Venkata Pathuri Bhuvana: Looking for solutions

Alumni Venkata Pathuri Bhuvana has completed the PhD program “Interactive and Cognitive Environments (ICE)” at the Institute of Networked and Embedded Systems. He is fascinated by the search for solutions.

What originally attracted you to the University of Klagenfurt? What originally attracted you to the University of Klagenfurt?
After my Bachelor’s degree in India I worked for a software company in business and client relations management. There, I quickly realized that it was not what I had specialized in and not what I wanted to do in the future. I am a communications engineer. Next, I looked at several curricula and came across various European universities. Klagenfurt was one of them. I was able to get in touch with Master’s students from Klagenfurt and I realized that it was the right thing for my personal and professional development to complete my Master’s degree in Klagenfurt. In retrospect, it was a big deal for me, especially because I had never heard about Klagenfurt before. Looking back, I do not regret it. I’d do it again anytime. During my Master’s degree in Information Technology I found out about the ICE programme and decided to use this opportunity for myself. The exchange between the universities was absolutely decisive for me.

When I think of Klagenfurt, I immediately think of… the lake. I enjoyed it a lot. Especially because the University is really, really close to the lake. You can go there in the afternoon for a short break, come back to the office and work a couple of hours.

What unforgettable experience did you have during your studies?
Within two weeks my student life changed from writing my Master’s thesis to being a student in the PhD ICE programme. This was quite an intense experience. Fortunately, Mr. Rinner and Ms. Aschbacher provided wonderful support during this time.

If I were to study again, I would… study more. I would have completed my Master’s degree earlier.

Did you spend time abroad? Was that important from today’s point of view?
I completed my Bachelor’s degree in South India. Klagenfurt was the first city I visited outside of India. During my Master’s degree, I managed to see a lot of Austria. While I was part of the ICE programme, I visited Genoa University, UPC Barcelona, TU Eindhoven and Queen Mary University London and also had the opportunity to attend conferences in Europe, North America, and China. I found the cultural exchange very interesting.

What fascinates you most about your profession?
Research fascinates me most when the research question inspires me to seek a solution. I firmly believe that research should be useful.

What has been your favourite experience in your professional career so far?
The best experience was to talk to people from other research areas and publish papers together. Sharing ideas and diversifying my knowledge is the best thing. It is interesting to see how a problem is viewed quite differently by people from different disciplines. These diverse perspectives fascinate me. I believe that it is very important to exchange ideas with people outside my field of research.

What was your favourite spot at the university during your studies?
My office at Lakeside Labs was very spacious, which was wonderful.