Clarkson Student Chosen for Highly Selective Summer Immersive Computing Research Experience for Undergraduates
Potsdam, NY (05/12/2021) — Alif Jakir '23, of Dix Hills, NY, a double major in Computer Science and Data Analytics + Business Intelligence at Clarkson University has been accepted into an immersive computing Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) this summer at Georgia State University, due to his undergraduate work in Clarkson's Terascale All-sensing Research Studio (TARS) Lab. TARS is directed by Computer Science Professors Natasha Banerjee and Sean Banerjee.
Jakir has been working on a project in the TARS undergraduate lab that requires him to create an intuitive virtual reality interface for controlling drones, allowing teleoperation and two-way communication through a speaker and microphone. He is coordinating a team to iterate on various other subsystems regarding the drone and integrating biometric authentication protocols.
"I received the inspiration for the idea from a book series called The Culture by Iain M. Banks. In it describes a future civilization wherein sentient, autonomous drones fly around with a mind of their own, and they are considered the same as other people. I wondered about what it would be like to communicate with someone through the interface of a drone, and so I talked to my friend Anthony Lombardi about it, and the possibilities of it seemed quite exciting to both of us, he talked to some of his friends, and the project has grown from then on," Jakir said.
Jakir will spend eight weeks at Georgia State where he will work with faculty advisors, industry advisors, graduate student mentors, and other undergraduate students to complete a research project with various technologies related to immersive computing under the guidance of faculty and industry advisors.
Out of 292 applicants, Jakir was one of only 10 people selected for the program this summer.
"I chose Clarkson University because I understood that it would be a space where I could have access to the opportunities that would allow me to explore my potential as a budding scientist. The most important thing that attracted me here was how easy it was for undergraduates to get involved with research," Jakir said.
As a private, national research university, Clarkson is a leader in technological education and sustainable economic development through teaching, scholarship, research and innovation. We ignite personal connections across academic fields and industries to create the entrepreneurial mindset, knowledge and intellectual curiosity needed to innovate world-relevant solutions and cultivate the leaders of tomorrow. With its main campus located in Potsdam, N.Y., and additional graduate program and research facilities in the New York Capital Region, Beacon, N.Y., and New York City, Clarkson educates 4,300 students across 95 rigorous programs of study in engineering, business, the arts, education, sciences and health professions. Our alumni earn salaries that are among the top 2.5% in the nation and realize accelerated career growth. One in five already leads as a CEO, senior executive or owner of a company.
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Alif Jakir '23