Pitt’s Soumik Chakraborty Receives SMART Scholarship

Soumik Chakraborty, a fourth-year honors mechanical engineering student at the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering, was awarded a SMART Scholarship by the U.S. Department of War. In addition to covering tuition and providing an annual stipend, the scholarship includes an internship and guaranteed employment after graduation. 

As part of the program, Chakraborty will be paired with a mentor and conduct research at the U.S. Navy’s Naval Service Warfare Center (NSWC) Carderock Division. Located in West Bethesda, Maryland, the center is a hub of engineering and research into ships and ship technology. Chakraborty, who will visit NSWC Carderock this summer, will work in their submarine and boating divisions.

A member of the American Society of Naval Engineers, Chakraborty credits his interest in mechanical engineering to his grandfather, a mechanical engineer who served with the U.S. Air Force. “He would always tell me these great stories about working on planes, and when I got to high school, I started taking engineering classes,” Chakraborty said.

“This is a dream come true. I’ve been interested in boats for years, and since coming to Pitt, I’ve been involved in Pittsburgh Electric Propulsion [PEP],” added Chakraborty, who serves as the vice president of PEP, a Pitt club dedicated to electric boats and EV and battery technology. The club designs, fabricates, and races electric boats.

“Carderock was my top preference,” Chakraborty said. “I’m excited to have this amazing opportunity to work there after graduation and apply what I’ve learned at Pitt to support the Navy.”