Meet Vinu Krishnaswamy

After completing my undergraduate degree in India, I was looking for a university where I could learn more about application development while also dipping my toes into research. University at Buffalo offered the right mix of courses and resources that would allow me to do just that. I was, and still am, very interested in computer networking and artificial intelligence (AI), and UB had notable professors in both areas (most of the other universities I had been researching only offered expertise in one area or the other). I knew that I could explore both of those paths at UB and excel. And the university’s proximity to Niagara Falls didn’t hurt!

I have been interested in computer science for as long as I can remember. Growing up in the age of 386, 486 and Pentium processors, the evolution of computers and their applications intrigued me. Like many, computer games and early computer programming languages such as BASIC sparked my curiosity. My interest in networking and AI grew after reading about and understanding the complexity and nuances of designing such systems. I realized how much we humans take our innate ability to perceive the world around us for granted; it was exciting to explore how technologists would grow more and more successful in teaching computers how to reach “human” efficiency.

I had a great time at UB! Students could participate in a wide variety of extracurricular activities. The faculty was always open and helpful. I remember having a tough time grasping a couple of the newer AI concepts, and I frequently visited my professor’s office to gain a more complete understanding. There was never any hesitation to explain a complex concept. All the professors I worked with were the same way–always willing to help students.

I served on the executive committee of the Computer Science Graduate Student Association and helped execute the association’s activities, including movie nights and game nights. The goal of our organization was to help the student body take a break from the, at times, monotonous grind of assignments and projects.

My most transformative experience took place at the Center of Excellence for Document Analysis and Recognition (CEDAR). I worked as a research assistant on AI algorithms. Because I was new to the field, the help that Prof. Sargur N. Srihari and the Ph.D. students offered was critical to my research. Although I graduated before I could complete my research, there is a research paper titled “Individuality of Fingerprints: Comparison of Models and Measurements” with my name on it. It is one of my proudest accomplishments from my time at UB.

UB had a very diverse campus. Many student organizations hosted “open nights” for everyone to participate. The campus was always bustling, day and night, with students working to complete their assignments. The computer science lab was open 24/7, and some of my best memories involve project-filled nights spent burning the midnight oil there. I also remember a lot of free food on campus, which was crucial on a student budget!

My time at UB has been instrumental to my career success. In addition to the advanced courses that helped me develop the skills I still use today, UB taught me a valuable lesson around time management. UB is one of the few universities that offers 12 credits per semester for a graduate degree; most have nine. Time management was critical to balance a very heavy course load, but my experience at UB also inspired a desire for continuous learning and an appreciation for team work. Many courses I took, such as cognitive science, not only taught me about developments in the field, but also helped me to grasp that there are aspects we don’t yet understand. I learned to be OK with not knowing all the answers, as long as we are constantly working to get there. People respect that.

In my role, I help clients understand and implement marketing technologies that increase engagement–ultimately empowering them to enhance the customer experience, drive revenue growth, and attract and retain top talent. One of the highlights of my job is leveraging technology to make my clients’ jobs easier. Modern organizations use many different technologies. Helping them analyze and take advantage of the data that these technologies produce is extremely rewarding. Another highlight of my role is applying newer technology (think AI, chatbots, voice, etc.) in innovative ways to solve complex problems.

While at UB, I learned ballroom dancing and was quite good at it…or so I would like to think.

Technology will continue to evolve. It is important to understand the intent behind the technology and what problem it is trying to solve. That will take you a long way in your career and is more beneficial than simply trying to understand the technology itself.

I can think of two.

My first UB bold moment was the decision to join CEDAR. A few other job options offered more pay, but CEDAR aligned most with my interests. It was a choice I am glad I made, as the influence of AI on our lives and businesses continues to grow exponentially.

Another UB bold moment for me was the opportunity to help international students get acclimated to the U.S. As an international student myself, I can understand the chaos that is the first few months in the U.S. You are in a new country, setting up your life. Simple things like opening a bank account may be new and unfamiliar. For most international students, this is probably the first time away from their family, too. I was fortunate to have support from other international students when I began my graduate program and tried to pay that forward as a student. Even now, years after graduation, I still receive occasional emails from prospective students inquiring about life in the U.S. and at UB; and am always happy to offer my perspective and guidance.