Your Interview Manju Dileep

Introduce yourself (name, company, position, country) and tell us how you got into lighting (including education/qualifications).

My name is MANJU DILEEP. I work as Team Leader Application Engineering for Ruud Lighting Arabia, Dubai, UAE. Ruud Lighting Arabia is a subsidiary of CREE INC.USA catering for Middle East and North Africa. I’ve been working with Ruud Lighting Arabia for over 10 years.

Previously, I worked for 5 years with Al Sabah General Electric Co, Kuwait as lighting design plus specification and tendering Engineer. Al Sabah is the authorised distributor for OSRAM, WE-EF, Cooper, Sill, Hubbell, Roblon, Lumascape, Wever & Ducre, Wila Lighting etc. in Kuwait.

Before Al Sabah I worked with Gulf star Electrical Co. who were distributors for Targetti Lighting in Kuwait.

My current job profile involves mainly functional lighting for Sports Stadiums of International telecasting standards, tunnels & other infra-structure facilities, warehouses, offices, indoor parking garages etc.

My Educational Qualifications:

1. Bachelor of Electrical Engineering from Nagpur University, India.
2. Masters in Architectural Lighting Design & Management from Wismar University, Germany.
3. Green House & Horticultural Lighting Course. Michigan State University (online course)

Tell us about your work – is there a specific type of project you like to work on or an area you specialise in and why?

I began my career in the lighting field in 2002 after moving to Kuwait. Lighting has always been a field of interest for me due to its power to positively influence human psyche and wellbeing while also transforming the look and feel of an architectural space. It’s also a highly creative field and hence, I started getting involved in the lighting design activities at my previous work places. I started working as a full-time lighting designer once I joined Ruud Lighting. There are various installations across the Middle East that I have designed using Cree Luminaires.

The thesis topic for my master’s programme from Wismar University, Germany was Role of LED lighting in Indoor Horticulture – Case Study on Vegetable Species. For this I tested 3 different LED light sources at different wavelengths with 3 different vegetable species.

Developed this topic further :

• A poster presentation in IESNA annual conference 2019 which happened in August in Louisville, Kentucky, USA jointly with Dr. Amardeep Dugar & Mr. Hussain Burhani.
• Published a paper along with Dr. Amardeep Dugar & Mr. Hussain Burhani in “International Journal of Horticultural & Crop Science Research.”
• Publication in Research Gate: White LED Light Sources - Merging Architectural and Horticultural Lighting Applications within Interior Environments & Architectural Lighting Vs. Horticultural Lighting - are they related??

What project are you most proud of and why?

I aspire to develop this further and encourage people to utilise the benefits of LED lighting as grow lights and combining architectural sources for horticultural applications in the Middle East and create lively and green interiors. Currently, I’m conducting various other experiments on plants using different wavelength sources. I’m extremely proud of my research topic, the results achieved and further developments in the field.

What is the biggest challenge that you have overcome in your career?

Being a woman, I’ve always been discouraged from going to any pre-design site inspections or site visits. Another challenge is the lack of information you receive before a design and you are forced to assume site conditions which leads to multiple revisions, wrong designs and application therefore not achieving the expected results.

How does light inspire you?

Light inspires me as with the right lighting you can transform the most mundane and boring space to an interesting and captivating one which, in turn raises one’s spirits and mood.

What is your message for other Women In Lighting?

We have the power to lead the field and be so good that they can’t ignore you.