Say hello to Niraj, the new SketchUp Pro scale figure for 2022. A self-described ‘behind the scenes’ guy, it’s time to honor him with the coveted spot on the axis. We pulled an amenable Niraj into the spotlight and asked him a few questions about what makes him tick. From physicist turned architectural engineer turned sustainable building design specialist turned SketchUp extraordinaire, Niraj could fill several books with all the ideas swirling around in his head.
Name: Niraj Poudel
Role at SketchUp: Customer Success Manager
Two Truths and a Lie (scroll to the end for the lie):
I am ambidextrous.
I have a twin brother.
I have hiked Monte San Martino in Lecco, Italy over 200 times.
How do you feel about being the scale figure for 2022?
When they told me I was going to be the next scale figure, I was surprised and flabbergasted! To use soccer terminology, my sweet spot is being the midfielder; the person who passes the ball to the striker to score the goal. I’m unused to attention, but at the same time, it’s exciting to be part of the SketchUp legacy.
Tell me about yourself and your journey to work at SketchUp.
I was born and raised in Nepal and came to the U.S. to study physics for my undergraduate degree. While attending Whittier College in California, I took a couple of extracurricular courses in architecture at a local community college. Little did I know then that this was the beginning of my journey into the building industry. This interest would later lead me across the ocean and back again, and eventually to accept a position at SketchUp.
