Satya Wagle, a PhD candidate in the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

Ours is the age of connectedness and artificial intelligence. The two are becoming deeply entwined, as researchers and product companies increasingly mate AI learning and decision-making with the virtually inestimable number of connected devices in operation today. Satya Wagle is a PhD candidate in the Elmore Family School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. He wants to further the development of smart, connected networks — like those that underpin the multitude of vehicles that will be operating on our roadways in an increasingly autonomous manner — so they can better communicate with one another to achieve their goals.

What is your research focus, what investigative avenues are you pursuing?

My research interests involve introducing AI solutions for challenges in wireless communication networks. Two factors motivate this thread of research; firstly, the growing number of connected devices from the IoT domain, and secondly, the popularity of intelligent decision-making systems in practical settings through AI and machine learning. These two factors dovetail naturally into this notion of intelligent, connected networks of devices that can communicate, cooperate, and achieve goals in a coordinated manner. An example of this would be vehicle networks where cars, trucks, and bicycles can exchange information with each other, making their individual decisions of, say, deciding on a route from A to B more optimal.

What spurred your interest in this particular topic and line of research?

When I had just started with my Master's degree, the IoT space had become extremely popular. However, despite the seeming "internet" of things, the actual connectivity between devices at the time seemed to be only skin deep, where they would exchange information, but the decision-making process was still largely insular. This made me ask the question, "What if I could get these devices to work together? How would it make things better?"

Why did you choose Purdue to continue your studies as a graduate student?

Purdue has always had extremely strong interdisciplinary relationships, where one's research could be motivated by and benefit from research in several seemingly disparate domains. Much like the idealized version of the IoT I mentioned, Purdue gave me the unique opportunity to learn from several different fields. Not to mention the tremendously talented people I've had the opportunity to work with.

When did you first get interested in engineering and science?

It's hard to pinpoint the exact moment in time. I have always thought in systems before I even knew what the term meant. The ability to capture the workings of the world in a universal language carried its own beauty and sense of comfort that I instinctively felt. When I watched videos of Richard Feynman explaining magnetism, I felt a similar feeling coming from him, albeit in an extremely evolved form. That question of "Why" has always been at the forefront of my mind, which naturally led me to science, I think.

What’s it like studying at Purdue?

These few years I've spent at Purdue have been some of the most challenging, yet some of the most rewarding years of my life. At Purdue, I met some of the smartest people I know, and I'm extremely grateful to have worked alongside them. They say that you are the average of the five or six people you are the closest to, and at Purdue, the people you surround yourself with end up turning you into a better, more well-rounded person in ways you did not expect. In addition, I've made some great friends here as well. We all empathize with each other in the graduate student experience, and that's a blessing to have when the going gets rough.

What else have you learned at Purdue, apart from subject matter?

I could write a whole book about everything I've learned at Purdue, but the most important thing I've learned is to learn how to learn. In my opinion, it's one of the most crucial skills to have and consciously develop. Being able to systematically go from not knowing anything about a topic to being reasonably knowledgeable about it is a universally valued, yet deeply personal skill to hone. As a graduate student, you are required to get up to speed about a topic in a short amount of time, so figuring out the optimal way to do that for yourself is very important.

What opportunities does the Purdue research environment afford?

I have published a couple of papers as a PhD student at Purdue, and as one of the elite research schools, the bar is pretty high for an acceptable paper. This means that being able to present your research to readers in an accessible way is just as important as the research itself. And while that may seem like a drag to some (including in the past me), it pays dividends in the future. For example, I did a couple of internships over the last few summers, and this mindset that I developed at Purdue made it very easy to communicate my ideas to the people on my team, and you could see tangible results in the speed with which we made progress. Some of my projects there eventually became patents.

What advice might you give to other students deciding where to attend graduate school?

Graduate school is perhaps the last time you will be in an academic setting, so be prepared to make the most of it. Let your mind be a sponge, and absorb everything around you, learn from your failures (there will be many), but don't forget to celebrate your successes.

What about the future? What are your goals; what are you looking to accomplish in this field?

As a PhD student in ECE working in AI for networks, I think I'm in the perfect position to make an impact in the space of smart, connected networks. I'd like to eventually broaden my expertise and delve into the business and finance side of things, maybe start a company. I have a feeling my technical background would serve me well there.

Might you share with us a little window into your personality: some distinctive trait, habit of mind, hobby/pursuit outside work…?

I enjoy flexing my creative muscles from time to time, and I believe that it is very important for one to have a hobby outside of work. I enjoy writing speculative fiction and play bass. They keep me tethered to the more abstract side of things after immersing myself in the technical world of science.

Source: Purdue Engineering Graduate Student Profiles: Satya Wagle