Outstanding Seniors in the College of Science: Ojas Sanghi

This spring, the College of Science recognized 12 outstanding seniors for their contributions in and out of the classroom. Ojas Sanghi is this semester's recipient from Computer Science!

The College of Science caught up with Ojas to learn more about his experiences at the University of Arizona and what is on the horizon after graduation.

Why did you choose to study in your specific department/major?

I grew up fascinated by computers and began teaching myself coding in middle school. Throughout high school, I made lots of coding projects and participated in a couple of game jams. Once I was at the UofA, I knew I wanted to study computer science while finding ways to apply it to important problems in society!

Tell me about a class or research project you really enjoyed.

TAR 100: Acting for Everyone was super fun! I've done theater since 4th grade and was missing it after I began at the UofA. Through TAR 100 I got to re-engage with theater again, even if we just did short skits in class. It was really fun and helped me reconnect with a bit of me. I'm still thankful to Rick Wamer for being such an amazing professor!

What is one specific memory from your time at UA that you'll cherish forever?

The day I got initiated into the LOCKS Junior Honorary! A full-day event, we went all around the city, did various challenges and activities, and met all the other littles (students in my class) and bigs (students a year above me). Over my next two years of being in the LOCKS community, it introduced me to so many people, gave me deep friends, and showed me a whole new lens of the world. I consider myself extremely lucky for being able to be part of such a special group of people!

What are you most proud of having accomplished in your time at UA?

How much I've grown personally and how much I've accomplished professionally! I came in knowing I wanted to do CS broadly, and left having found my passion for climate action and a way to unite that with CS by marrying the fields of AI and energy systems. Along the way, I engaged in pure policy work, pure technical work, and completely unrelated experiences (like Comedy Corner) that allowed me to explore myself and become a more confident, mature human. I leave the UofA far more sure of myself and my place in the world!

What is next for you after graduation?

I will be pursuing an MS in Technology and Policy at MIT. I plan to research at the intersection of ML/AI for energy systems and grid modernization.