After years of diligent hard work many PhD graduates go on to accept jobs at top companies, research facilities, government positions, and tenure-track positions at various Universities and other forms of academia. With the following interview series, we hope to engage students who want to learn more about the PhD program by learning about those who have gone through it. Below is our interview with PhD CS Alumni Dr. Kinjal Basu. Below is our conversation with him.

Hi there! Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Hello, I am Kinjal Basu. Thanks for inviting me for this interview and I am delighted to have this opportunity.

I am from India, where I completed my schooling and earned a B.Tech degree (undergraduate) in Information Technology. Subsequently, I relocated to the USA to pursue my MS in Computer Science at UT Dallas in 2017. From the beginning, my aim was to delve into research and pursue a PhD, a path which led me to join the PhD program in Computer Science a year after completing my MS degree. Focusing on logic programming, I became a part of Dr. Gopal Gupta‘s esteemed Applied Logic Programming-Languages and Systems (ALPS) Lab  and successfully obtained my PhD in Spring 2022.

Throughout my enriching journey at UT Dallas spanning from 2017 to 2022, I had numerous opportunities to excel. Notably, I led a team at the Amazon Alexa Prize competition, collaborated closely with esteemed professors and fellow students, published several research papers, and completed several productive summer internships.

Following the completion of my PhD, I have been privileged to join the IBM T. J. Watson Research Center, where I currently serve as a Research Scientist. I’m genuinely grateful for the experiences and opportunities I got from UT Dallas that have shaped my career in the field of Computer Science.

What was your primary area of research? What type of research were you doing while you were obtaining your PhD?

During my PhD, my primary research area centered around Natural Language Understanding (NLU). I dedicated my efforts to constructing Artificial Intelligence (AI) agents capable of comprehending human languages, like English, through a combination of learning, reasoning, and the integration of commonsense knowledge to accomplish various tasks such as question answering and chatbot interactions, among others.

Please explain your thesis in layman’s terms.

My doctoral thesis focuses on natural language understanding and commonsense reasoning. The primary objective of this research was to explore how computers can comprehend natural language, such as English, in a manner akin to human understanding. Emphasizing commonsense knowledge, which humans inherently possess, we investigated how this knowledge plays a crucial role in enabling us to grasp the implicit meaning conveyed in English text.

For instance, consider the phrases “Apple stocks are rising” and “please don’t eat rotten apples.” As humans, we effortlessly interpret that the former refers to Apple as a company, while the latter pertains to apple as a fruit. Our ability to interpret these meanings stems from our vast repository of commonsense knowledge, such as knowing that “fruits can be rotten” and “stocks of a company can rise,” which unconsciously guides us in comprehending language with ease.

What inspired you to pursue a PhD?

It all began during my undergraduate days when I had the chance to explore various aspects of computer science. Among them, AI stood out as particularly captivating, given its focus on human cognition. This fascination has been the driving force behind my decision to pursue a PhD in AI, as I aspire to delve deeper into this field and conduct research. Additionally, my sister and brother-in-law have been a tremendous source of motivation and support in my pursuit of PhD.

Why did you choose to pursue your PhD at UT Dallas?

I selected the computer science department at UT Dallas as my preferred choice for pursuing my PhD due to three primary factors: Firstly, the department offers a wide range of research labs led by renowned faculty members who have achieved groundbreaking advancements in their respective fields. Secondly, with an extensive selection of courses and specializations, it stands as one of the largest computer science departments in the country, fostering a diverse student community. Lastly, I am drawn to the appealing location and favorable weather of the university.

What made you decide to choose what you were studying?

I pursued diverse courses aligned with my interests and engaged in meaningful discussions with professors. Dr. Gopal Gupta, during his course on Computational Logic, ignited my motivation as we discussed a diverse set of unsolved challenges in the realm of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) research.

Describe your experience studying at UT Dallas.

I had an amazing experience during my five years at UT Dallas. At first, as an international student, I was a bit apprehensive about feeling isolated and struggling to adjust to a new city, a different culture, and a unique style of education. However, my fears turned out to be completely unfounded. Right from the beginning, I connected with numerous other students, many of whom have become lifelong friends. The faculty and staff were always supportive and ready to offer guidance whenever needed.

The campus was vibrant, with a plethora of events happening throughout the year that provided both enjoyment and stress relief. Additionally, there were frequent invited talks on various topics, enriching my learning experience significantly. UT Dallas struck the perfect balance between academics and extracurricular activities, and it proved to be a reliable companion during both good and challenging times.

I consider myself fortunate to have chosen UT Dallas for my MS and PhD, as it truly exceeded my expectations in every way.

What type of obstacles did you overcome while obtaining your PhD?

Over the course of these five years, I encountered numerous obstacles in my academic journey, particularly during the three stages of my PhD. In the early phase, a significant challenge involved identifying a suitable research problem and successfully passing the qualifying exams, which proved to be quite stressful. In the second stage, the main obstacle was publishing research papers in conferences or journals. Facing rejection after putting in six to seven months of hard work was undoubtedly disheartening, however, I persevered. Finally, in the third stage, obtaining a research internship was a formidable challenge. Unfortunately, during the initial year of the Covid pandemic, I faced difficulties securing an internship despite performing well in final interviews with five prominent companies, as the job market was severely affected.

Throughout these challenges, my advisor, Dr. Gopal Gupta, played a pivotal role in supporting me. He stood by my side during both the highs and lows, offering invaluable guidance and encouragement. Moreover, I came to realize the vital importance of perseverance, unwavering commitment, and a deep passion for research, which are crucial qualities for achieving success as a PhD student.

During your time studying at UT Dallas, in what projects did you take part? What type of research did you partake in?

As a PhD student, I had the chance to engage in various research projects and collaborate with fellow PhD students, which significantly expanded my knowledge. Moreover, I took on the role of leading the UT Dallas team in the Amazon Alexa Prize competition, where our goal was to develop a SocialBot.

I understand you work as a research scientist at IBM TJ Watson, can you tell me a little bit more about what you do there?

My main focus of research lies in Neuro-Symbolic AI, wherein we thoroughly investigate the benefits and drawbacks of neural and symbolic AI methodologies. Our ultimate goal is to synergistically combine the strengths of both types of AI to construct a highly capable agent.

I understand you received the University’s 2022 Best Doctoral Dissertation Award for your work on using automated reasoning alongside machine learning for performing AI tasks. Can you tell me a little bit about this?

As I mentioned earlier, I directed my PhD thesis towards the goal of enabling computers to utilize common sense knowledge and comprehend English in a manner similar to humans. Within the realm of AI, agent capability can generally be classified into two categories: learning and reasoning. In my thesis, I demonstrated the significance of integrating both learning and reasoning processes to enable a computer to truly grasp a language. To exemplify this concept, I conducted a series of experiments involving various AI tasks, including question answering, comprehension, and chatbot interactions, among others.

What would you say if you could go back in time to talk to yourself during the first year of your PhD?

If I could advise my younger self, I would emphasize the importance of prioritizing quality research, setting ambitious goals, and making time for regular physical activities each day.

Lastly, do you have any advice for future students seeking to obtain a PhD at the UT Dallas Computer Science Department?

I would advise three things: (a) develop a genuine passion for your research, (b) persist without giving up, even during challenging periods, and (c) maintain open communication with your advisor to address any issues, regardless of their nature.