The Ganpat & Manju Distinguished Lecture Series

A packed lecture room with a speaker presenting on stage.

Distinguished Lecture Series 2024

Thurs., Nov. 7 | 5:30 PM

The Ganpat & Manju Patel Distinguished Lecture Series Presents

Shefali Patel: Fueling Your Drive and Engineering a Career Path: Perspectives from a Tech and Business Leader

No registration is required. If there's a free seat, you're welcome!

When: November 7 at 5:30 PM – 6:45 PM
5:30 PM: Mixer with Pizza*
6 PM: Lecture with Q&A
6:45 PM: Coffee and Desserts

Where: Cal Poly Pomona, Bronco Student Center, Ursa Major

Have Your Questions Ready: Chance to speak with Shefali during coffee and desserts!

*Pizza available to students on a first come, first serve basis.

About Shefali Patel

Shefali Patel is a seasoned executive in general management and technology, known for her leadership roles at SunDensity Inc. as CEO and board member, where she drove scale-up operations and raised capital for photonics smart coatings. With over 28 years of industry expertise spanning power generation, energy, semiconductor, and big data, she previously held strategic positions at General Electric, focusing on industrial automation, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and new business ventures. Patel's background includes pioneering work at Motorola Semiconductor in microcontrollers and MEMs sensors for automotive applications. She holds degrees from MIT and Cornell University, and is actively involved as a board advisor and mentor across multiple advanced technology sectors, emphasizing energy and climate solutions.

About Ganpat "Pat" Patel

Pat is a businessman and philanthropist. He founded the power supply company Cherokee International and served as its president and CEO before retiring in 2004. Currently, he is the president and patron-in-chief of Ganpat University located in the Mehsana district of North Gujarat.

In 2015 he was inducted into the College of Engineering Hall of Fame for his professional accomplishments and contributions to the field of engineering. In 2019, Pat earned the Padma Shri award from the Republic of India, one of the most prestigious civilian honors conferred by the country.