Sahil Shah, Comm Lab Fellow

Comm Lab Fellow

Sahil spent his childhood in Tanzania, received his undergraduate education in Canada, and worked in Texas as an engineering consultant, before being drawn to MIT in 2015 to pursue his love for design and mechanical hardware. As a PhD student with the GEAR Lab, he is now working to decrease the cost of desalination to improve accessibility to drinking water in developing countries. In the past, he has also designed a hybrid transmission for supercars, prototyped a window that can simulate a lightning storm, and built a hydrofoil boat that could (at least in theory) zoom across the Charles River. During his free-time, Sahil volunteers at the MIT MakerWorkshop and helps students build fun gizmos! His research in global development often has him travelling to interview target users, developing solutions with international collaborators, and presenting ideas to foreign businesses. Through these experiences, he has become familiar with the critical role of language and communication in research. Now with the Comm Lab, Sahil hopes to share what he has learned with his colleagues.