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Why Georgia Tech: 5 Questions with Deepak Gopinath

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Deepak Gopinath is a master's student in Music Technology at Georgia Tech. Recently, the Office of Graduate Studies had the opportunity to learn more about Gopinath and his time at Tech. Here's what she said.

When did you know Georgia Tech was the place you wanted to go for graduate school?

I earned my bachelor’s degree in Engineering Physics while living in my home country of India. In 2008, I arrived in the United States to pursue a Professional Diploma in Music, majoring in Composition and Performance) from Berklee College of Music in Boston. I knew that I wanted to pursue a program that would help me bring the technical and artistic sides of my personality together. So, I applied to and was accepted at a few schools for graduate school — including Georgia Tech. Professor Gil Weinberg contacted me and asked if I was interested in flying out here to check out the program, so, I came to visit and really liked what was going on. For example, I really loved the fact that the program provided me with an opportunity to learn about a wide variety of engineering fields, which could be applied to the area music technology. By the time I left, I had a feeling I was going to accept Tech’s offer.

Tell us a little bit about your research.

I currently work with Professor Gil Weinberg in the Robotic Musicianship Group. My research focus is in machine musicianship and the application of artificial intelligence techniques in composition, robotic musicianship, and human robot interaction. For example, the main project that I have been involved in is the development of a robotic drumming prosthesis for an amputee drummer.

What are the top three reasons you’d recommend Tech to other graduate students?

Georgia Tech is a really diverse place. I like that I’m encouraged to step out of my comfort zone and get involved in interdisciplinary research. I’m a master’s student in Music Technology, and here in our department we do a lot of things that combine knowledge from different disciplines including computer sciences, robotics, electrical engineering, etc. My professors are always encouraging me to explore other fields — and I like that. Not to mention the campus is beautiful, and there’s always something to do, even if you are a graduate student.

What advice do you have for students who are applying to Tech?

Have a clear idea of what you’re getting into. For example, I knew that the nature of the program here at Tech was that I wasn’t going to play music all of the time. And I was OK with this. But it would have been a shock if I’d come here expecting to play. Take the time to talk to the professors, and visit the campus so that you know what to expect if you get accepted here.

What are a few things every graduate student should do while at Tech?

Visit the Campus Recreation Center for a workout. Eat at Highland Bakery — which is amazing. And take the time to explore the city of Atlanta.

Status

  • Workflow Status:Published
  • Created By:Amelia Pavlik
  • Created:07/29/2014
  • Modified By:Fletcher Moore
  • Modified:10/07/2016

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