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A graduate of the Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST), Akib Zaman is presently working toward a PhD in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) Department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Akib is a member of the Algorithmic Design Group, which is headed by Professor Mina Konaković Luković and is associated with MIT’s esteemed Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL).
Following his time at Jessore Institute Government Primary School in Jashore, Akib attended Daud Public School and College in Jashore before enrolling at Jhenaidah Cadet College, where he successfully completed his SSC and HSC examinations. After graduating from The Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, England, where he received the “Best Overseas Student” award, he enlisted in the Bangladesh Army. After moving into academia, Akib’s main area of interest is the nexus between computational geometry and robotics, notably optimizing the design of reconfigurable robots—an topic with a lot of intriguing, futuristic potential.
Akib talked more about his experiences, research, and ideas during a virtual conversation with Campus.
Campus (C): Could you briefly describe the research you are doing now?
Akib (A): My research initially concentrated on the nexus of robotics and geometry processing, but at the moment, I am concentrating on creating algorithms that optimize the control and design of shape-shifting robots. Simply described, think of the robots from the Transformers movie—machines with the ability to modify their configuration. There are two modes for these Transformers: a humanoid mode for fighting and an automobile mode for driving. However, what if it were possible to construct robots with many more configurations? Finding the best design from a vast search space and creating a central intelligence system to manage the changes are two difficulties this project entails. I’m working on finding solutions to these issues, which call for a thorough comprehension of geometry processing.
In order to create liquid shape-shifting robots like the T-1000 from Terminator 2, I would also like to expand this work using phase-changing materials. Consider a soft robot that can split its body to find cholesterol blockages and maneuver through small arteries. In robotics, this technology holds great promise, particularly for investigating uncharted territories like space, the deep ocean, and the human body.
C: Which of your undergraduate efforts stand out as particularly relevant to your present robotics research interests?
A: Without getting involved with robotics, I spent my first two years concentrating on deepening my grasp of fundamental Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) topics like SPL, OOP, DSA, etc. The “Intelli-Helmet” capstone project, which I completed in my third year, was a stress monitoring system for troops that identified post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) using heart rate and EEG. This project, which served as my first research report, was based on a scene from the television show Band of Brothers.
Later, I worked on creating “UVC-Purge,” a semi-autonomous robot that uses regulated ultraviolet-C (UVC) radiation to disinfect areas during the COVID-19 epidemic. At the Medical Robotics Challenge for Contagious Disease 2020, which was organized by the UK Robotics & Autonomous Systems (UK-RAS) Network, our team’s “Application Category” earned best. Together with a GBP 5,000 prize, this acknowledgment motivated me to learn more about robots.
C: During your tenure at MIST, what pertinent actions did you take?
A: My group and I dreamed of competing in the University Rover Challenge (URC), one of the most prominent rover competitions in the world, which is run by NASA’s Mars Society, when we were awarded the funding in the early months of my fourth year. We were given funding to follow our objective after presenting our experience with UVC Purge as proof of concept to MIST’s higher authorities.
We re-formed the Mongol Barota-MIST Mars Rover Society and assembled an amazing team of about 50 people to build the Mars rover from the ground up. Based on the originality of our rover, we published another publication and emerged as the world’s top-scoring team in that year’s virtual finals.
C: You have taught at United International University (UIU), as we well know. How did your time there as a teacher go?
A: I had an amazing professional experience when I joined UIU as a lecturer in its CSE department after graduating in 2021. As a team mentor, I oversaw the creation of the UIU Mars Rover Team from the ground up in September 2021, which garnered notoriety across the globe. At the URC in 2022 and 2023, we placed 13th and 9th globally, respectively, and were the top-ranked Asian team.
We came in second place globally at the Anatolian Rover Challenge (ARC). I was one of the founders of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR) at UIU, which is a miniature version of the world-class research laboratory I always dreamed of having under my supervision after finishing my PhD. This was a continuation of the initiatives I started at MIST. CAIR supports robotics research on the ground, in the air, and underwater. I am really appreciative of the affiliated authority for the more than BDT 2 crores that UIU invested over the course of two years to grow the robotics industry. I’m honored to have helped establish the groundwork for a long-lasting influence on upcoming robotics scholars and students.
C: Would you kindly describe your application process at MIT? How did you get in touch with MIT researchers or professors at that time?
A: I felt my profile wasn’t strong enough to get into a prestigious university where I could continue advanced research, therefore I didn’t apply straight after I graduated in 2021. I therefore made the decision to increase my research experience for a year or two. I co-authored two research articles at that time and collaborated with a professor at Rutgers University in the United States on a deep learning framework for creating a sleep stage classification framework. Additionally, I worked on a number of research projects with my thesis advisor and other UIU colleagues, which strengthened my research portfolio. I started making a list of professors whose research interests matched mine and whose labs I thought might work well in September 2022. After networking with them and identifying points of agreement, I finally emailed them. According to the QS World University Rankings, Imperial College London and a number of prestigious and mid-tier US universities were among my target universities. Ultimately, I was offered admission to robotics programs at MIT, the University of Washington, the University of Virginia, and the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, among other institutions.
C: What important aspects, particularly for prestigious universities like MIT, should students take into account while organizing their graduate applications?
A number of crucial elements are involved, and after serving as a student reviewer for MIT applications this fall, I became even more aware of their significance. The research profile and CGPA come first. On a scale of 1 to 4, my CGPA was 3.98. To gain admission to prestigious universities, you usually need to have a high CGPA to show sustained commitment.
Significant research experience, however, can compensate for a lower CGPA, especially if your work has been published in prestigious conferences or journals. Having papers and initiatives in the same field as your desired program is essential. Through practical projects like those in the Rover Challenges and a few conference and journal articles, I demonstrated an intermediate degree of knowledge in my application, making the connections evident. All of this demonstrated my enthusiasm for resolving challenging issues, especially in robotics.
The standardized tests follow. I took the IELTS and received a Band 8, with all areas over 7.5, but I didn’t take the GRE because MIT waived it during my application year. I advise those who are planning to take practice exams to make sure they are prepared and to strive for evenly distributed results in every area.
Additionally, begin developing your academic profile and CV early on, making sure they are well-structured and succinct. Your letters of recommendation (LoRs) and statement of purpose (SOP) are essential for assembling your profile. They tell your own tale and match the curriculum with your areas of interest. You can naturally find the best candidates to create compelling LoRs by working on projects with faculty members and keeping up good ties with them.
Extracurricular activities (ECAs) complete your application and demonstrate your adaptability. As a lecturer and the founder of multiple teams that received over USD 200,000 in financing, I had a moderate ECA profile and proved my dedication to STEM and volunteer work.
Another important step in the process is contacting lecturers. Thanks to focused outreach, I was able to schedule interviews with instructors at five of the nine universities I applied to prior to the application deadlines.
C: In your admissions procedure, how significant were standardized examinations like the GRE and IELTS?
A: I want to clear up a common misconception among students: the GRE and IELTS aren’t the main criteria for admission; rather, they are used to compare applicants from various programs objectively and to gauge their level of English proficiency and problem-solving abilities, particularly for non-native speakers.
C: In what ways do you think your research will influence upcoming technologies in Bangladesh and globally?
A: My study attempts to create algorithms that will enable a future in which robots not only carry out tasks but also use morphological reconfiguration to intelligently adapt to new tasks in unpredictable surroundings. In fields where uncertainty is high and using multiple systems is less efficient than using a reconfigurable robot, such as drug delivery and internal surgery in healthcare, deep ocean research, emergency disaster response, and extraterrestrial exploration, I see this technology having significant potential. By extending my research into new fields and concentrating on improving the capabilities and adaptability of robotic systems, I hope to build upon the knowledge I acquired during my PhD.
In addition to my primary research interest, I am excited to help Bangladesh build efficient AI solutions, such as warehouse automation and control policies for autonomous vehicles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In Bangladesh, I’m excited to work with additional roboticists and use my experience to create solutions that lessen the need for manual labor.
C: How do you envision the employment sector and robotics?
A: Over the next 20 years, there will be an exponential increase in demand for robotics skills worldwide, including in Bangladesh. Even though it’s still a specialized industry, big corporations like Google, Amazon, and Meta already have sizable R&D departments dedicated to robotics. Examples include Tesla’s humanoid robot Optimus (Gen-2) and Meta’s touch-sensitive robotics skin, which helps build the Metaverse.
C: What makes MIT academic life distinct from ours, and why is their research so advanced?
A: MIT’s emphasis on passion-driven initiatives and wealth of resources make academic life very different from that in Bangladesh. Numerous computational and human resources are available to students, which fosters creativity. Resources are allocated in a controlled way to encourage potential concepts, and the atmosphere is almost nonjudgmental, allowing for stress-free idea creation.
MIT views its PhD students as valued assets and makes significant investments in them. This entails assisting with academic difficulties as well as with administrative problems including financial and immigration issues. This all-encompassing strategy greatly enhances their capacity for cutting-edge research. I am really appreciative of this fantastic opportunity to study a fascinating subject.
C: What guidance would you offer prospective overseas students in Bangladesh as a MIST alumnus and MIT PhD candidate?
A quote from the film Turbo that I find most memorable is “No dream is too big, and no dreamer is too small.” Maintain your dream by putting in a lot of effort and encouraging your natural curiosity as you go. The largest obstacle to taking chances in Bangladesh’s fiercely competitive academic environment, in my opinion, is the fear of failing. I would advise individuals to continue taking chances and giving their all to their passions. Every journey will teach you important things, even if it doesn’t result in success. And one day you may look back with a grin on your face, knowing that each step was essential to making the dots fit together properly.
Fatima Ashraf is a Military Institute of Science and Technology (MIST) Campus Ambassador for The Daily Star.
