Aakash Walavalkar

Early Academic Journey and Career Start He began his academic journey by pursuing a degree in Computer Engineering, which provided him with a solid foundation in technology and problem-solving. After completing his education, he started his professional career at Furtados School of Music as a Digital Marketing Executive. Over two years, he demonstrated remarkable skills in digital marketing, which led to a promotion to Digital Marketing Manager within a year. This growth reflected his ability to excel in challenging roles and deliver impactful results. Postgraduate Studies and Role as a Data Analyst In 2021, he decided to expand his knowledge by enrolling in an M.Tech program in Data Science at NMIMS University, Mumbai. Simultaneously, he joined Tech Bayleaf Private Limited, a digital marketing agency with operations in North America and the United Kingdom, as a Data Analyst. In this role, he analyzed vast amounts of data from various marketing platforms and provided actionable insights to optimize marketing campaigns. His work involved leveraging tools like Google Looker Studio, Tableau, and Adobe Analytics. His contributions helped improve marketing strategies and delivered measurable results for clients. Becoming a Data Scientist and Innovating in Healthcare After completing his postgraduate studies in 2023, he joined Harman Connected Services, a Samsung company, as a Data Scientist. Over the next 1.5 years, he worked on cutting-edge projects, particularly in the healthcare domain. One of his significant achievements was developing and deploying a Multi-Person Pose Estimation model to monitor patient movements in healthcare facilities. This model enhanced safety by detecting falls and raising timely alerts. Additionally, he introduced graph technology into the organization, implementing hybrid recommendation systems using advanced techniques like semantic search and high-dimensional embeddings. His work at Harman also exposed him to diverse technical areas such as time series analysis, natural language processing (NLP), computer vision, and quantum computing, further broadening his expertise. Teaching and Mentoring Experience In addition to his professional work, he has been involved in teaching as a visiting faculty at NMIMS University, Mumbai. Over the past two years, he has taught more than 1,500 students in various data science and AI-related subjects. His teaching portfolio includes courses like Advanced Database Management Systems, Data-Driven Program Analysis, Big Data Technologies, Applied Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, and Machine Learning Foundations. His passion for mentoring has contributed to shaping the careers of aspiring data scientists and AI professionals. Research and Personal Projects His interest in innovation extends beyond his job, as evidenced by his research and personal projects. In 2024, he published research papers, including “A Multi-Modal AI System for Automated Detection of Pneumonia, Skin Diseases, and Bone Fractures” and “Semantic Search-Based Medicine Recommender with LangChain Google Search Agent.” These publications reflect his dedication to addressing real-world challenges through AI. He also worked on several personal projects to enhance his skills and explore diverse applications of AI. These projects include: •SmileAI: An AI-based system for diagnosing oral conditions. •Stocks Optimization: A project focused on financial analytics. •Computer Vision for Food Quality Assessment: A solution for assessing food quality using AI. •AI Safety Monitor: A YOLO-v8-based system for detecting PPE compliance in video footage. Pursuit of Health Informatics and Future Goals In 2025, he took a significant step forward by enrolling in an MS program in Health Informatics at Michigan Technological University. This program aligns perfectly with his vision of modernizing healthcare by leveraging data science and AI. His goal is to develop tools that assist medical professionals, reduce their workload, and enhance efficiency. He is driven by the belief that technology can play a pivotal role in improving patient outcomes and revolutionizing healthcare systems. Certifications and Technical Skills Throughout his career, he has pursued continuous learning and earned certifications such as AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner, Neo4J Certified Professional, and Neo4J Certified Data Science Professional. His technical skills include expertise in programming languages like Python, R, Java, and C, as well as proficiency in machine learning, deep learning, and database management systems. He is also skilled in using visualization tools like Tableau, Looker Studio, Power BI, and Orange3 to create impactful data presentations.