July 16, 2025

The Georgia Tech Alumni Association has announced the 2025 class of 40 Under 40. The newest honorees of this annual program are reshaping industries, solving big challenges, and leaving a lasting mark on the world as they elevate excellence. Together, they embody the spirit of progress and the boundless potential of the Georgia Tech community.

The Alumni Association is proud to celebrate this exceptional class of Jackets whose bold achievements are shaping the world. Honorees from the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering include:

• Kevin Cone, ME 2010
• Joe Harms, M.S. MP 2015, Ph.D. NE 2018
• Robert Herbert, Ph.D. ME 2022
• Akanksha Menon, M.S. ME 2015, Ph.D. ME 2018
• Shay Natarajan, ME 2009, M.S. ME 2012

“This year’s nominees reflect the depth and breadth of the contributions our alumni are making around the world. It’s an honor to recognize those who are shaping the future and serving the greater good,” said Shreyes Melkote, Interim Eugene C. Gwaltney, Jr. School Chair.

Nominees, who must have completed at least one semester at Georgia Tech and be under the age of 40 as of June 30, 2025, were scored using a 25-point rubric by a committee of over 28 faculty, staff, and volunteer leaders, who collectively represented all Georgia Tech colleges. 

These alumni and the rest of the 2025 class of 40 Under 40 are doing the impossible and building brilliant legacies.
 

Assistant Athletic Director, Student-Athlete Development | Georgia Tech

Kevin Cone serves as assistant athletic director for Student-Athlete Development at Georgia Tech, where he leads the Total Person Program and oversees the Georgia Tech Letterwinners Club. A former Yellow Jacket and NFL/CFL wide receiver, Cone is dedicated to developing student-athletes as leaders on and off the field. He also serves as co-athletic chair of the Black Alumni Organization and liaison for the Student-Athlete Advisory Board. Cone holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech, an MBA from Georgia State University, and is currently pursuing a doctorate of business administration to explore how innovation, leadership, and purpose can redefine the future of business.

Favorite Tech Memory: Seeing my Dad’s name (Ronny Cone) the first time I walked into the football team locker room.

Assistant Professor/Medical Physicist | Washington University in St. Louis

Joe Harms is a board-certified medical physicist and assistant professor of Radiation Oncology at Washington University. He received his master’s and doctorate in medical physics from Georgia Tech, followed by a residency at Emory University. Harms’ research focuses on technological innovation to improve therapeutic outcomes for patients receiving radiation. His clinical expertise includes adaptive and proton therapies, techniques which focus on reducing the side effects typical of radiation. Outside of work, Harms spends his time raising two wonderful children with his wife, Kelsey. A former collegiate basketball player, he also likes to stay active by hiking, running, and cycling.

Favorite Tech Memory: Sitting in on Bill Leahy’s CS2110 lectures. His teaching style was one of a kind, and he made learning about computing architectures truly entertaining.

Assistant Professor | Louisiana State University

Robert Herbert is an assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Louisiana State University. He received his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in mechanical engineering from The Ohio State University and his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech, followed by postdoctoral studies at Carnegie Mellon University. His group studies the design and manufacturing of soft electronics and robotics for a variety of applications, including implantables, wearables, extreme environments, and space missions. Among other topics, Herbert’s group leads the development of vascular electronic systems to improve the monitoring and treatment of vascular diseases.

Favorite Tech Memory: Getting lunch from the Bento Bus food truck almost every time it was on campus.

Assistant Professor | George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering

Akanksha Menon is an assistant professor in the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech, where she directs the Water-Energy Research Lab. Her research interests lie at the intersection of thermal science/engineering and functional materials, with the overarching goal of developing sustainable technologies for clean water and clean energy. Menon is a recipient of the NSF CAREER Award, the ACS Doctoral Young Investigator Award, and three Department of Energy (DOE) grants on thermal energy storage. Menon was awarded the 2023 ASME Pi Tau Sigma Gold Medal, the 2025 ASTFE Early Career Researcher Award, and she was featured by DOE in their Women @ Energy initiative.

Favorite Tech Memory: Two core memories are publishing my first journal paper and pulling off a very successful Energy Expo event with speakers from around the country!

Partner | Mobility Impact Partners

Shweta “Shay” Natarajan is a partner at Mobility Impact Partners (MIP), a PE firm that invests across mobility, energy, financial services, and AI domains. Natarajan leads the collaboration with MIP’s large corporate coalition and is responsible for generating high-conviction investment theses leading to substantial investments. Prior to MIP, she was in senior positions at Caterpillar and McKinsey. Natarajan started her career at Apple, with prior short stints at Lutron Electronics, 3M, and Honeywell. She is a member of the advisory board at the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech. She also received the 2024 Council of Outstanding Young Engineering Alumni Award from Georgia Tech.

Favorite Tech Memory: My graduate experience at Georgia Tech! I had a great advisor, made a lot of friends, loved my graduate research and met my husband! I really had a great time.