What did you study at A-level equivalent and why did you select those subjects?
I studied Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology at A-level equivalent in India. I chose these subjects because of my passion for science and my ambition to build a career in the field.
What PhD did you study?
I completed a PhD in Proactive Information Retrieval.
What inspired you to choose and study your degree subject?
During my Master’s, I completed an internship on an Information Retrieval project and later published a paper in the area. These experiences inspired me to pursue the subject further in my PhD.
What key skills did you learn at university?
I developed strong time management skills, learned how to present my work effectively to both specialist and non-specialist audiences, and gained valuable experience in conducting independent research.
What jobs have you had during your career?
My career began as a Lecturer at the University of Liverpool.
What is your current job and what do you enjoy about it?
I am currently a Lecturer at the University of Liverpool. What I enjoy most is the freedom to research topics of my choice, which allows me to pursue my interests and develop new ideas.
Do you have an area of expertise?
My expertise is in Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning.
What has been your most exciting project?
One of the most exciting projects I’ve worked on focuses on the transparency of AI models. I find it deeply rewarding to investigate and uncover the underlying mechanisms of deep neural networks.
What are your top tips for working in your industry?
Build a strong foundation in linear algebra, probability, and statistics; develop solid coding skills; and stay up to date with the latest research literature.
What is the best piece of advice you have been given?
If you ever feel stuck on a research problem, focus on understanding why it isn’t working. The reason for the failure often gives you clues on how to move forward.
Any advice you’d like to share?
Focus on building strong fundamentals, as this will make it much easier to pick up new skills as technologies and trends evolve.
Why are you passionate about your subject?
I am passionate about my subject because it offers opportunities to address many of today’s pressing challenges and, ultimately, to contribute to social good and benefit humanity.
More resources:
Meet our Researchers - Procheta Sen
Procheta Sen website