deeksha

Computer Science

Research Interests

Privacy in the digital age has become increasingly difficult to achieve and a contentious topic. As a computer architect, I develop tools for embedding privacy requirements into existing and new hardware workflows. By bringing privacy close to the architecture of the system, we can minimize information leakage at the source. 

Mentoring Experiences

I have had seven long-term mentees so far. These stellar students have gone to graduate school, built and open-sourced high-impact projects, had papers about their research accepted at a top conference workshop, presented their work to academic audiences, and so much more!

I was first interested in mentoring as a way of giving back to the student community. Little did I know how much I would get in return! Gaining the trust of my students has been tremendously rewarding and mentoring has quickly become an exciting part of my academic activities. Being able to support students through the ups and downs of research has been illuminating, and guiding them through challenges has helped me nurture techniques applicable to my own career as a researcher. This has in turn created opportunities for personal growth. By supporting my students in ways I was (and was not) supported, I have the opportunity to perpetuate better ideas about self worth in academia, especially for minorities, and empower the next generation of young scientists.

Meaning of the Award

It is a great honor to have received this award. My experience with mentorship has helped me recognize that I want to build a career in academia that is focused on both research and mentorship. I look forward to spending time with graduate and undergraduate students to help them achieve their research goals and develop leadership qualities. I hope to foster a culture of diversity, inclusion, and belonging in computer architecture and computer science. I believe that the recognition from the Fiona and Michael Goodchild Graduate Mentoring Award will help kickstart these aspirations.