Having a master’s degree with a specialization in computer engineering is helping me directly in my work, as I work on building next-generation computer architectures focused towards machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Where do you work and what is your title?

Intel Corporation, Principal Engineer

What is your area of interest within ECE?

Computer Engineering

Why did you choose Purdue for your MSECE?

Purdue is a top-rated university, with an online master’s program that is in sync with on-campus classes, where the same professors interact with both groups of students.

What do you like about the program?

The program is very flexible and allows a student to pick and choose courses based on difficulty level, interest and alignment with their career goals. Purdue ECE has some really amazing faculty who are willing to go the extra mile to interact with and help students.

How will earning the MSECE help you reach your career goals?

Earning a master’s degree has always been my unfinished dream and Purdue ECE helped me achieve that dream. Having a master’s degree with a specialization in computer engineering is helping me directly in my work, as I work on building next-generation computer architectures focused towards machine learning and artificial intelligence. The degree also helps boost my profile for promotions and other opportunities both inside and outside of Intel Corporation where I currently work.

What advice would you give to a prospective student interested in the online MSECE?

After you get admitted, it is better to start with just one 3-credit course to get a feel for the workload before signing up for multiple courses. If you are an online student with work experience, there may be courses that assist you at work, and it is good to sign up for them along with a more difficult core subject course. This will help in balancing the workload.

Always dial into at least one office hour with the professor or teaching faculty every week. It is extremely important to catch up with the course work on a weekly basis. When you choose an advisor, make an effort to connect with them over zoom/video call and go over your career goals and any difficulties you are facing with the courses.

Any additional information you’d like to share:

I did my master’s degree 20 years after I completed my bachelor’s degree. One of the key knowledge aspects that helped me in the course was keeping in touch with mathematical fundamentals. I balanced both work and the master’s degree courses and completed the degree in a span of 2.5 years. The one key aspect that helped me to be successful was the close interaction I had with my advisor Dr. James Davis. I also took advantage of the online access to the Purdue Library and the computer resources that Purdue provides for one of the programming courses. Two of the projects that I completed involved working with other online students and it was really an amazing experience. I highly recommend all students who are looking to enhance their skills to consider the MSECE at Purdue.

Nikhil published a paper during his graduate degree, with several project partners. “If security is required”: Engineering and Security Practices for Machine Learning-based IoT Devices." Gopalakrishna, Anandayuvaraj, Detti, Bland, Rahaman, and Davis. Proceedings of the 4th International Workshop on Software Engineering Research & Practices for the Internet of Things (SERP4IoT) 2022.