IU Ph.D. alumnus Karna Desai (Ph.D. Astronomy, 2017) was recently featured on the College Insider podcast exploring how AI is changing higher education and transforming how people, businesses, and organizations work. Karna is a generative AI strategist with Booz Allen Hamilton, where he works on generative AI in the national security sector and space domain awareness. Karna spoke about how his training in astronomy, math, and physics at IU prepared him for his current role in understanding the complexity of the environment for satellites in low earth orbit – being sure of what assets are available and that they are secure. He notes that the challenge with AI is how to shape business processes and rethink how we can utilize AI at the maximum advantage. A critical task is to assure that AI is working in a secure environment, so that no external prompts can access critical systems and that no adversarial AI acts on us.
Karna also discussed how his time at IU prepared him for his future career. He notes that Professors Tom Steiman-Cameron and Richard Durisen provided a solid technical preparation while other faculty helped guide him to a career in science policy. Karna says that his studies at IU “literally propelled me to the right orbit.” Karna began his career with internships at the National Science Foundation and then at the State Department before settling into the national security sector at Booz Allen Hamilton.
The podcast, hosted by Associate Dean and Professor Vivian Halloran, is available at the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZNL6AMvwUA&list=PLiE-aVzXhPXeAtBeMRtw_RzGNcXzPI2tM&index=2
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