Mechanical Engineering Graduate Finds Purpose, Programs Path in Robotics

By the time Eashan Gallage started at Drexel, he’d already been exposed to
a myriad of perspectives and environments. Gallage is originally from
Matara, Sri Lanka, but he completed his first two years of college at
Hangzhou Dianzi University in Zhejiang, China. “I had a very tight knit
community in Sri Lanka,” Gallage explained. “The people I met in China
didn’t communicate as much, but they were always very helpful and nice.”

The pandemic forced Gallage to move back to Sri Lanka and continue his
studies online, after which he came to Philadelphia. While he described the
U.S. as being “loud,” Gallage found Philly to have a liveliness he hadn’t
previously experienced. “No matter what day of the week it is, you can
always find something to do in the city,” he said. Gallage also noted that,
even if the weather was rainy or cold, he could call his friends and ask
them to hang out, which provided a nice sense of community.

In addition to the change of pace Philly provided, Gallage also made sure
to take advantage of his opportunities at Drexel. “I didn’t have a specific
plan of what I’d be pursuing after graduation, so I wanted to keep my
options as open as possible,” Gallage explained. Having a wide range of
applications and fields, such as aerospace, aeronautics, and robotics,
mechanical engineering gave him the flexibility he needed to explore
numerous career paths.

Gallage also pursued a minor in mathematics, a subject he has always
enjoyed. His aptitude afforded him the opportunity to conduct research with
Georgi Medvedev, PhD, professor of mathematics, on applying mathematical
theory to the real world. It also allowed him to make a big impact during
his co-op with Kulicke & Soffa (K&S), a company that creates robots
used in the manufacturing process of semiconductors.

Gallage was tasked with creating a mathematical model to predict key
processes in K&S’s production machine, as well as a C++ program to
control the machine autonomously. His work ultimately introduced a new
process to K&S’s machine, which Gallage got to see for himself after
visiting the company this past April. “That was a very fulfilling moment. I
was really proud of the work I did for that project, so seeing it come to
fruition was really satisfying,” Gallage expressed.

Gallage further explored his interests in automation and robotics outside
of the co-op program. Drexel’s flexible curriculum allowed him to take
graduate-level coursework in robotics through the electrical and computer
engineering (ECE) department. Gallage also served as the project lead for
Drexel’s team in the NASA Lunabotics Challenge, which finished as one of
only 15 teams nationwide whose robot achieved autonomy.

These experiences culminated in a senior design project focused on ROS
autonomous navigation. Gallage’s team, consisting of three mechanical
engineering and mechanics (MEM) and two ECE students, were focused heavily
on the computer science side of robotics, which presented some challenges.

Yet Gallage’s previous programming experience, especially in his work with
K&S, gave him the confidence he needed to apply his skills to his
senior design project. He also received plenty of support from Drexel
faculty. “There were so many late nights where my main partner and I stayed
up because we had to get a test done the next day,” Gallage explained. “It
was very challenging, but whenever we ran into roadblocks, there were
people who always helped us out.” Gallage specifically credited his team’s
advisors for their guidance: Arvin Ebrahimkhanlou, PhD, assistant professor
of civil, architectural and environmental engineering, and Euisun Kim, PhD,
assistant teaching professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics.

As Gallage looks to the future, he expresses his gratitude for the various
ways Drexel has impacted his life. “Had I not come here, I wouldn’t have
had the opportunity to complete a mathematics minor or math research,”
Gallage reflected. “I was also able to find my calling in robotics and
interact with so many different cultures. I think I’ve expanded my horizons
a lot because of Drexel.”