Dr. K. Vaidehi is a Professor and the Head of the Department of Artificial Intelligence, Data Science and Computer Engineering, at Stanley College of Engineering and Technology for Women, Hyderabad, Telangana, India. She received her M.E. and PhD degrees in Computer Science and Engineering from Annamalai University. In her doctoral work, she developed a Content Based Mammogram Retrieval System for breast cancer.

Dr. Vaidehi worked as a project fellow for the University Grants Commission (UGC) major research project and the DST PURSE Programme. She is a Chartered Engineer and a member of IEI and IETE. She has published more than 25 international journal papers and 20 papers at national and international conferences. She has organized several workshops, FDPs, and international and national conferences. She delivered more than 20 guest lectures at the national level. Moreover, she is a mentor for SIH and Toycathon Projects. Currently, five research scholars are pursuing their doctoral research under her supervision. Her research interests include image processing, medical image analysis, pattern recognition, machine learning, artificial intelligence, data science and computer vision.

Stanley College of Engineering and Technology for Women

What is the latest program that you are offering in Stanley College of Engineering and Technology for Women. which will help students outperform and stand apart from the crowd?

Stanley has been a leader in blazing the trail for adopting new technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Data Science, Big Data, Cloud Computing and IoT. This hunt to be in pace with the leading technologies led to the development of new programmes in Stanley, namely, BE in Artificial Intelligence and Data Science (AI&DS) and B.E. in Computer Engineering (CME). B.E in Artificial Learning and Data Science is an undergraduate programme with advanced learning solutions imparting knowledge of advanced innovations like machine learning, deep learning, artificial intelligence, business intelligence, data analytics and data science. B.E. in Computer Engineering (CME) is an undergraduate degree that focuses on cutting-edge technologies. CME is an interdisciplinary, problem-solving oriented course that teaches to apply mathematical and computer scientific techniques to practical problems. The course curriculum involves a blend of data inference, algorithm development, and technology to analytically solve complex problems.

What are the factors that make this program the best for the students to opt?

Our programmes focus on the four tiered strategies of education, research, development and innovation. We focus on formulating a meaningful curriculum that combines theory and practical skills, encourages industry collaborations for impactful applications, and industry readiness and encourages students to research, innovations and inventions through quality internships, hackathons and other technical events. AI&DS and CME have emerged as one of the most lucrative career options in technology and business sectors due to their promising demands in industries worldwide.

What will you say the “best practices” in the course you’re offering?

The best practices we follow in our programmes are to let our young minds flourish in any industry by promoting continuous learning and developing employability skills through quality career training, a robust mentoring system, a student feedback system, a faculty feedback system, continuous industry interaction, and alumni interaction. We also nurture a growth mindset by integrating technology across subjects and emphasizing critical thinking and soft skills by encouraging them to participate in Hackathons, hack challenges and ideathons.

What are some valuable insights of the program that you are offering at your institute?

AI and DS are designed to enable students to build intelligent machines, software, or applications with a cutting-edge combination of machine learning, deep learning, big data analytics and data visualization technologies. The main goal of artificial intelligence and machine learning is to programme computers to use, for example, data or experience to solve a given problem. Many successful applications based on machine learning exist already, including facial recognition technology, driverless cars, systems that analyze past sales data to predict customer behaviour (financial management), optimize robot behaviour so that a task can be completed using minimum resources, and extracting knowledge from bioinformatics data. By introducing new programmes like AI&DS, and CME, we help students integrate cutting-edge technologies seamlessly into their existing systems.

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How does the program ensure that students are being prepared for the future?

The programme fills gaps between academics and industry by challenging the students with contemporary skills and real-time applications. We are preparing our students not only for industry but also to become entrepreneurs. These new programmes equip students with the skills and knowledge required to thrive in an increasingly data-driven and technologically advanced world. We ensure students are prepared for the future in technical proficiency, data literacy, adaptability, critical thinking, problem-solving, interdisciplinary knowledge, and ethical considerations. These programmes provide students with the technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and ethical awareness needed to excel in a future that is increasingly reliant on data and technology. The skills and knowledge gained are versatile and can be applied across diverse industries and contexts, making graduates well-prepared for the challenges and opportunities of the future.

What are you most proud of in your career so far?

It was all about the small wins and big, growing moments like these that made us proud as educators to teach. Our students are working for international companies. They are doing their higher education in highly reputed institutions. Some of our students started their own startups while they were in their second and third years. Our students are participating and winning in Toycathon 2020, Smart India Hackathon, IBM Hackchallenges 2023, and We-hub Ideathon. Our students are doing social services with various organizations and are competing in all India level competitions.

What strategy do you employ for building an efficient work team?

Building an efficient work team is an ongoing process that requires effective leadership, clear communication, and commitment towards continuous improvement. Some of my strategies are to clearly define goals and objectives, select the right member for the right job, and enforce effective communication. Additionally, we have clearly defined roles and responsibilities, continual learning and development, celebrate achievements, monitor and adjust, and lead by example. We empower decision-making, recognition and reward, and encourage collaboration, feedback and performance evaluation.

What was the most challenging task that you faced in your career so far, and what did you learn from it?

Technology is changing rapidly; innovation in the curriculum, incorporating emerging technologies and adapting to changing industry trends become challenging but also open various opportunities. For this, we try to collaborate with industries and continuously encourage faculties to upgrade their skills. 

What is your vision for Stanley College of Engineering and Technology for Women in the next Five years?

I am looking forward to finding new ways of teaching that can help students attain knowledge beyond their limits. To adopt new strategies, to envision the institution as a Centre of Excellence, and to create a great academic teaching environment on par with world-class institutions. Learning should not remain only a work but a passion for them. So, in this way, I want to do research work too, to find new dimensions of teaching that make me capable enough to do remarkable work in the field of teaching. My main goal is to make my Engineering College into a university. We also aim to be a value-based globally recognized institution, ensuring academic excellence and fostering research, innovation and entrepreneurial attitudes by empowering women.