Written by: Lydia Ruppel
After helping build the University of California Davis EcoCAR EV Challenge program from the ground up, Ajay Suresh has carried that same energy into his work at Argonne National Laboratory. Today, he serves as a Project Engineer supporting workforce development programs in transportation and energy, where his role blends technical problem-solving, student mentorship, and systems-level thinking.
At Argonne, Ajay works closely with students through the Battery Workforce Challenge, especially in the Battery Management System (BMS) software swim lane. His day-to-day work includes providing technical training, helping develop safe testing and validation frameworks for battery systems, traveling to workshops and competition events to support hands-on testing, and working with teams to make sure student-built systems are ready for integration into a full pack or vehicle. He also contributes to the technical roadmap for the programs he supports and helps build software automations and AI-driven workflows that improve how the team operates and shares information.
That current role fits naturally with the work Ajay did in EcoCAR, where he served as Project Manager for more than two years beginning in Fall 2022. UC Davis had not participated in an AVTC in 15 years, so Ajay was part of the team that rebuilt the program from the ground up, helping with recruiting, workspace setup, budgeting, logistics, and the organizational structure needed to make the team competitive again.
His leadership helped guide the team through a major turnaround. After placing 11th out of 13 teams in Year 1, UC Davis came back strong in Year 2, earning multiple awards and finishing fifth overall. For Ajay, one of the most memorable moments was seeing the vehicle run for the first time after the integrated drive unit came together — a milestone that reflected the effort of the entire team.
Ajay says the competition gave him the leadership and mentorship skills he relies on now at Argonne, along with a deeper technical understanding of vehicle systems. That combination continues to shape his work as he supports the next generation of students entering the automotive, mobility, and battery technology spaces.
