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Saurabh Gupta ‘18, always knew he wanted to be an engineer. As a child in Dhule, Maharashtra, India, his parents hid the toolbox to keep him from taking things apart for the thrill of putting them back together. 

He began his studies at K.J. Somaiya College of Engineering at Mumbai University, earning his undergraduate degree in 2009.  He followed his passion for innovation to the prestigious Hockenheim race as a builder for India’s first Formula Student Germany racing team. Their team’s success solidified his desire to be a part of something bigger than himself, fueling Gupta’s ambition to look beyond regional opportunities.

“I remember my teammate telling me about his brother who received his degree from ¾«¶«´«Ã½ and went on to be highly successful making smart devices way before anyone was making smart devices,” Gupta said. “He told me I should check out ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Lyle School of Engineering."

With the support of his racing collaborators, he made the decision to apply to ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Lyle, intrigued by the strength of Lyle’s research and faculty. On his last day in Mumbai, packed to return home as a college graduate, he received the news that he’d been admitted to ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Lyle as a graduate student in computer engineering. 

Thinking of Graduate School? Think ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Lyle's Electrical and Computer Engineering 

With guidance from his advisor, Mitchell Thornton—Cecil H. Green Chair of Engineering and executive director of the Darwin Deason Institute for Cyber Security—Gupta carefully curated his course load, which he notes remains relevant to his current work.

“The best part of ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Lyle is that professors meet you with the same enthusiasm as you have for the subjects you’re interested in—research, events, presentations, classwork,” Gupta said. “If you show the slightest bit of interest, the professors will help you in achieving your goals."

At Lyle, professors take on the role of mentors, encouraging students to grow, even if it means stepping outside their comfort zone. Taking note of Gupta’s impressive background in hardware, Dr. Thornton encouraged him to further develop his skills in software by enrolling in algorithm engineering, a course known to be challenging, even to those well-versed in the subject.

“Dr. Thornton told me to think of it as another tool in my tool belt,” Gupta said. “Someday, I’d need it.”

At first, he struggled to adjust to the conceptual nature of the course. With determination and persistent study, Gupta learned to reframe familiar ideas and apply them to tackle new challenges. He finished the course armed with renewed curiosity.

“It helped me look at problems from a new perspective,” Gupta reflected. “And really, that’s what courses like algorithm engineering or quantum computing made me do – see things differently.”

Gupta credits much of his growth to learning how to expand his perspective, examining old concepts in new ways. During his graduate studies, Gupta spent an afternoon working with math computations using a grade-school shortcut to find the square of numbers ending in five. Encouraged by the knowledge he gained in his course work; Gupta began to explore the underlying mathematical principles. As he went, he figured out this trick could be used to design an entire algorithm.

“I started working with it more and more,” Gupta said. “Expanding on it until it could be used to compute the square of any number in radix 4.”

He designed a circuit based on this algorithm. The project, beginning from a simple mathematical shortcut, became his master's thesis, and in 2017, he secured a patent for his work, a testament to the innovative, student-powered culture of ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Lyle.

After receiving his master’s, Gupta quickly dove into the computer engineering doctoral program at Lyle, collaborating with Jennifer Dworak, professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering, in digital logic testing.

“One of the first things I noticed about Saurabh, even before he was my student, was that he was capable of thinking outside the box and essentially being creative with respect to problem solving.” Dr. Dworak shared. “When he asked if he could do his Ph.D. with me, I was encouraged, because I knew what he was capable of.”

He crafted his doctoral thesis around optimizing the security, speed, and power of digital logic testing. With Dr. Dworak’s support, he attended the International Test Conference as a student volunteer, where he was first introduced to his future employer.

“Nvidia was presenting on reducing power during digital logic testing,” Gupta shared. “As I was listening to their presentation, I realized that this problem could be mapped to the standard graph coloring problem from my algorithm engineering master’s course. I thought the solution I learned back then could potentially solve Nvidia’s problem, too.”

He approached Nvidia representatives and proposed an alternative approach, inspired by the problem he had seen in his lectures. As it turned out, the course that challenged him the most also catalyzed his career.

“He was able to make this really impressive pitch on how to approach this very important problem in the industry,” Dr. Dworak remembered.

Upon returning to Dallas, he collaborated with Dr. Dworak to explore the connection, culminating in a report he later shared with Nvidia. Impressed with his initiative, Nvidia offered him a summer internship to continue his research and by summer’s end hired Gupta to work while he completed the final year of his Ph.D. In 2019, Nvidia implemented his doctoral research into its microchips, for which he also received a U.S. patent. Today, Gupta still works at Nvidia, now as a senior DFT engineer in large-scale integration.

“I attribute my success to the mentorship and support I found at ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Lyle,” he said. “I am grateful to have studied under the guidance of professors – like Dr. Thornton and Dr. Dworak – who had genuine dedication to my success – especially Dr. Dworak whose support guided my future.”

Gupta believes what sets Lyle’s computer engineering program apart from the rest is the incredible strength of its faculty, and their willingness to support a student’s goals at every step in the process. Coupled with enriching coursework, 24/7 access to labs, a supportive campus community, and programs that complement students’ fields and challenge their thinking, Gupta believes ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Lyle sets every student up for success. 

“I didn’t know how things would line up for me,” he said. “Looking back, I realize how much everything – the courses I took, the guidance and advice I received from my professors, the skill set and the knowledge I now use in my field – actually shaped my career.”

Gupta offers one piece of advice to prospective computer engineers: “Choose ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Lyle - you’ll gain more than just an engineering degree.”

About the Bobby B. Lyle School of Engineering

¾«¶«´«Ã½’s Lyle School of Engineering thrives on innovation that transcends traditional boundaries. We strongly believe in the power of externally funded, industry-supported research to drive progress and provide exceptional students with valuable industry insights. Our mission is to lead the way in digital transformation within engineering education, all while ensuring that every student graduates as a confident leader. Founded in 1925, ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Lyle is one of the oldest engineering schools in the Southwest, offering undergraduate and graduate programs, including master’s and doctoral degrees.

About ¾«¶«´«Ã½

¾«¶«´«Ã½ is the nationally ranked global research university in the dynamic city of Dallas. ¾«¶«´«Ã½’s alumni, faculty and nearly 12,000 students in eight degree-granting schools demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit as they lead change in their professions, community and the world.