PARIMAL G. RAJKONDAWAR

1138, Regina Dr, Apt. F, Baltimore, MD 21227      (410) 242 - 0393 (H) (410) 455 - 3397 (W) (410) 455 - 1052 (fax)               Email:rajkonda@umbc.edu     

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

Objective: To obtain a full time position with research interests in

                                                                                                                        Design and Development of Innovative Products or,

                                                                                                                        Biomechanics (Gait Analysis)                                or,

                                                                                                                        Statistical Model Developments using SAS.

 


Education

              

               1999 - Present: PhD in Mechanical Engineering (expected Dec ’02), University of Maryland Baltimore County, MD.

               PhD Dissertation: Development of Reaction Force Detection (RFD) Device to detect lameness in Dairy Cattle.

               Major: Design, Manufacturing and Control Systems.                           Minor: Statistics                                     GPA: 4.0

         

               1996 -1998: MS in Mechanical Engineering, University of Bombay, India.

MS Dissertation: Regression Model for Modal Frequency of Stiffened Plate by Virtual Experimentation in IDEAS: An Extension of Taguchi’s Parameter Design Approach.

               Major: Design and Manufacturing                                                     Minor: Finite Element Method    GPA: 4.0

         

               1992 -1996: BS in Mechanical Engineering, University of Amravati, India.

               BS Dissertation: Design of Incinerator for Hospital Waste Disposal.

               Major: Design                                                                                   Minor: Manufacturing                            GPA: 3.8

 

Highlights of Qualifications

 


  • Experience in working as a researcher in gait analysis and post processing of force plate data.
  • Experience in the areas of Design and Manufacturing.
  • Experience in Statistical Modeling using SAS and MATLAB with expertise in Logistic Regression, Discriminant Analysis with exposure to Principal Component Analysis and Time Series Analysis.
  • Experience in using CAD/CAM software programs for modeling and FEA such as IDEAS with exposure to Ansys, Solid Works and AutoCAD.
  • Experience in using Design of Experiments, Taguchi’s method and ANOVA for optimization.
  • Proficient in writing professional computer codes in SAS, MATLAB, and C.
  • Solid Fundamentals in Mathematics, Statistics, Mechanics and Design.
  • Excellent skills in communication and collaboration with a strong desire to learn new knowledge.

 

Work Experience

 

Aug. 1999 - Present, Research Assistant, University of Maryland Baltimore County, MD (Sponsored by USDA NRICGP 2000-02017 grant.)

 

  • First time application of gait cycle variables in the dairy cattle and development of related gait variables.
  • Signal processing of the raw data obtained from the novel two parallel force plate system termed as Reaction Force Detection (RFD) Device.
  • Finite element analysis of the Reaction Force Detection (RFD) Device to check the stability of the device.
  • Development of the fully automated software in MATLAB to identify walking pattern of a four limb animal (dairy cattle), associated ground reaction force signatures, various gait variables and associated lameness indices for four limbs.
  • Development of a Logistic Regression Model using SAS to objectively determine the lameness scores.
  • Preliminary model development using Logistic Regression in SAS to identify lameness lesions.
  • Preliminary development of a Dynamic Scale and software to measure the weight of a walking animal.

 

Aug. 1999 - Present, Teaching Assistant, University of Maryland Baltimore County, MD.

 

  • Lead teaching assistant in senior level undergraduate courses such as Control Systems, Advanced Design, Vibration/Controls Laboratory Class, Fluids/Heat Transfer Laboratory Class. Responsibilities included directing students through the lab, advising on projects and conducting discussion sessions.

 

Dec 1998 - Aug 1999, Tata Elxsi, Bombay, India.

 

  • Worked as a Senior Technical Executive in the CAD/CAM department. Responsibilities included design and finite element analysis of various consultancy projects using finite element softwares specially IDEAS, conducting IDEAS training sessions and helping the marketing team in CAD/CAM business development.

 

Mar 1998 - Nov 1999, Tata Consulting Engineers, Bombay, India.

 

  • Worked as a Research Associate in the Special Projects Department. Responsibilities included design and finite element analysis of various consultancy projects using finite element softwares specially Ansys.

Journal Publications

 


  • Rajkondawar P. G., U. Tasch, A.M. Lefcourt, B. Erez, R.M. Dyer, M.A. Varner. “A System for Identifying Lameness in Dairy Cattle” is in print at the Journal Applied Engineering in Agriculture, Volume 18 (1). 

 

  • Rajkondawar P.G., A.M. Lefcourt, N.K. Neerchal, R.M. Dyer, M.A. Varner, B. Erez, U. Tasch. “The Development of an objective Lameness Scoring System for Dairy Herds-Pilot Study” in print as a Technical Note in the Transactions of the ASAE. 

 

Conference Publications

 


  • Rajkondawar P. G., Neerchal N., Varner M., Lefcourt A., Erez B., Dyer R. and Tasch U. (2002), "Development of a Objective Bovine Lameness Index using Reaction Force Detection (RFD) Device". This paper was presented at 12th International Symposium on Lameness in Ruminants, Orlando, Florida, January 2002.

 

  • Rajkondawar P. G., Neerchal N., Varner M., Lefcourt A., Erez B., Dyer R. and Tasch U. (2001), "A Logistic Regression Model to Objectively Determine Lameness in Dairy Herds using Reaction Force Detection (RFD) Device". This paper was awarded first prize at the Graduate Student Research Conference at University of Maryland, Baltimore on April 18, 2000.

 

  • Rajkondawar P. G., Neerchal N., Varner M., Lefcourt A., Erez B., Dyer R. and Tasch U. (2001), "Development of a Bovine Lameness Index that Correlates Visual Lameness Scores to Measurable Limb Movement Variables – A Pilot Study". This paper was presented at joint meeting of the American Dairy Science Association, American Meat Science Association, American Society of Animal Science and Poultry Science Association, Indianapolis, Indiana, July 2001. Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 84, Supplement 1, Journal of Animal Science, Volume 79, Supplement 1.

 

  • Rajkondawar P. G., Tasch U., Lefcourt A., Erez B. and Dyer R. (2000) "Walkthrough Gait Analysis System that Detects Lameness of Dairy Herds". This paper received an IET Honorable Mention Paper Award given in recognition of an outstanding 2000 Annual Meeting Paper at 93rd Annual International Meeting of American Society of Agriculture Engineers, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.

 

  • Rajkondawar P. G., Tasch U., Lefcourt A., Erez B. and Dyer R. (2000), "A Novel Force Plate System that detects Lameness of Dairy Cattle". This paper was presented at 2000 American Dairy Science Association and American Society of Animal Science conference, Baltimore Maryland. Journal of Dairy Science, Volume 83, Supplement 1, Journal of Animal Science, Volume 78, Supplement1.

 

Honors/Affiliations

 


  • First prize in poster competition presented at 24th Annual Graduate Research Conference, UMBC (April 2002).
  • First prize in paper competition presented at 23rd Annual Graduate Research Conference, UMB (April 2001).
  • IET Honorable Mention Paper Award given in recognition of authorship of an outstanding 2000 Annual Meeting Paper at American Dairy Science Association and American Society of Animal Science conference, Milwaukee (July 2000).
  • First prize in paper competition presented at 22nd Annual Graduate Research Conference, UMBC (April 2000).
  • Passed MS in mechanical engineering with first rank in Bombay University.
  • Student member of the American Society of Agricultural Engineers (ASAE).
  • Member of Maryland Delta Chapter of Tau Beta Pi honors society.
  • President of Mechanical Engineering Graduate Students Association (MEGSA), UMBC (Jan 2002 till Present).
  • Mechanical Engineering Graduate Students Representative, UMBC (Aug. 2000 till Present).

 

Computer Skills

 

  • Computer Operating Systems: Solaris, SunOS, SGI Irix, Windows OS.
  • Statistical Softwares: Matlab, SAS, S-Plus, MathCAD.
  • CAD/CAM softwares: IDEAS, AutoCAD, Ansys, Solid Works.
  • Languages: C, FORTRAN.

 

Graduate Course Work

 


Finite Element Method      Mechanics of Composites        Advanced Design        Experimental Stress Analysis                Linear Elasticity

Fracture Mechanics           Computer Aided Design           Linear Vibrations        Design of Mechanisms                     Tribology

Time Series Analysis         Partial Differential Equations   Applied Statistics       Environmental Statistics                   System Analysis

 

References

 

Available on request.