Eight outstanding undergraduate students, including two Indian Americans, have been recognized by the Computing Research Association (CRA) as recipients of the 2024-2025 CRA Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award.

This prestigious award honors exceptional research contributions in computing by undergraduate students across North America.

Indian American Recipients: Pioneers in AI and Computer Graphics

Among this year’s awardees are Venkataram Sivaram from the University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego), and Prasann Singhal from the University of Texas at Austin (UT Austin).

These students have demonstrated remarkable contributions to computing research and will receive up to $1,500 in funding to attend a research conference of their choice, providing them with a platform to present their work and engage with other professionals in their fields.

Venkataram Sivaram – Advancing Computer Graphics

(Image source – https://cra.org/)

A senior majoring in Computer Science with a minor in Mathematics, Sivaram is the first UC San Diego student to receive this distinguished honor.

His research, conducted under the guidance of Professor Ravi Ramamoorthi, is centered on graphics, visualization, and computational geometry.

His work specifically focuses on enhancing rendering techniques for complex scenes in video games and movies, improving computational efficiency and realism in digital environments.

Sivaram’s research has been showcased at the ACM SIGGRAPH symposium, a leading international conference on computer graphics.

One of his key contributions is developing an innovative approach for representing complex geometries, enabling real-time rendering of intricate meshes.

His work has significant implications for the gaming and film industries, where computational speed and visual fidelity are critical.

Beyond research, Sivaram has also played a significant role in academia as a Junior Counselor for the Rose Mathematics Program and a tutor in Computer Graphics, sharing his knowledge with fellow students and aspiring researchers.

Prasann Singhal – Pushing Boundaries in AI and Machine Learning

(Image source – https://cra.org/)

A senior at UT Austin, Singhal is a double major in Computer Science and Linguistics with a strong research focus on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). 

His work aims to enhance text generation capabilities in large language models (LLMs) by addressing existing limitations in reinforcement learning from human feedback (RLHF), a widely used technique in AI training.

Singhal identified a critical constraint within RLHF that impacts the performance and adaptability of LLMs such as ChatGPT.

Building on this discovery, he devised a novel fine-tuning method to improve the reliability and efficiency of text-generation models, potentially leading to advancements in AI-driven communication and automation.

Apart from his research, Singhal has shown dedication to community service and education. He is an officer at the Laurel Co-operative Housing Community, a student-run affordable housing initiative in Austin.

Additionally, he founded the Katy HACK Initiative, an educational program that conducts weekly computer science lessons for elementary and junior high school students, fostering interest in technology at an early age.

About the CRA and the Significance of the Award

Founded in 1972, the Computing Research Association (CRA) plays a vital role in advancing computing research, informing policymakers, and promoting diversity within the field.

The CRA Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award recognizes students who exhibit exceptional research potential and commitment to computing advancements. Faculty members nominate candidates, ensuring that only the most promising researchers receive recognition.

The 2025 CRA Awards are sponsored by Sandia National Laboratories and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, two leading institutions known for their contributions to cutting-edge scientific research.

By supporting young innovators like Sivaram and Singhal, the CRA aims to cultivate the next generation of computing leaders who will drive technological progress in AI, computer graphics, and beyond.