OSC BOARD Q&A
Nirav Pandya:
Lifelong Learner, Lifelong Leader math was one of my favorite subjects growing up, so engineering drew me in because of the link to math rather than biology. I liked math, and I liked computers, so I put the two together! I graduated from Ursinus College in Pennsylvania with a Degree in Chemistry, and then I went to UCF to get my Degree in Computer Engineering.
Nirav Pandya is the CEO of Orlandobased tech firm Orion Technologies, and a proud Orlando Science Center Board Member. Recently, Nirav took time out of his schedule to discuss his passion for STEM education, the important roles museums play, and his hopes for the future of the field. You have degrees in both Chemistry and Computer Engineering. What sparked your interest in the sciences? I grew up in South Jersey, right outside of Philadelphia, so over the summers we used to visit The Franklin Institute often. When I was in 7th or 8th grade, I would take robotics classes there, and my parents would take me there on the weekends during the school year. The Franklin Institute is where I first began learning circuitry, and it played a significant role in my love of computers and circuit boards. I’ve always been interested in science. I 14 thought I wanted to be a doctor, but
Did you have any mentors or role models who helped shape that passion? For me, it was my dad. His whole career was engineering. He lived the American dream. He came to this country by himself; he left my mom and brother in India before I was born to make sure he could make a life for the family. He was a Civil Engineer but started out as a clerk for a company, and years later he ended up being an expert in some of the biggest civil engineering projects in the world, such as the Channel Tunnel between France and England. Our first family trip to Florida was because he was an expert on the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA. Engineering degrees have a reputation for being challenging. Were there any aspects of your studies that you found particularly taxing? The toughest part was towards the end when we started doing actual projects and putting what we’d learned into application. Being book
smart is one thing, but actually using that knowledge in the practical world is completely different. The fields of science and engineering move so fast that there are always new things to learn. The important thing about college is that it teaches you how to continue to learn. If you don’t continue to learn then it will be difficult to be successful in any role or discipline. How did what you learned in college translate to your first job in your field? In my career, I have only worked at two companies. When I first started out, I was an intern at a five-person company called Digital Imaging Infrared, and once I graduated, I stayed on there as an engineer. It was a company in Apopka that made infrared cameras for the Department of Defense and for Homeland Security. The basics that I’d learned in college were useful, and some of the basic circuit design work. Even as an intern, and then as an engineer, I was learning new computer languages and learning on the job. It was tough, but it was fun. Being a small company, the CEO at the time took me under his wing and taught me so much, which was great. I found out that I am a good communicator. It is often tough for engineers to learn communication and sales skills. Engineers can talk at a high level very easily, but often they’re speaking to someone who doesn’t understand all of that. It’s
