned before machining in tellurium copper. Every dimension traced back to CEA thermochemistry and first-principles orifice sizing.
Professional Work
Terraform Industries — I worked on the manufacturing and build side of electrolyzer systems. My primary responsibility was assembling and integrating a balance of plant components. I also designed and fabricated custom vacuum fixtures and tooling to support assembly processes. Also redesigned the end electrode terminal connections.
University of Michigan — Led vehicle integration across 5 subteams for Shell Eco-Marathon. Designed and prototyped an active transmission for a shoulder support exoskeleton (capstone). Ran testing and maintenance on an electrochemical cell and bioreactor for synthetic methane research (IBET project) in parallel with the electrolyzer build.
How I Work
I do not let go of problems until they are solved. I pick up new domains fast and get to work without waiting to be fully ready. I am comfortable being wrong — I would rather test a bad hypothesis than sit on a good one. My track record is solving open problems fast by reasoning from the physics up, not from precedent down.
This Blog
A running account of what I have tried, what worked, and what did not, and more importantly, why. The goal is to learn from mistakes, not repeat them, and never get comfortable in ignorance.
Contact
suryakher124@gmail.com · Los Angeles, CA
Surya Kher - Early Career Mechanical Engineer 