2026-06-19: From Chalk Dust to Code: My Journey from a Small Town to a Ph.D. in the U.S.

I was born in a small town to two schoolteachers who believed education was not just a profession but a purpose. Growing up in such an environment meant that learning was never forced; it was simply part of everyday life, and curiosity was always encouraged rather than questioned. Books were treated like companions in our home, and questions were welcomed more than answers. My father, a mathematics teacher and statistics topper, did not just teach numbers. He taught me how to see patterns in the world, how to question things, and how to stay curious. He had a way of turning ordinary moments into lessons, showing me that knowledge was not confined to classrooms but hidden in everything around us. Conversations at home often revolved around ideas, discipline, perseverance, and integrity, quietly shaping my mindset long before I understood their value. That atmosphere made me believe that effort mattered more than circumstance and that consistency could take a person farther than talent alone. No one imagined back then that this quiet boy would one day cross oceans and earn a Ph.D. in Computer Science. Dreams rarely ask where you start. They only ask how far you are willing to go.

My mother, who was also a schoolteacher, played an equally powerful role in shaping my values. From her, I learned patience, discipline, and the importance of consistency in everything I pursued. She believed that true education was not about marks but about character, and she constantly reminded me that knowledge should make a person humble, not proud. Watching both my parents teach day after day made learning feel natural to me, not like a task but like a way of life.

My grandfather’s life story was another silent source of inspiration. He grew up during colonial India and witnessed the struggles of a nation finding its identity. Rising through hardships, he eventually earned the respected position of a gazetted officer, a journey that required perseverance, resilience, and integrity. His life stood as proof that circumstances do not define destiny; determination does. Even without long speeches, his presence alone taught lessons that no classroom ever could.

I spent most of my childhood at my grandfather’s house because it was close to my school, and that environment shaped me deeply. The atmosphere there was disciplined, structured, and principled. Time was respected, routines were followed, and values were lived rather than spoken. Growing up in such surroundings quietly instilled habits that later became my strongest foundation during demanding academic years and life’s toughest challenges.

Growing up in a modest household meant resources were limited, but encouragement was abundant. Books were never treated as objects but as companions, and curiosity was never dismissed as childish. Those early years quietly shaped the mindset that later helped me face some of the toughest academic and personal challenges of my life.

My academic journey began with a Bachelor’s in Information Technology, followed by a Master’s in Computer Science at Manipal University. That was where curiosity turned into direction. I started building systems, experimenting with ideas, and asking questions beyond textbooks. I built an AI-based disease prediction model, and that project showed me something important. Technology is not just code. It is an impact. That realization changed the way I looked at learning and the future.

University life was not only about grades or achievements. It was where I learned independence, responsibility, and how to handle failure. Every project deadline, presentation, and challenge strengthened not only my technical knowledge but also my confidence in my own potential.

Alongside academics, I always had a creative side that refused to stay silent. I pursued a diploma in filmmaking because storytelling fascinated me as much as algorithms did. Cinema taught me perspective, emotion, and imagination. I developed a deep interest in psychological, horror, and suspense films because they explore the human mind in ways that science alone cannot explain. I even had the opportunity to perform on stage as Lord Krishna in a theatrical production, an experience that taught me confidence, presence, and expression. Since then, I have carried a quiet dream within me to one day create a film of my own.

That phase of life taught me something powerful. It showed me that growth does not happen when we limit ourselves to one dimension but when we allow different sides of our personality to coexist and complement each other. Creativity and logic are not opposites. They are partners. One fuels possibility while the other shapes it into reality. The ability to imagine helps innovation, and the ability to analyze helps execution. When both work together, ideas do not just remain thoughts; they become solutions. This balance later became one of my greatest strengths in research and problem-solving. During my university years, I became the only student from my institution to secure a full-time internship at HP R&D, where I worked on an AI-powered auto-diagnostics system. Walking into that environment, surrounded by brilliant minds and real-world challenges, felt both humbling and motivating at the same time. It pushed me to raise my own standards and think beyond what I had previously believed possible. For the first time, I saw how research and industry could come together to solve real problems. I realized that technology is most powerful when it moves beyond theory and begins to create a tangible impact on people’s lives. That experience strengthened my belief that innovation happens when curiosity meets discipline.

Walking into that workplace for the first time felt surreal. The environment was unlike anything I had experienced before, filled with people who spoke the language of innovation, curiosity, and possibility. It was proof that hard work can open doors you once thought were unreachable. In that moment, I realized that opportunities are not reserved for a select few; they often wait quietly for those willing to persist long enough to find them. More importantly, it showed me that I belonged in spaces where ideas mattered more than background.

Soon after, I achieved another milestone by becoming the first student from my university to intern at Procter & Gamble in Europe. There, I developed AI and IoT tools for safety and automation. It felt like I had finally reached the dream I once imagined. But life sometimes asks you to step away from comfort to pursue purpose. Leaving that opportunity after countless overnight visa trips was not easy, but I chose uncertainty because I wanted to create knowledge and not just apply it.

That decision was not understood by everyone. Some questioned it, others doubted it, and a few even discouraged it. But growth often begins where comfort ends. I realized that the path to something extraordinary rarely looks safe or predictable. Then COVID arrived, and my Ph.D. journey was delayed by nearly two years. Plans paused, uncertainty grew, and the path ahead looked unclear. Instead of waiting for circumstances to change, I decided to change myself. I spent that time upskilling, studying, building projects, and preparing for an opportunity I could not yet see. In August 2021, during travel restrictions and global uncertainty, I boarded a flight to the United States carrying two things. Fear and determination.

That flight was more than travel. It was a turning point. It symbolized leaving behind familiarity and stepping into the unknown with faith. Moments like that define a person not because they are easy, but because they demand courage. A Ph.D. is not just a degree. It is a test of patience, resilience, and belief. It is months of work that sometimes lead nowhere, papers rejected after weeks of effort, ideas challenged, and moments when you question yourself. But it is also growth, clarity, and discovery. Each obstacle became a lesson, and each lesson made me stronger. I learned that persistence is not loud. It is quiet, steady, and stubborn.

Some of the most important lessons I learned during my doctoral journey were not written in textbooks. They were learned in silence, in reflection, and in perseverance. Research does not reward speed. It rewards depth. It does not reward noise. It rewards clarity. 

Over time, that persistence began to show results. I published more than twenty research papers and had the opportunity to present my work at international conferences across Europe, Australia, and North America. These experiences allowed me to engage with researchers from around the world, exchange ideas, and refine my perspective on accessibility, artificial intelligence, and human-centered computing.

Selected conference presentations and research travel included presenting at the 28th International Conference on Theory and Practice of Digital Libraries (TPDL 2024) in Italy (Conference Report), participating in the ACM SIGWEB Conference on Hypertext and Social Media (HT 2024) in Poznań, Poland (Conference Report), presenting at the ACM SIGCHI Conference on Engineering Interactive Computing Systems (EICS 2023) in Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom (Conference Report), and attending the International Conference on Intelligent User Interfaces (IUI 2023) in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (Conference Report).

My research journey was also enriched by industry experiences, including a Summer Research Internship at ISG (Internship Report) and a Summer Data Analytics Internship at PRA Group (Internship Report). These opportunities allowed me to apply research ideas in real-world settings and strengthened my understanding of how academic innovation can create practical impact.

These experiences culminated in receiving the Best Paper Award at ACM W4A 2025 for our work on adapting online customer reviews for blind users, a recognition that remains one of the highlights of my doctoral journey. I shared reflections on this achievement and the award-winning work in this X post about the ACM W4A 2025 Best Paper Award.

Standing on international stages and presenting my research to global audiences was humbling. Each presentation reminded me that knowledge has no borders and that ideas can travel farther than we ever can. 

Eventually, the moment arrived that once felt impossibly far away. I earned my Ph.D. in Computer Science from Old Dominion University. My dissertation defense marked the culmination of years of research in accessibility, artificial intelligence, and human-computer interaction. My dissertation is publicly available through Old Dominion University Digital Commons: http://doi.org/10.25777/767n-ra09. The defense presentation and selected photo from the event are included below.

Standing there, I did not just see a degree. I saw every late night, every doubt, every rejection, every lesson, and every person who supported me along the way. I thought about the sacrifices my family made, the mentors who guided me, and the friends and colleagues who encouraged me during difficult moments. I was reminded that every challenge had shaped the person I had become. What began as a dream in a small town had gradually unfolded into a journey that took me across continents, introduced me to remarkable people, and challenged me in ways I never imagined.

Looking back, I saw more than academic milestones and professional achievements. I saw a young student driven by curiosity, a researcher shaped by persistence, and a person transformed by every challenge encountered along the way. In that moment, I understood that success is never a single event. It is a collection of moments, sacrifices, failures, risks, and resilience stitched together over time. I also came to appreciate that the people we meet, the experiences we embrace, and the challenges we overcome often shape us just as much as our accomplishments. Each stage of the journey brought lessons that extended far beyond academics, teaching me perseverance, gratitude, and the value of continuous growth. The degree was only a symbol. The journey was the real achievement.

This Ph.D. is not the finish line. It is the beginning of a new chapter filled with opportunities to learn, contribute, and create meaningful impact. If there is one thing my journey has taught me, it is that no dream is too big, no struggle is too heavy, and no setback is final. Sometimes the longest paths lead to the most meaningful destinations, and sometimes the quietest beginnings lead to the loudest impact. For me, this journey has always been about learning, growing, and giving back, and I look forward to wherever that path leads next.

- Mohan Krishna Sunkara (@mk344567)