UG Researcher’s memoir— Vedika Kulkarni

Vedika Kulkarni, CSE pre-final yearite, writes about all her endeavours in college — from a branch change to CSE, to authoring a research paper on Blockchain technology! She is currently interning with BlockDeliver, a New York based startup. As a recipient of the Google WTM scholarship and D.E Shaw’s DESIS Ascend fellowship, she also shares key points for future applicants to these programs.

Part I: Freshman year and branch change!

To be honest, I had never thought about getting a branch change when I joined IITG. I was just keen on getting a good CPI so that, if/when my grades fall in the later semesters, the balance is maintained. (Lol, we all have heard first year is the easiest one to get a good CPI!) I liked the sem I syllabus and enjoyed studying it. I was involved in a few extracurricular activities too. I was also a part of Cepstrum as Dhansiri’s Hostel Representative. Before the results of sem I were announced, I was expecting a 9.2 something. But my surprise went through the roof on seeing 9.81! I was just as shocked as my friends. And then my parents and friends began to encourage me to study well in the next sem too and get a branch change. Sem II didn’t go as smoothly, but I landed up with an overall CPI of 9.56.

My main reason behind opting for Computer Science was my fear of Electronics. Circuits have haunted me since school days. Signals and transistors are one of the scariest nightmares for me. Had I not received a CPI enough for branch change, I would have probably made peace with transistors, signals, circuits and all other members of the ECE family. But since I had the option to change my stream, I was more than willing to befriend algorithms, databases, operating systems and much more!

For branch change aspirants, a few tips would be:

1. Be regular in studies. That being said, it doesn’t mean you have to study everyday for long hours. C’mon JEE is over guys! By regular I mean ensure that when you enter the class, you have a sound idea of what’s going on. Don’t postpone studying so much that the lectures seem like Latin to you.
2. Solve tutorials. I can’t stress the importance of this tip enough. Tutorial questions mostly cover all important concepts taught in the class. They are a reflection of the kind of questions you will get in exams (sometimes even the same questions appear). Revise them well the night before the exam too.
3. Be easy on yourself. Don’t obsess over branch change. Maintain a balance between studying and extracurricular activities, too much of either is harmful.

Part II: Sophomore year — Fascination with Blockchain

Sophomore year is when you truly enter your department. You are free to experiment with various domains and find out what interests you the most. I, along with two of my friends, participated in Microsoft’s Code.Fun.Do Hackathon 2019. Its theme was ‘E-Voting using Blockchain’. That’s where I was first introduced to Blockchain. Such hackathons are really beneficial and play a valuable role in helping you hunt for your interests. Later in December, I pursued Blockchain by doing various projects. Soon I got many research opportunities in Blockchain.

During my intern at BlockDeliver, I got a chance to work on Algorithms and Networks along with Blockchain. I was exposed to Hardware Security as a part of a project I am chosen for, under the guidance of one of the most amazing professors of the CSE department, Dr. Jose. Currently I have experience in a handsome number of CSE fields, and the best way to get that is through projects, interns and courses. I am still not a hundred percent sure of the domain I want to finally choose. BTech is like a bird’s eye view of the possible fields one can enter. And I am still exploring, with Deep Learning added to my radar recently, while continuing to work on all the previously mentioned areas. I enjoy having first-hand experience at so many things. It’s wondrous how vast the world of computer science is. And I want to roam a lot in that world, before I decide to settle down in one place and call it my home!

Part III: Research paper — ideation to publication

Writing a research paper is truly an art. I learnt from my guide and co-author Dr. Kalyani how a research paper should be. In addition to being technically sound, it should have a logical flow, accompanied by smooth transitions between sections. It should unfold like a story. I hope I will be able to incorporate all these qualities in my future papers as well.

I had a pretty systematic procedure that I followed for writing the paper. First I chose the broad domain ‘Blockchain and Smart Grids’. Then I spent two weeks exploring the subdomains and reviewing what all previous works had been done. I finalized the topic ‘A Blockchain-based Smart Grid Model for Rural Electrification in India’, mainly because I wanted to study how the new technologies can facilitate the life of the rural community. Having a humanitarian approach is one of the qualities my family has imbibed in me since childhood. Choosing a good research topic with a lot of potential is the basis of an influential research. It’s the base of your paper, hence I preferred to spend enough time at this first crucial step.

Next, I conducted a brief literature review on the topic I had chosen, and soon realized that this topic hadn’t been touched to a great extent. In the first part of the paper, it’s important to describe the severity of the chosen problem. I stressed on that enough by going through various government reports on rural electrification and the truth of 100% electrification. Once I had formed a background, I introduced Blockchain (Blockchain is a peer-to-peer technology, a digital ledger to record information in a way that makes it impossible to hack, or cheat the system.)

Further I went on to study how Blockchain can improve Smart Grids in various ways and explained each of them in detail. I could combine all the applications in a single model that can serve the rural population and provide them reliable and sufficient access to electricity. Testing and experimentation with the proposed model is yet a work in progress.

This step-wise approach helped me a lot in the process of writing the paper. Further, this paper received acceptance at the peer-reviewed international conference IEEE’s icSmartGrid2020 and I had the opportunity of presenting it there.

Part IV: Paper presentation at IEEE’s icSmartGrid2020 conference

After the completion of the paper, the next task was to get it published. I wanted to publish my paper in a peer-reviewed conference as it is more valued in the research community. Many conferences had sent out their Call for Papers. I submitted my paper at IEEE’s icSmartGrid2020 during mid-May, and just a few weeks later I was notified about the acceptance of the paper, along with reviews from 3 reviewers with positive feedback on some sections and suggestions on few points that could be improved. After making the necessary changes, the final paper was accepted to get published on IEEEXplore after the conference.

Presenting at IEEE’s icSmartGrid2020 is one of the most memorable experiences of my life. I witnessed many presentations of mind-blowing research papers by researchers from the entire world. I think I was the youngest presenter there, and it was quite daunting at first, with so many scholars, experienced researchers and academicians present. But as I progressed with the presentation, I became more confident and it went very well. I could clarify all the various doubts raised by the audience after the session. Receiving the certificate and appreciation by the session chairs was a moment of absolute joy for me. I had always dreamed of having my first research paper in the second year itself, but had never imagined this could come true! From starting to write the paper, to getting acceptance at an international conference, to presenting it on a global platform; every moment is etched into my brain. I hope to have many more such experiences.

Part V: BlockDeliver intern experience

I am currently working as a research intern at BlockDeliver, for more than 4 months now (received an extension offer after the decided intern duration). It’s a New York-based startup involved in the creation of a global ecosystem for web content delivery, powered by AI and Blockchain technology.

Through this internship, I have learnt a lot about how technical research is carried out in the industry. I have realized subtle differences between academic and industrial research. In the industry, it’s important to have solutions deployable on a mega scale. It is expected that you come up with solutions within the set deadlines. Whereas academic research is freer and the solutions are tested out on smaller test setups, their results might be drastically different when deployed on a larger scale. Academic research works in the direction of developing theory. It can guide industrial research. Both are equally enjoyable for me; I find research very soothing. Being a researcher, you get absolute freedom to think and create newer systems and solutions, and truly witness the power of every domain.

Jack Ma says “When you are 20 to 30 years old, you should follow a good boss and join a good company to learn how to do things properly”. I am so fortunate to have a great boss and inspiring peers in the Research Team of BlockDeliver. Working with Gargi (my boss), I have grasped many essential research skills, which would be invaluable for my future path. I get to openly discuss my ideas and have a say in the research proposals we come up with. It has been an amazing journey till now.

Part VI: Google WTM and D.E Shaw DESIS Ascend fellowship

Google Women Techmakers is one of the most incredible opportunities a female engineer can get. As a part of this scholarship, every recipient is invited for a retreat organized at one of the Google offices, which is the most awaited event for all awardees. This year unfortunately it was conducted in the virtual mode. Nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoyed interaction with senior leaders of Google. Various sessions such as talks on leadership, tips on resume building and interviews, #IAmRemarkable workshop and Roundtable with TOPs Googlers. Post the retreat, Google has planned a roadmap to help WTM Scholars excel in the software world, which includes mock interviews, live coding sessions, kickstart mentorship, etc.

I have been selected for the DESIS Ascend Fellowship 2020 awarded by D.E Shaw & Co. The events are yet to be conducted, yet the description of the events itself gives me a thrill. It’s an opportunity to interact with senior D.E Shaw leaders, a dive into the finance world and an exploration of a plethora of opportunities.

Such scholarships give recipients a chance to peek into the company’s initiatives and projects. They provide splendid networking opportunities that can shape one’s career. Being a recipient of such fellowships is a huge addition to one’s resume, it indicates your capabilities and definitely gives you an edge.

It’s difficult to list down everything here in detail about the selection criteria, but I would like to add a few essential tips that I got from my seniors and also realized from my own experience:

1. Essay answers should be in alignment with your resume. For example, “What technology are you most excited about? Why?” was one of the questions for WTM 2020. I had written about Blockchain. And my resume showed that I had projects, a research paper, an intern in the same field. If I had answered Machine Learning, it wouldn’t have been supported by my resume. Moral: Be genuine.
2. Essay answers should be to the point. For example, in the above question, don’t write few lines each on many technologies. That’s an unclear and imprecise answer. Choose one and stick to it.
3. It’s better to have essay answers customized, i.e. include your own life experiences and make it personal.
4. Be authentic. Don’t fake stuff in your resume as you won’t be able to defend it later. The interviews are fun and they are just to get to know you more. Just be yourself.
5. Community engagement is valued a lot.

I’d like to end this blog by saying, BTech is a window into all the career paths one can pursue. Make the most of this time, talk to seniors, alumni and professors — and don’t forget to enjoy! Feel free to contact me on LinkedIn for any questions you may have.