Swathi Punathumkandi

Swathi Punathumkandi is continuing her journey in the Sun Devil community as a new assistant teaching professor in the School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, part of the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University. After serving one year as a postdoctoral researcher at ASU, Punathumkandi will now be teaching cybersecurity and information technology to a new generation of aspiring engineers.

After earning a doctoral degree in blockchain and data science from the esteemed National Institute of Technology in Karnataka, India, in 2022, Punathumkandi chose to work at ASU because of its strong emphasis on innovation and its prestigious standing among U.S. universities.

Having honed her interdisciplinary approach to engineering education through a holistic understanding of the intersections between technology and society, Punathumkandi says having the opportunity to nurture thinkers and problem-solvers within the university environment provides her a source of immense pride.

She says her teaching style emphasizes the fusion of theory and practice, and she aims to guide students through projects that bridge the gap between conceptual understanding and practical implementation.

That dynamic approach not only fosters skill acquisition but also instills a sense of accomplishment as students independently create and produce tangible outcomes.

“It is more important that all students have access to support and advice from the course team along the way,” Punathumkandi says.

This semester, she is teaching CSE 100 Principles of Programming with C++, CSE 598 Engineering Blockchain Applications and CSE 360 Introduction to Software Engineering.

Her commitment to impactful education was recognized through the Professor of Impact Award she received this past spring.

“Teaching computer science involves more than just disseminating information to students,” Punathumkandi says. “It also involves motivating them to do research and discover new developing technologies on their own.”

“Both the instructor and students are engaged in a process of joint progress. I’m passionate about participating in this exciting process with the brightest young minds of our future generation, which is why I want to become a professor.”

Meet the newest faculty members of the Fulton Schools of Engineering here.

Written by Hannah Weisman