Dr. Vikas Ramachandra brings over 15 years of experience at the cutting edge of data science and AI/ML, spanning both industry and academia. He has served as a professor and scientist at leading institutions including Cornell, Columbia, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and Stanford, and has contributed to multiple early-stage diagnostic startups as well as Fortune 500 companies such as AbbVie, Roche, Qualcomm, and Nvidia.

He holds an MS and PhD in Computer Vision and Machine Learning from UC San Diego and a BE from BITS Pilani. He has authored 50+ publications, been awarded 15 patents, and his research has received over 1,000 academic citations. His accomplishments include the NSF SBIR Phase 1 Award, the BITS Young Achiever Award, and the EU Marie Curie Fellowship.

During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Ramachandra led the development of rapid diagnostic AI algorithms deployed at mobile testing centers and airports worldwide—a testament to his ability to translate advanced research into real-world impact.

As a mentor, Vikas combines deep technical expertise with a passion for guiding students, helping them approach complex STEM challenges with creativity, rigor, and confidence.