Name: Vedit Venkatesh
Pronouns: they/them
Institution: Lafayette College
Department: Computer Science
Biography:
Vedit Venkatesh is an undergraduate student at Lafayette College pursuing a degree in Computer Science and Physics. They are interested in pursuing projects with quantum computing.
Academic Status: Undergraduate Student
Year in program: 2nd
Research Area/Department: Computer Science; Physics
Other, specify:
Major/Specialty: Double Majoring with a BS in Computer Science and BS in Physics
Degrees Earned or in Progress: Degree Currently in Progress: Double Majoring with a BS in Computer Science and BS in Physics
What courses or academic preparation have you completed to prepare for a summer internship experience?
Highest Level of Math Completed: Linear Algebra and Calculus III Highest Level of Computer Science Completed: Analysis of Algorithms, Computer Organization, Data Structures and Algorithms Highest Level of Physics Completed: Physics II (Electricity Magnetism and Waves)
Have you published any research or worked on research/technical projects? Yes
Where has your research been published or where have you conducted research/technical projects? While I have worked on three research projects so far, none of been published as of yet. I am a part of a research group at my college where I am heading two projects. One of these projects is studying upper level chemistry students that program applications to teach general chemistry to first year students and how this affects the learning process of both the upper and lower level students. The other project is looking into creating a machine learning algorithm that can predict the toxicity of molecules when interacting with water. In addition to these two projects, I was a part of the SRP 2023 Summer program where I worked on creating an optimization on a parallel programming tool called Legion that would automatically trace programs and speed up the runtime process.
Please describe your research/academic interests:
My current research projects are mostly focused in the realm of computer science, though I have been captivated by Quantum Computing and would love to pursue this field of research. This interest has been brewing for a couple years, and after diving through countless research papers, books, and online courses, I have built a foundation strong enough to explore Quantum Computing from a more research focused perspective.
Computational and Data Science Areas:
Computer Science; High-Performance Computing; Quantum Computing and Information Science
Research Synergy:
While I have an interest in machine learning as indicated by my involvement in a research project focusing building a specific machine learning model, the interest that I want to pursue with this program is quantum computing. DOE labs are involved in groundbreaking projects in this field, from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s recent breakthrough with quantum error mitigation to the recent establishment of the Argonne Quantum Foundry and its various projects. Even if I may not get the opportunity to work with these specific areas, just being near these projects would help me become immersed in the field of quantum computing.
Motivation:
Last summer I got the wonderful opportunity to participate in the SRP at SLAC where I was able to advance both my research and technical skills in programming. While practicing these skills were definitely invaluable, the community I joined left an unforgettable impression on me. Every individual I met, from lifelong scientists to staff members to fellow interns, had an infectious enthusiasm for their work that would lead to invigorating discussion about current projects or other niche interests. In contrast, most of my college experience has been surrounded by peers working for careers based on potential paychecks. While everyone’s priorities are different, I have always thought of myself as a researcher fueled by unending curiosity and a passion to learn. This passion unknowingly began to fade over time, yet the people I interacted with through SRP and SLAC reignited my love for learning and research. My experiences this summer helped me refocus on my lifelong dream of becoming a researcher.
Lightning Talk Title: Vedit Venkatesh Tracing and Machine Learning