2023-12-27: Akshay Kolgar Nayak (PhD in Computer Science)

Greetings, fellow bloggers. I am Akshay Kolgar Nayak, and I am pursuing my passion as a PhD student in computer science at the Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA. Under the guidance of Dr. Vikas Ashok, I conduct research in the field of human-computer interaction, specializing my current focus on developing intelligent assistive technologies to promote accessible means of learning and education for the less-abled population.

I kickstarted my engineering adventure with a bachelor's degree in computer science and engineering from Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. My interest in coding was first ignited during high school when Java programming was first introduced as part of the curriculum. However, I believe my enduring fascination with how our minds work, human psychology, and neuroscience later fueled my passion for deep learning and artificial intelligence.

Following the completion of my undergraduate degree in 2020, I embarked on my professional journey as a Software Engineer at the London Stock Exchange Group (Refinitiv at the time). Initially, my role involved contributing to the infrastructure and cloud team, which provided a foundational understanding of the company's technical landscape. After a year, I transitioned to the Wealth Management technology team, where I further honed my skills and knowledge as a full-stack developer. During my second year at the company, I had the opportunity to take on a role as the lead developer for the Refinitiv Beta Classic Project. The primary objective of this project was to modernize conventional green screen technologies by transforming them into modern web applications.

My professional journey as a software developer was enriching, yet my passion for delving deeper into the realm of intelligent systems persisted. To fuel this curiosity, I embraced a new chapter in Spring 2023 as a master's student at ODU. Initially joining as a teaching assistant under the mentorship of Prof. Ajay Gupta, I was honored to receive the university's best TA award during my first semester. Simultaneously, I actively engaged in volunteering at the Applied Research Lab, immersing myself in various impactful projects. I led the Cancer Data Analysis project in collaboration with the Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS) as a Lead Researcher in Data Science. Additionally, I played a pivotal role as a Full Stack Developer for the Taste of India Project and spearheaded the development of a Proof of Concept (POC) system for agitation detection and intervention.

Throughout this period, I closely monitored the ongoing research conducted by the WS-DL group and Dr. Vikas, whose Computer Vision course I also enrolled in. Inspired by his exceptional research track record, I was drawn to pursue a PhD under his mentorship. His expertise aligns perfectly with my aspirations, solidifying my decision to be a part of this exceptionally talented group of researchers. I firmly believe that I've found the ideal environment to both learn and contribute effectively to the lab's endeavors, leveraging my abilities to their fullest potential.

"It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting." - Paulo Coelho (The Alchemist)

Thank You for reading.

- Akshay Kolgar Nayak