2017 was a year of big changes for me. I had decided that it would be a good move to get back into academia from industry. There is an acknowledged gap between Software Engineering research and industry that I was personally beginning to feel. I decided to apply to some PhD programs in the US and try my luck. I wasn’t too sure about my chances about being accepted since I had reasonably good amount of work experience and it was a while since I had been in school. Consequently, in my statement of purpose I reflected on interesting research problems that stemmed from my work experience. Given, that Software Engineering is an applied field, I think this resonated well with the universities. (If you are a mid career professional looking to apply to a PhD program – do reach out to me, I can perhaps help you in your journey !) I was fortunate to be offered an admission at USC. Fast forward and I am now part of the Software Architecture research group and completed my first semester.
It has been a change of location for me too – I moved from one huge metropolis to another. Bangalore to Los Angeles. 2018 is going to a busy year for me and will hopefully be a productive one.
Happy new year !