Sanjaikanth E. Vadakkethil Somanathan Pillai FIET
A strong advocate for professional development, with an impressive career spanning nearly two decades, IET Fellow Sanjaikanth recognises the importance of making a difference to the engineering community and supporting the engineers of the future.
Sharing is caring
With a vision to empower grassroots communities to achieve their educational and professional goals, Sanjaikanth created the “Spread the Joy of Knowledge” initiative.
Rooted in the childhood lesson that "sharing is caring", the Spread the Joy of Knowledge initiative embodies the principle of mutual benefit through knowledge sharing. Just as children learn that sharing their possessions can help others and result in receiving new items in return, Sanjaikanth’s initiative encourages the exchange of knowledge to support educational growth.
His team of 19 members in and around the Austin, Texas area support academic institutions at all levels, leveraging the expertise and willingness of individuals to contribute. This includes:
- Mentoring school and college students to help them land their dream jobs.
- Volunteering at elementary and middle schools, including collecting and distributing classroom supplies and assisting in activities such as school tours.
- Serving as a judge and mentor in student competitions, including hackathons.
- Guiding college students in their research, offering constructive criticism, and assisting with journal publications.
- Supporting community colleges by acting as a guide or judge for their science fairs.
The team have successfully participated in various events, including programmes at Austin Community College, Round Rock Independent School District, and project evaluations at State Science Day in Ohio. They have also been involved in mentoring and judging at the University of Texas and the University of Dallas, as well as in various outreach programmes for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). Sanjaikanth does not want to stop there and is actively seeking to expand the initiative to make a difference to more budding engineers on a wider scale.
Journey to FIET
Having been actively involved in various scientific societies, Sanjaikanth emphasises the importance of professional recognition: "It’s vital to gain membership in a prestigious scientific society to highlight my expertise." Upon learning about the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), he realised that Fellow membership was the right fit, given his nearly two decades of industry experience. "A post-nominal FIET puts me in a much better position to showcase my talents. The strict criteria for Fellowship acceptance are a clear certification of my skills. Recognition from IET Fellowship also provides me with an additional opportunity to give back to the engineering community I belong to," he says.
Giving back to the community
Giving back to the scientific community is a core part of Sanjaikanth's philosophy. He believes that "it's better not to be a member than to be an inactive one." To embody this belief, he actively participates in volunteer roles within the membership bodies he belongs to. This includes serving as a Fellowship application assessor for the IET and contributing to outreach programs for the IEEE.
It’s never too late to learn
Sanjaikanth boasts an impressive career with 19 years of extensive experience in research and development across various software components. He pioneered the concept of Secure Artificial Intelligence (SAI) at Visa Inc. where he currently works as a Staff Site Reliability Engineer, saving the company millions of dollars in software development, significantly reducing the turnaround time by over 18 years.
Before this, Sanjaikanth earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering in India in 2005 and his master’s in software engineering from The University of Texas. Sanjaikanth shows that the key to success is to continue to invest in yourself, and that it’s never too late to learn something new – having recently returned to academia at the age of 40. Currently in his third year as a PhD student in Computer Science at the University of North Dakota, Sanjaikanth reflects on his return to academia after a 14-year gap and how this differs from his previous experience in education. "It is challenging to conduct PhD research while working full-time and supporting my family, including my middle school-aged daughter. But if I can go back to school in my early 40s and smoothly manage other responsibilities, anyone can."
Mantra for a successful engineering journey
Reflecting on his career, Sanjaikanth shares his mantra for a successful engineering journey:
- Set long-term goals: Define your ultimate objectives to provide direction and purpose.
- Break down your goals: Divide the long-term goal into multiple short-term goals, setting weekly and monthly milestones.
- Time management: Allocate specific times daily or weekly to work towards your goals.
- Engage with peers: Connect with others who share your passion and profession for mutual support and growth.
- Network-building: Develop a professional network to share knowledge and opportunities.
- Stay calm: During exams or critical moments in your journey, maintain your composure.
- Give back: Once you achieve your goals, remember to contribute back to the community.