1. With around 4 years+ industrial experience, what advice would you like to give to your juniors stepping into the industry?
Ans: Avoid complacency. Once in the industry, it is very easy to fall into the humdrum routine of doing the same things day in and day out. Make it a habit to learn something new every day about the area you are working on, and be ready to adapt yourself to newer technologies. When things become difficult, stick to the fundamentals.
2. When and why did you decide to pursue higher education?
Ans: I decided to pursue higher education in my third year of undergrad. In the summer of 2011, I took up two online courses, Linear Algebra by Dr. Gilbert Strang and Circuits and Electronics by Dr. Anant Agarwal. I was fascinated with the uncomplicated approach the faculty in the west had towards teaching the most complicated of concepts. Consequently, higher education felt like a great opportunity to strengthen my fundamentals with a more practical and research oriented approach.
3. You have been a research intern at IIT Delhi and software engineering intern at Cisco and IBM. What tips would you like to share with your juniors, applying for industrial internships?
Ans: I would say, try to identify opportunities where you can actually contribute something technically. Try to start early when preparing and applying for internships. If you are not interning for the summer, invest that time in working on side projects, or contributing towards open source projects.
4. How has your journey at IGDTUW shaped you into the person that you have grown into?
Ans: It was at IGDTUW that I first learnt to hustle and scout for opportunities. Volunteering with organizations such as IEEE, WISE India, helped me refine my leadership skills. In hindsight I realize what a privilege it was to be surrounded by so many inspiring and like-minded women!
5. How has your journey so far at North Carolina State University been?
Ans: The journey at NC State University has been great so far. I am close to ending my stint here. I have been lucky to have had the opportunity to work with the experts in computer networking, and have grown a lot as a student and as a researcher in the last five years I spent here.