Name: V. Rao Vemuri
Title: Professor
Company: University of California, Davis
Contact Info:
http://www.engr.ucdavis.edu/~das/rao/
How I arrived at my present job (academic and other influences): I always wanted to spend my life in academia. I was strongly influenced by the pioneering work done by academicians like Prof. Sundaram Seshu (U of Illinois, circa 1960) and wanted to emulate them.
How I organize my day: I am fairly disorganized. Events in the day more or less dictate what I end up doing on that day. Normally, I spend some time looking at e-mail messages. This is indeed becoming a pain. Then I prepare for my classes. I read reports prepared by my students. Departmental politicking takes a substantial amount of my time.
Amount of time spent working daily (at home and office): 16 hours. Normally I get up at about 6.30 AM, come to work at about 8.30 AM and go home at about 5.30 PM or 6. PM. I typically work until 11 PM at home (not all of which university related). Out of this about 8 -10 hours are directly related to the work I do to make a living. The rest I spend on hobbies.
What I do to get myself thinking creatively: I talk to people outside my area of interest. Often, the point of view that other people express is amazingly useful to clear up my own thinking.
My problem-solving strategy: I look for analogies. Did anyone solve a similar problem? Can I use an idea used in another discipline to solve my problem?
What I do to relieve stress: I write. I like to write popular science and science fiction in my native language, Telugu and some times in English. Much of what I have written can be found at my website.
My hero, mentor, or person I most admire and why: Issac Asimov. If I can explain a complex thing as well as he could, I would be happy.
What I do to mentor those who work for me: I encourage them to express their thoughts in writing. I react well to written things and i also feel that by writing their ideas, they can sharpen their thoughts.
What values are the most important to me and what I value in others: Honesty, Unpretentiousness.
Biography: Coming soon.
Last Modified:
Location: www.acm.org/crossroads/dayinlife/bios/rao_vemuri.html