Grace Series Welcomes Krupa Brahmkstri to Inspire the Next Generation in Tech

As part of the Spring 2025 Grace Series, The University of Texas at Dallas Department of Computer Science welcomed Krupa Brahmkstri, senior consultant and data scientist at Visa, for a compelling talk entitled “The STEM Journey: From Student Life to Professional Success.”

With over a decade of experience at the intersection of data science, AI and cybersecurity, Brahmkstri shared not only the trajectory of her impressive career but also practical strategies for the next generation of computer scientists and engineers looking to turn their academic foundation into a thriving professional future.

From Student to Global Professional

Brahmkstri began by describing her academic roots in Pune, India, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering before moving to the U.S. in 2014 to pursue a master’s in computer science at the University of Southern California. She landed internships at Visa and ADP, which later led to a full-time role at Visa where she now leads data-driven solutions in cyber threat analytics and research. Her personal story inspired a talk rich in both practical advice and encouragement.

The Building Blocks of Career Readiness

At the heart of her talk was a framework she’s refined through years of mentoring students: focus on your must-haves, then amplify with good-to-haves. The must-haves include a strong, impact-driven resume, strategic job applications and serious preparation for interviews. The good-to-haves, such as contributing to open-source projects, showcasing a consistent and active GitHub profile presence, completing certifications, attending conferences and participating in technical meetups, can dramatically increase your visibility and credibility.

Too often, students focus on enhancements while neglecting foundational efforts. As she explained, hiring teams are looking for evidence of readiness, relevance and reliability, and that all starts with the basics.

“Most students focus so much on extras that they forget the basics,” she said. “Your resume, your application strategy and how you prep for interviews — that’s your foundation.”

Rethinking the Resume

Brahmkstri emphasized that hiring managers often spend no more than six to seven seconds reviewing a resume, so the impact must be immediate. Each experience or project should clearly answer four questions: What was done? Why was it done? How was it implemented? And what was the outcome?

While technical skills matter, so does clarity. Brahmkstri advised students to bold key metrics or technologies sparingly to help draw the reviewer’s eye, avoid filler objectives or summaries and skip listing the GPA unless it’s 3.5 or higher. Projects should be relevant and authentic and only include work with meaningful, end-to-end contributions. Even class projects, she warned, can blur together unless uniquely presented or independently extended through hackathons or personal initiatives.

“You’ll never have a perfect resume,” she told the audience. “Don’t wait to start applying; keep improving as you go.”

Application Strategy and Smart Networking

For applications, she advised students not to limit themselves to just LinkedIn. Many hidden job opportunities exist on platforms like Glassdoor, AngelList and local company listings. Using location-based searches like “top companies to work for in Dallas” can reveal openings that others often overlook. She stressed that quantity matters: the more quality applications you send, the more interviews you will likely secure.

Equally important is how students network. She encouraged attendees to reach out to alumni, former classmates and professional contacts, but with intention. Instead of sending generic referral requests, students should personalize their outreach, referencing the contact’s work and expressing a genuine interest in connecting.

She also suggested sending connection requests to recruiters and hiring managers on LinkedIn, casting a wide net while keeping communication professional and specific. She noted that even one or two positive responses can open critical doors.

Interview Prep: No Shortcuts

When it comes to interviews, Brahmkstri’s advice was emphatic: practice your fundamentals. Data structures and algorithms are the foundation of most technical interviews. She urged students to commit to consistent practice on platforms like LeetCode and HackerRank and to review company-specific interview experiences posted on sites like Glassdoor and Reddit.

For students targeting data science or analytics roles, she recommended adding tools like StrataScratch and diving deep into SQL, statistics and Python. System design, once reserved for senior roles, is increasingly expected even at the entry level. She pointed to the open-source System Design Primer as a great resource to build confidence in that area.

“Be so good at the basics that you can reverse a linked list at 3 a.m.,” she quipped. “That’s the level of confidence you want.”

A Formula for Long-Term Success

One of the most resonant parts of her presentation was a personal mantra she credits to her spiritual mentor, HDH Pramukh Swami Maharaj: Effort + Prayer = Success

She explained that success is not just about grinding through code or flooding job portals with applications. It’s also about maintaining faith in yourself, trust in your efforts and a commitment to never giving up. She described “prayer” not only in the spiritual sense, but as belief in one’s ability, purpose and process.

“You are exactly where you’re supposed to be,” she reminded the audience. “You’re not behind, you’re just one more attempt away from your win.”

Learning, Pivoting and Staying Ahead

Brahmkstri’s own career included several key pivots. Although she began as a data engineer, she later transitioned into data science, teaching herself new skills through courses from MIT, Udacity and Stanford. She now continues to upskill with applied GenAI coursework.

She advised audience members to be open to where the industry is heading and remember that technologies evolve and roles shift. “The most successful professionals are those who stay curious, continue learning and pivot with confidence. Stay adaptable, stay relevant,” she noted.

“You are exactly where you’re supposed to be,” she reminded the audience. “You’re not behind, you’re just one more attempt away from your win.”