Hello! I'm Shubham. If I were to travel back in time and inform my 15-year-old self that in a decade, I'd be pursuing a PhD in Computer Science, the young me would probably be in disbelief. Why? Because I didn't even own a computer until I turned 18! While many speak of their early tech journeys, crafting games and exploring digital worlds, my story took a different turn. My first exposure to a computer was in my school's computer lab. My very first program was in Logo, commanding a digital "turtle" to create patterns on-screen. That's when my love for coding and computers was born. Fast-forward to the present, and here I am: immersed in the world of Computer Science. As the saying goes, "A river cuts through a rock not due to its power, but its perseverance.
Currently, I serve as a Research Associate at the University of Edinburgh's School of Informatics, Scotland, where I'm affiliated with the Generalized Representation and Information Learning (GRILL) Lab. Under the guidance of Dr. Jeff Dalton, I'm delving into the creation of information access systems. In an era where Large Language Models might provide misleading information, my work emphasizes trustworthy and reliable data sources, building neural information retrieval systems to augment RAG systems. My primary passion has always been trying to solve challenging problems. This very enthusiasm led me to pursue a PhD in Computer Science. In general, I am passionate about AI and Machine Learning and applying them to solve real-life problems.
I earned my MS in Computer Science from the University of New Hampshire, Durham, USA, in Fall 2020. Before that, I received an MSc in Computer Science from St. Xavier's College, Kolkata, a renowned and autonomous institution affiliated with the University of Calcutta and ranked among India's top 10 colleges. I also hold a BSc (Honours) in Computer Science from the same college.
When I am not busy writing papers, doing research or thinking about a problem, you would usually find me either playing my piano, or singing or reading a book ( I pride myself in having a mini library at home). I am a voracious reader and my favourite genre is detective and mystery. I think I have read (almost) all the works of Agatha Christie and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I am very interested in Hindu mythology and philosophy and if you are too, you might want to read books by Devdutt Pattanaik. I also like to read about world history occasionally. I am also a trained Indian Classical vocalist and a self-taught pianist and perform regularly at various events organised by the Indian community in Glasgow. I am a foodie and love to travel.
If you want to chat about AI, machine learning, text mining, music, books, or dogs, I would love to get in touch!