About

I am a PhD student at University of Minnesota. My research interest are within the scope of Recommender Systems and modeling behavioral patterns of users in online communities. I am passionate about social systems and how they come together to full-fill the need in humans. I believe these system play major role in our current society and I want to understand from our behaviors in these systems and use that information to help us to live a better life.

Professor John Riedl

I was lucky enough to have Dr. John Riedl as my advisor during my early stage of PhD life. After a hard fought battle with Melanoma John passed away in June of 2013. He was more than an advisor to both myself and my wife. In a world where many advisors go after fame and publicity he focused on doing good research, research that move us forward and did it with flying colors. If you walk into his room with a question you would never walk out as a frustrated grad student. He had an amazing ability to ask the right question that you may not have ask while reminding you “Anu, thats not the question you should have ask, and this is the question you should have asked”, and at the end of the day you walk out from his room with an answer or path to an answer in your head while feeling fantastic. John, I will truly miss you.

Adare

I am super lucky to be married to my smart, articulate, curly headed, and beautiful wife whom I call “Adare”. Our home away from home is lovely old town (Alexandria, VA). Craziest things that she does always keep me on my toes. Most of her Sundays she goes through ennui period and Mondays are the toughest day in general. In case if you wonder how come a PhD candidate from Minneapolis call Alexandria as home. Answer is tavel during weekend.