“I enjoy the challenge of providing solutions to people and their problems using ideas they might have never thought of …” -Victor Philippe, ECE graduate student
Name: Victor Philippe
Hometown: Marietta, Georgia
What and where did you study for your previous degree(s)? I completed my Bachelor of Science in Computer Systems Engineering in May 2022 at UGA
Current program of study: Doctorate in Engineering, Concentration in Electrical and Computer Engineering
Tell us more about your current research work. Is there a way that students and others can be involved? In my current research, I am working on a palmprint quality assessment algorithm using image processing, segmentation, and computer learning techniques. Part of my research involves acquiring a small-scale dataset for training and evaluation purposes. I also built a palm image capturing prototype as a part of this project in collaboration with the Fab Lab. My goal is to be able to determine what decent quality palmprints look like at the point of capture so if there are images that are improperly taken, we can identify them without delay rather than waiting for the images to reach the database. I am currently looking for a few more participants for my research dataset. If you are interested about how to become involved, the last image has all the information you need.
Why did you choose UGA? I chose UGA undergraduate for many reasons. A small part was the Redcoat Band which I was a member of for my whole undergraduate career. I had several connections in the School of Music that I had known in high school who helped convince me to come here. Another was the alure of living in a city I had never been to. As a graduate student, I was pulled in through the Double Dawgs program where, after finding a supportive professor and lab, I ended up transferring to the PhD program. I felt that the support I was receiving put me in a suitable place to continue my research for more years than the master’s program would have entailed.
When did you become interested in engineering? I have always enjoyed tinkering and computers growing up, so looking back engineering seemed always on the cards. I built many computers while in middle and high school as well as participated in a few bridge building competitions. However, I applied to UGA undergraduate as a Genomics major due to my interest in genetic engineering. As a first-year student, I had an aversion to the graduate school type education you would need to do genetic engineering which steered me toward computer engineering. Ironic considering, I am now in computer engineering graduate school.
What are your plans after earning your degree? After earning my degree, I hope to pursue becoming a research scientist in industry for the application of artificial intelligence to any number of fields. I enjoy learning new topics and would be open to working on problems I do not expect to encounter in my research.
What is one crucial skill you believe every engineering student needs to succeed and why? A crucial skill for engineering students is the ability to write. As engineers, you are tasked explaining your ideas and designs to people from all diverse backgrounds such as managers, product users, etc. Engineers need to be able to write in several styles ranging from academic to casual to meet these people where they are most likely to understand. This skill is invaluable because it means you will be well understood everywhere you bring your ideas, which is often more important than the ideas themselves. A poorly communicated, exceptional design might find itself in the trash while an expertly written, poor design will be received better and more likely to receive valuable feedback to improve it.
How do you stay informed with current and up-coming technology? I tend to follow several prominent researchers and academic research aggregators on twitter which helps a lot. I also get recommended research articles on google news related to technologies I am interested in.
What are your favorite types of projects to work on and why? My favorite types of projects typically involve applying techniques I am comfortable with such as machine learning or deep learning to areas which have not traditionally been applied to such as sports, agriculture, etc. I enjoy the challenge of providing solutions to people and their problems using ideas they might have never thought of providing learning experience of all involved.
For more information on how you can be involved with Victor’s research study see below. To schedule a data collection session: https://milabcollection2021.as.me/schedule/31ead8d0
