Page 36 - The Indian EYE 092724

NORTH AMERICAN Newsline SEPTEMBER 27, 2024 | The Indian Eye 36

NISHANTH RODRIGUES problems, mentor and empower stu-
dents, and improve lives. We are hon-
University of Oklahoma ored, each year at this time, to shine
a spotlight on a few who made stand-
welcomes its new CIO out and transformative achievements
during the past calendar year,” said
Vice President for USF Research &
Innovation Sylvia Wilson Thomas.
Professor Srinivas Katkoori fo-
cuses on smart and secure design of
internet-of-things (IoT) systems. In
2023, he was awarded a highly com-
petitive and prestigious five-year
NSF grant of $3,702,920, the largest
cybersecurity grant awarded to USF
to date. This grant trains 28 under-
graduate and graduate domestic
scholars in the latest cybersecurity
technologies who will serve the gov-
ernment upon graduation. Katkoori
made significant contributions to secure design of hardware with unique phys-
ical unclonable function, novel algorithm for automated platooning for con-
nected vehicles.
In 2023, Katkoori published one peer-reviewed journal paper and eight
peer-reviewed conference papers. One of his papers was nominated and re-
ceived best paper award at 2023 IEEE Symposium on Smart Electronic Sys-
tems (iSES). Only four out of 140 submissions received this recognition. A US
he University of Oklahoma recently announced Nishanth Rodrigues patent on secure hardware design was issued on November 7, 2023.
as the new Chief Information Officer with effect from September 30.
TFounded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research uni- SRINIVAS BETTADPUR
versity located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU
serves the educational, cultural, economic and health care needs of the state, Professor wins Charles A.
region and nation.
Rodrigues brings 20 years of experience in strategic information tech- Whitten Medal for Earth
nology (IT) leadership, administrative leadership and IT roles in health care.
Recently, Rodrigues served as the CIO at Ole Miss since 2017, where he led
several major IT initiatives, including the construction of a new data center Dynamics Research
to enhance research capacity and academic services. Before Ole Miss, Ro-
drigues served as the Assistant Vice President and Chief Technology Officer rinivas Bettadpur, a professor in the Department of Aerospace Engi-
at Michigan State University from 2015 to 2017. neering and Engineering Mechanics at The University of Texas at Austin,
Rodrigues has affiliations and valuable connections with the Cisco Higher Shas been honoured with the 2024 American Geophysical Union (AGU)
Education Advisory Council, the Satisfactory Academic Progress Higher Ed- Charles A. Whitten Medal.
ucation Research Advisory Council, and the CIO Visions Steering Committee. The award, given in even-numbered years to a senior scientist, recognizes
He earned his Ed.D. in Education from the University of Mississippi after Bettadpur’s outstanding achievement in research on the form and dynamics
earning a Master of Business Administration from Michigan State University. of Earth and planets. Bettadpur joins a distinguished group of scientists, lead-
Rodrigues earned his undergraduate degree from Davenport University with ers and communicators recognized by AGU for advancing science.
a Bachelor of Applied Science. Bettadpur is a Fellow of the FSX Professorship in Space Applications and
Exploration at UT Austin, an Associate Fellow of the AIAA and a Fellow of
SRINIVAS KATKOORI the IAG. Bettadpur currently serves as President of Commission-2 (Gravity

University recognizes professor Field) of the International Association of Geodesy for 2023-2027 term. He
served as the director of UT Austin’s Center for Space Research from 2018-
2023.
with Outstanding Research search focuses on the modeling and analysis of Earth’s dynamics through
Bettadpur is an expert in orbital mechanics and space geodesy. His re-

Achievement Award space-based metrology and remote sensing, and the connections between
global space-geodetic measurements and their regional applications. His core
research interests include the design and architecture of space missions and
he University of South Florida, USF recently announced an honour to observing systems for this purpose; the analysis of space geodetic data; and
Srinivas Katkoori, PhD, Professor of Computer Science and Engineer- the interpretation of the results.
Ting, College of Engineering, Tampa Campus for distinguished contribu- Recently, Bettadpur began leading the new multi-university Quantum
tions to the field of smart and cyber secure internet-of-things, particularly for Pathways Institute, funded by NASA’s Space Technology Mission Director-
novel techniques for securing and designing custom edge hardware. ate, which will develop technology for high-precision quantum sensing, to
USF recognizes Professor Katkoori with Outstanding Research Achieve- improve measurement of important climate variables by observing atoms in
ment Award as part of its Faculty members recognition. It is the largest in- outer space.
ternal recognition of its kind at USF with awarded faculty member receiving
$2,000 and recognition for their accomplishments at an awards ceremony. To read more about Indian diaspora and Global Indians, log on to and follow
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