Shalina Gupta

Job Title: Electrical Engineer

Company: Design Collaborative

Location: Fort Wayne, Ind.

Age: 28

Years on the Job: 5

Interests: Spending time with family and friends, rock climbing outdoors and inside at her local bouldering gym, running, yoga, and painting

As the daughter of a mechanical engineer and a painter, Shalina Gupta has always had a blended interest in technical and artistic design. She built her first circuit in a 101 course during her freshman year at the University of Michigan, sparking her interest in the electrical field.

Born and raised in a small town located in the snowy Upper Peninsula of Michigan, she earned her bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering and theater arts. She also completed a fellowship with the Ann Arbor 2030 District nonprofit.

“My engineering and arts degrees prepared me to prioritize both technical accuracy and visual aesthetic when designing electrical systems for construction,” she said. “Through my fellowship, I also learned how to apply the principles of sustainability, energy efficiency, and carbon neutrality.”

Today, she is an electrical engineer at Design Collaborative, an architecture and engineering firm in Fort Wayne, Ind. Her day is comprised of designing power, lighting, and auxiliary electrical systems for a variety of construction projects in the education, community, and health care industries.

“I draft these designs into construction drawings, meet with clients to hear their feedback, and visit job sites to support and check in on construction progress,” she said. “When I started in this position, I was assisting lead electrical engineers on designs, but now I have grown into a lead electrical engineer, and, in turn, guide younger engineers.”

She has a passion for designing architecturally beautiful lighting designs.

“I prize any opportunity to contribute my artistic eye to a project and love watching people look up in awe at light fixtures that I have selected,” she said.

She is serving as the lead electrical engineer for the CPU Center at LeTourneau University in Texas, the new music building at Purdue University in Fort Wayne, Ind., and a basketball arena at Indiana Wesleyan University. In the future, she plans to continue her studies, take courses in urban design and lighting design, and make her mark on the world.

“In the future, I see myself following my passions and working on larger-scale projects that have a positive impact on humanity and the environment,” she said. “I hope to continue mentoring newer engineers, helping guide them in this challenging and rewarding field.”

Sponsored by LEDVANCE