Usha Rengaraju is a data scientist with strong foundations in Economics, Finance, Business Foundations, Business Analytics and psychology. She has over ten years of experience in the industry and is currently working as the Chief of Research at Exa Protocol.   

Can you tell us about your journey?   

I grew up in Chennai and excelled in academics, sports, and other extracurricular activities in my school and University. I was a Kho-Kho player in school and represented my state in National games twice and have also won zonal and state athletic meets in 100m ,200m and 4*100 m relay.

I started my career in investment banking and building software products. However, my curiosity led me to complete several online specializations in Data Science from edX and Coursera, which is how I got introduced to the field of AI. As a data scientist, I am fortunate to have worked in the intersection of AI and several domains like semiconductors, Genomics, Telecommunications, Finance, and public policy.  

What made you interested in AI?   

I am a strong advocate of Autism (Neurodiversity) and have always had a strong inclination toward psychology and Life Sciences. However, in India, there is a lack of understanding of autism as a spectrum disorder. Data Science has enormous potential to solve many of the problems revolving autistic community. This droves me to organize NeuroAI, India's first-ever research symposium on the interface of Neuroscience and Data Science.  

According to research from Stanford University, AI-driven algorithms can detect Autism from Brain fingerprints. So, in addition to playing a role in advancing AI diagnosis, AI can also help autistic people lead independent lives. The applications of AI in advancing autistic lives got me interested in this field.  

What is your area of expertise in AI, and what made you choose it?   

My area of expertise lies in Deep Learning for computer vision and NLP. However, the enormous potential of AI to transform the healthcare industry was my primary source of inspiration.  

The Indian healthcare system is plagued by enormous challenges like quality, accessibility, and affordability. The acute shortage of doctors and unwillingness of doctors to work in remote rural areas makes AI a necessity for solving India's healthcare crisis. AI-assisted healthcare can be delivered at a lower cost which is the need of the hour for remote rural areas. AI has enormous potential to transform healthcare in various ways ranging from improved public health surveillance, early diagnosis of multiple diseases and precision medicine.   

Can you say something about your current role and the projects you are handling?  

I'm currently working as a Chief of Research at Exa Protocol. Exa Protocol operates similarly to other file-sharing platforms such as Dropbox. The main difference is that the data is stored on a network of mobile devices that offer disk space to other users. This way, Exa Protocol represents another use case for blockchain technology outside of financial applications. The decentralized peer-to-peer nature of Exa Protocol makes it censorship-resistant. Decentralized networks have no single point of failure. 

Additionally, there are no gatekeepers, and all the data on the Exa Protocol network is encrypted to the highest standards. Outside my work, I am also active in Kaggle, and I am the world's first woman to be a 3x Kaggle GrandMaster. My team won first place in the 5th Annual WiDS Datathon focused on AI for climate change.  

In your opinion, how important is skilling and upskilling in fields like AI and Data analytics? Also, how can we bring the people of Indian villages, where the light of technology has not reached yet, into the process of technological transformation?  

There is increasing adoption of AI by organizations, and data-driven decision making is imperative in today's world. Commitment to lifelong learning is crucial to keep up with the ever-changing technological transformations and stay future-ready. 

Many technical communities provide excellent opportunities for upskilling by providing mentorship and access to learning resources. For example, in 2020, I upskilled around 3000 people across four universities in Mysuru in a week on the basics of Data Science as part of the WiDS Mysuru (Women in Data Science) datathon workshop.  

Mobile phones with regional language support and high-speed internet access are crucial for technological transformation in remote rural areas. Penetration of technology can open doors to Banking services, payment wallets, online education, and technology adoption in the agriculture value chain, particularly the marketplace for farmers.  

What are the factors that are limiting women pursue STEM subjects? What is your opinion that should change?   

Cultural stereotypes and negative gender-based experiences like sexual harassment significantly impact women's psychological well-being and job perceptions. Mistreatment (gender discrimination, gender derogation and sexual harassment) in academic and workplace environments drives many women away from STEM careers. Education through training programs, adopting a zero-tolerance policy against harassment and discrimination and taking swift action when an issue can help build a supportive and respectful culture for women.  

Studies reveal that role model-based intervention could act as a critical driver and can change young girls' perceptions about the expectation of success in STEM subjects. Initiatives like Women in Data Science, Women TechMakers and WiMLDS are pivotal in inspiring many women to take up data science as their career by providing avenues for collaboration and engagement through conferences, datathon, networking events and technical workshops.  

What do you want to say to women who want to build a career in AI and other tech-related fields?  

Having a strong portfolio of unique projects, networking, seeking help and guidance from mentors, social media presence, investing time to build mental resilience and interpersonal skills and adopting a growth mindset can help women build a career in AI and tech fields.