Hi there! I am currently a Senior Software Engineer at Zoox, where I get to research on the fascinating challenge of making autonomous driving technology safer and more efficient. My focus is on optimizing the performance of the complex software that powers these vehicles in real-time. Day-to-day, this involves diving deep into performance telemetry, profiling the AI stack, and developing new ways to reduce latency and improve memory usage for Zoox’s self-driving robotaxi. It is rewarding to know my work directly contributes to making these sophisticated AI systems more reliable as we move towards the future of transportation.

This role is really a culmination of my passion for technology, hands-on engineering, and years of dedicated research.

My Research Journey: From Academia to Industry

I earned my Ph.D. in Computer Science at the University of California, Irvine in 2023. Before diving deep into my doctoral studies, I spent time as a Software Engineer at Microsoft, an experience that gave me valuable real-world perspective that shaped my research questions. My Ph.D. work explored how to make computer systems smarter about using resources, focusing on runtime resource allocation and power management, especially for systems dealing with lots of data. I particularly enjoyed investigating self-aware embedded systems, advanced memory designs, and how different types of computer architectures can work together efficiently.

Throughout my research, I aimed to find practical ways to boost system efficiency and performance, whether on tiny microcontrollers or large-scale Cloud systems. I was fortunate to collaborate with researchers at Facebook (Meta) on some of this work, which helped bridge the gap between academic ideas and industrial application.

I am grateful that my research efforts were recognized with awards like the Charpak Scholarship (France), a DAAD Scholarship (Germany), and a Facebook Research Grant. Being part of the Dutt Research Group and learning from Prof. Nikil Dutt was a fantastic experience that truly honed my skills in tackling complex problems in computer systems.

Where It All Started: Curiosity and Creation

My path into technology really began with a natural curiosity and a love for tinkering – taking things apart, building things from scratch, and figuring out how they worked. This passion grew through hands-on projects involving circuits, product design, and creating user interfaces. Getting selected in the Indian National Olympiad in Informatics (INOI) was an early encouragement that solidified my interest in computer science. This led me to Jadavpur University for my Bachelor’s in Computer Science and Engineering. Beyond academics, I had a great time leading the university’s Science Club, sharing my enthusiasm for robotics and embedded systems with fellow students.

Alongside my studies, I spent a lot of time designing and building various electronic products using microcontrollers and other components. It was incredibly satisfying to turn ideas into working gadgets and gave me a solid practical understanding of embedded systems. You can see some of those early projects in the Products section! It’s this blend of theoretical understanding and hands-on creation that continues to drive my work today.