Stanly Samuel

I am a final-year PhD student working under the guidance of Prof. K.V. Raghavan and Prof. Deepak D’Souza at IISc, Bangalore. My research focuses on designing algorithms and building scalable tools in the domain of reactive synthesis using ideas from program verification, theory of infinite games, and logic. Broadly, my interests lie in the fine intersection between theory and practice, especially in the umbrella area of algorithmic program synthesis. More specifically, my research investigates efficient and scalable techniques for the automated synthesis of
maximally permissive controllers for infinite-state systems.
I am also an RnD engineer with Veridise Inc., applying my research to the domain of blockchains and smart contracts.
My short-term goal is to gain proficiency in symbolic AI with an application to program synthesis. My current projects reflect this interest; they range from static/dynamic analysis projects to synthesis projects, built using Python, C++, Java while using solvers such as Z3. My long-term goal is to work in the intersection of symbolic and statistical AI; My core interest is to bring academic research ideas to industry standards that impact end users at (ideally) a global level. This is the question I keep asking in all my research projects that motivate me to pursue research. Writing code that conforms to industry standards is
a skill I constantly strive to hone. This is the gap I wish to bridge through this hackathon that would help me in my holistic development as an industry researcher that I aspire to be.
My strengths include being a fast learner, a team player, wrestling with the problem statement given to me, and constantly questioning the norm, apart from the strong communication skills that I have honed over the years through pedagogy. I would also consider myself to be a divergent thinker capable of connecting many dots, which helps me find research problems and various approaches, although I sometimes do have a hard time converging to a specific
solution. I enjoy taking risks, and I believe I have a high appetite for the same, which is reflected in the research and business decisions that I have made in the past. Leadership is another strength that comes naturally to me, as validated by my CV.