Arundhati is an undergraduate student in Computer Science and Engineering at Sree Chitra Thirunal College of Engineering (SCTCE), which is under the Kerala Technological University where she’s been very involved in her university’s Student Branch Chapter and other IEEE activities. Arundhati has served as the Chair of the Student Branch Chapter, and the Vice-Chair for the school’s Women in Engineering Affinity Group. She has been a Content Team Member for the Computer Society India Council Student Activities Committee and the Mentor and Organizer for The Codelab Project. Arundhati has won the Computer Society of India Student Award (2017) for exemplary academic achievements and a scholarship from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at SCTCE for high academic achievement.

How did you first get interested in computer science/engineering?

I have been astoundingly curious of that machine which decided to grace my house a decade back – a brand new computer which opened the eyes and ears of a young girl to an exciting world that she had always dreamt of. Ever since, my life has become invariably intertwined with the magic and beauty of computers. The stories of trailblazers like Ada Lovelace, Alan Turing, and other legendary figures played an important role in shaping my perceptions. Taking up computer science and engineering was a natural choice to satiate my love for all things computer science.

Where do you go to school? What are you majoring in?

I went to high school in my home city of Trivandrum, India where my focus areas were physics, mathematics, chemistry and computer science. Now, I am majoring in computer science and engineering at Kerala Technological University.

What job would you like upon graduation?

Artificial intelligence is a radical concept that has the power to solve some of humankind’s most complex problems. The legacy of breathing intelligence into chips of silicon propelled me to venture deeper into the field. It would be great to work as a researcher in the field of artificial intelligence and also to get involved in developing policy frameworks to channel the growth of intelligent technologies.

You were the winner of the 2017 Richard E. Merwin Student Scholarship. One of the roles with winning the award is to serve as a Computer Society Student Ambassador for your IEEE section. How are you implementing your vision into the Computer Society?

I am thoroughly enjoying my tenure as the Computer Society Student Ambassador. It is indeed a role that gives me the strength to translate my vision for IEEE Computer Society into reality. Working with section level and hub level representatives of Computer Society is rewarding on many levels. Collaboration is the key to success. We have been organizing exciting events and programs with high impact. Mindful steps are being taken to revamp dormant chapters and also to channel resources to local chapters in need.

What made you join IEEE Computer Society?

IEEE Computer Society has a vibrant student community in India. The events, resources and the peer-mentor network offered by IEEE CS is hard to resist. In fact, my first experience with IEEE CS was at the Computer Society India Symposium. The volunteers and organizers opened a new window within IEEE and thus I made my decision to join the IEEE Computer Society. One of the best decisions I have made in my life was to join this amazing community.

What do you hope for the IEEE Computer Society 5, 10, 15 years from now?

The IEEE Computer Society is already the world’s leading membership organization dedicated to computer science and technology. I sincerely hope that our network grows even stronger to reach each and every student and professional hoping to make an impact in computer science and allied fields in all parts of the globe.