Name: Shruti Gupta
GT Degree(s): Bachelor's in Computer Engineering
Year Degree Awarded: 2010
Current Title/Position: Software Engineer
Current Company/Organization: Google

Describe your average workday: I work on research projects within Google to support future products.  My average workday involves working with various teams all across Google for hardware and software solutions. I also work closely with outside vendors to help my team in current projects. I spend about half my time working on code that makes significant impact for Google products. I am also involved in Google's diversity and inclusion committee for my organization to make sure that the opportunities I have are available to everyone in society.

What do you enjoy most about your job? While I enjoy my technical work and the incredible people I am surrounded with every day, the thing I enjoy most about my job is the potential impact it can make on the lives of billions of people. I also hold that potential with great responsibility and try to make ethical decisions so that the impact made is for the benefit of society.

How did ECE prepare you for your current role? There is no doubt that ECE prepared me for all the technical work that I do. The rigorous curriculum at Georgia Tech made sure that hard work was as ingrained as breathing. The motivation to push myself to do better every day and to be involved in all aspects of product development cycle also comes from the Georgia Tech ECE education and its holistic approach to engineering. The ability to question every assumption made and the confidence to stand up for my technical ability are quintessential to my success, for which I have ECE to thank.

What advice would you give current ECE students? Be a sponge. Be very open-minded and learn anything that is put in front of you. And make sure to get involved in all that Georgia Tech has to offer: the extra-curricular groups to put your knowledge in practice, the social groups to increase your network, the opportunity to bond with other students over college games! And be fearless to experiment with new ideas. You are surrounded by smart, curious minds like yours who would be willing to help you along in anything.

What do you think is the most important technological breakthrough of the past 20 years? While social media gets a lot of negative press, the ability to connect with other people with such ease is an incredible breakthrough in technology. Having lived far away from my parents since the age of 10, it gives me so much pleasure that their voice or images are only a click away. Also, when working in areas where creating awareness is one of the biggest challenges, like many non-profits’ work, social media is an incredible force for good.

When you aren’t working, what do you like to do? With all the opportunities I have been lucky to have, I like to give back to society.  I am currently part of two non-profits in my area.  One of them is an umbrella organization called YCore, whose mission is to mobilize young professionals to advance community-based social impact by teaching them to use their time, money, skills, and influence as partners and advocates. Within YCore, I am working with a non-profit called Compass High School. It is a high school for kids with learning differences. They focus on preparing the children for college life and furthering their education. My team and I are focused on doing some user research and then implementing changes to their website so they can attract more students around the Bay Area. It has been such a delight to make such significant impact on the education of young adults. And with everything that I am learning by working with YCore, I am inspired to be involved with more non-profits in the future, and hopefully for long-term projects. 

Is there anything else you would like to add? The Georgia Tech ECE community is huge and it is such a privilege to be a part of it. It motivates me to strive for excellence but also gives me the confidence to try new things and learn! It has been an incredible journey so far and I thank ECE for the confidence and skills I gained while I was there.