Deboleena Roy - EngrMed - Purdue University

Don’t be afraid or shy to ask for help. We often take pride in the fact that we can solve all the problems by ourselves. But that is hardly the case in life, especially in grad school. You can’t do everything by yourself. The coursework, research, even living independently in a new country, each will have its fair share of challenges.

Why did you choose Purdue for graduate school?

The Ph.D. program offered by Purdue ECE is among the top-ranked in the USA. So it was certainly on my list of applications. I was thrilled when I got an offer from Prof. Kaushik Roy. He has a very large, diverse group where you have the opportunity to explore from devices to algorithms. It was an easy decision to choose Purdue.

Area of research:

I am currently working on development and implementation of neuro‐inspired algorithms for cognitive applications such as perception, reasoning and decision making. We aim to design algorithms that are well‐matched to the state of the art neuromorphic hardware fabrics and distributed platforms on which they will be executed.

Best event or organization you’ve participated in within ECE?

I think ECEGSA does a really good job of engaging the graduate student community. I attended some of their events and had a really fun time.

Best event or organization you’ve participated in outside of ECE?

I recently signed up for the Swing Dance classes by Purdue Night Train and I am enjoying the experience so far. Events organized by IGRASP and PUTS celebrating Indian festivals are always something I look forward to. They make you feel close to home.

What is one piece of advice you would give to a potential Purdue ECE student?

Don’t be afraid or shy to ask for help. I know it sounds super easy, but most of us are not very good at admitting that we need help (especially me).  We often take pride in the fact that we can solve all the problems by ourselves. But that is hardly the case in life, especially in grad school. You can’t do everything by yourself. The coursework, research, even living independently in a new country, each will have its fair share of challenges.

Who is someone in industry/academia that you look up to and why?

Geoffrey Hinton. Today he is hailed as the father of “Deep Learning.” He has worked on neural networks for over 3 decades. And he has, for most of his life, faced a lot of skepticism for his work. Recent developments in the field of machine learning have now recognized the tremendous value of his research. I really admire his perseverance and dedication to his research. Neural networks is now this heavily researched field in machine learning. The fact that he built the foundations of a new field is awe-inspiring.

What is your ultimate career goal?

I want to work on creating something impactful and meaningful. My dream job would be one that allows me work on interesting and challenging research problems.

What do you do in your free time?

I enjoy reading books and watching movies. I am an avid fan of sci-fi and superhero movies. Among books, I like reading English Classics and Memoirs.

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