Kaushik Rajashekara, Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished University Professor and a member of the National Academy of Engineering, has been elected as an international fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering (CAE).
Rajashekara is one of six international fellows selected for the 2026 cohort, and 56 fellows overall in the class. The class was revealed at the CAE’s annual general meeting in May.
CAE is the national institution through which individuals, who have made outstanding contributions to engineering in Canada, provide strategic advice on matters of critical importance to Canada and to Canadians. Rajashekara is also an international Fellow of Indian and Japanese Academies of Engineering, and recipient of the 2022 Global Energy Prize.
According to a press release from the organization, “Rajashekara is internationally recognized for his pioneering contributions to transportation electrification for improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions. He has made transformative contributions to propulsion, power generation, architectures, and control systems for electric, hybrid, and fuel-cell vehicles, as well as hybrid aircraft and flying cars.”
An induction ceremony was held on June 1 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
Rajashekara joined the faculty at Cullen in 2016. He is well-known for his prowess in the fields of electrical cars and aviation, as well as the international collaborations he has had in academia and industry. Rajashekara joined General Motors / Delphi in 1989 and rose to Global Chief Scientist and Technical Fellow, leading international engineering teams in the development of electric machines, power electronics, and propulsion systems for electric, hybrid, and fuel cell vehicles.
From 2006 to 2012, he served as Chief Technologist at Rolls-Royce Corporation working on More Electric and Hybrid Electric Aircraft Systems, leading electrified propulsion development for commercial and defense aerospace applications.
Rajashekara is affiliated with the Power Electronics, Microgrids & Subsea Electrical Systems Center (PEMSEC) at Cullen. For more information on the center and its research, visit its website.