What do you like most about your job?

The opportunity to learn about the things I’m interested in and also contributing to the societal impact of data science and analytics. The vision of using analytics to improve the world around us is something I find both exciting and satisfying.

Is there a project from this past year you are particularly proud of?

There are a couple of things I’d like to mention here. Last year I collaborated with a couple of other PhD students from my department in the Amazon Last Mile Routing Research Challenge hosted by Amazon and MIT. We came up with a model that tries to predict the fastest route taken by the delivery drivers. This helps reduce the time windows and improve the delivery process. It also reduces the number of missed deliveries and redelivery attempts.
We're a​lso collaborating with the World Food Programme (WFP) and Northeastern University. We are developing data-driven analytical solutions for predicting malnutrition hotspots in the Sahel region of Africa. Early prediction and identification of malnutrition hotspots can help in early intervention and providing aid to these regions. This approach reduces the malnutrition burden.

What don’t most colleagues know about you?

I am an amateur percussion player and my dream is to perform live once with a band in a music festival.