Stavan Ghandi, Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media
Degree: Bachelor of Science
What brought you to DePaul?
I grew up in India and moved to the Chicago suburbs at 13. The city quickly became central to how I saw the world. Its diversity and pace pushed me to think bigger and fueled my curiosity about technology and innovation.
When it came time to choose a university, DePaul felt like the natural next step. It allowed me to stay rooted in a city that shaped me while continuing to grow personally and professionally. DePaul’s grants and financial aid also made it a realistic option, and I’m grateful it worked out the way it did.
What inspired you to pursue your major and career path?
It started with a cartoon. Growing up in India, I was obsessed with “Doraemon,” a show about a robot, and I remember thinking, “I want that.” That fascination never left me.
After moving to Chicago, I experimented with hardware and electronics but found it overwhelming. So, I turned to programming, and it immediately clicked. By the time I declared a major, Computer Science felt like the obvious choice. Courses like my applied computing lab reintroduced hardware in a way that felt accessible, bringing me full circle from a childhood interest to founding student robotics organization RoboTech Society and conducting robotics research.
What is your favorite memory at DePaul?
Rather than a single moment, it’s the shared experience of late-night deadlines and final presentations that stands out most. Submitting assignments at 11:59 p.m. or nervously presenting projects for classes like Sophomore Lab and Software Projects always ended with a collective sense of relief and accomplishment.
Some of my most meaningful memories involve Umer Huzaifa, assistant professor in the School of Computing. What began as a nervous conversation in my sophomore year about starting a student organization evolved into weekly research meetings and thoughtful conversations long after class ended. He challenged me to think critically rather than give easy answers and consistently supported my growth, including helping me prepare for my first Jarvis Innovation Fair. Those conversations will stay with me long after graduation.
How do you connect with the DePaul community outside the classroom?
I’ve stayed deeply involved through student organizations including the Computer Science Society, Badminton Club and Chess Club. One of my proudest contributions came from identifying a gap: While many students were interested in hardware and robotics, there wasn’t an organization dedicated to it.
That led me to create DePaul’s RoboTech Society, where we teach students how to work with hardware and build robots. The organization has grown to over 150 members on Discord, and watching that community take shape has been incredibly rewarding.
I also participated in a research project guided by Prof. Umer Huzaifa and Prof. LeAnne Wagner alongside my partners, Adithyan Kumaresan and Agnel Fernando. Our work explored using a brain-computer interface to control a robotic arm to create physical art using thoughts alone. We presented the project at the Jarvis Innovation Fair, DePaul’s CyberLabs inauguration and the Northwestern University Health Equity Research Symposium, representing DePaul at each event.
Beyond research, I collaborated with a human computer interaction master’s capstone group to test a venture idea addressing emotional isolation and mental overload among young adults. The team supported interviews, prototyping and user testing, and the experience showed me how powerful cross-program collaboration can be.
What advice would you give to incoming students?
Don’t wait for opportunities; seek them out. Talk to professors early and often. Many of my best experiences started from simple curiosity. If something feels missing, take initiative. That’s how RoboTech Society began. Build strong relationships with your peers, and take full advantage of DePaul’s cross-disciplinary environment. Access to expertise across computer science, engineering, psychology, neuroscience and HCI is rare and invaluable.
What’s next?
I joined Ganance, a wearable technology startup, as a mobile developer intern last June and will transition into a remote full-time role this summer. I was also accepted into Tetr College of Business’ one-year master’s in management program, which includes immersive coursework and venture projects in China, Dubai and Madrid.
I’ll move to China in August to begin the program. I’ve learned how to build. Now I want to learn how to scale. My long-term goal is to build an AI and robotics company focused on elderly care.