OUR TEAM

Md Hasibul Amin is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Computer Engineering at the University of South Carolina. He received his B.Sc. in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology in 2019. His research interests include Hardware Accelerator Design for Machine Learning and Neuromorphic Computing. He is currently working on In-Memory Analog Computing in the ICAS Lab.

Mahsa Majdzadeh Ardakani is currently a graduate student pursuing her master's degree at the University of South Carolina. Her research interests include conversational AI Systems, real-time large language models (LLMs), and edge computing.

Peyton Chandarana received his B.S.E. in Computer Engineering from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA in 2019. Prior to joining the iCAS Lab in the spring of 2021, he worked on building an Amazon Alexa skill for healthcare applications as well as aiding in researching proteins similar to COVID-19. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering at the University of South Carolina. His research interests consist of neuromorphic computing, edge computing, and hardware design for machine learning accelerators.

Aishneet Juneja is currently a graduate student working towards her Ph.D. degree at the University of South Carolina. Her research interests span across deep learning, machine learning, and edge computing. She explores various domains with an avid curiosity. Before joining the lab, she gained valuable experience as a full-stack developer, adding practical insights to her academic foundation.

Lily Lamb received her B.S.E. in Computer Engineering from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA in 2023. Prior to joining the iCAS Lab in the spring of 2025, she worked for the Autonomous Field Robotics Lab at USC and currently works for Integer Technologies. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Computer Engineering at the University of South Carolina. Her current interests include Robotics and Applied AI.

Jinendra Malekar is a graduate student at the University of South Carolina. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the International Institute of Information Technology - Naya Raipur (IIIt-NR) in Fall 2021. His research in the iCAS lab focuses on Edge LLM, LLM Compression and Quantization, and In-Memory Computing Technologies. 

MohammadReza Mohammadi received his B.Sc degree in computer engineering (hardware) from Mazandaran University of Science and Technology in 2016. He pursued his master's Also in Computer engineering (Computer Architecture) at the University of Tehran. During his master's, he worked on digital design for Machine Learning algorithms. Currently, he is a Ph.D. student at the University of South Carolina. His research in the iCAS lab includes Neuromorphic computing, Digital design for Machine Learning algorithms, In-Memory Processing, and bio-inspired computing.

Blake Seekings is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in computer science. He received his bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science and Mathematics at the University of South Carolina in Spring 2023. He is a recipient of the McNair Junior Fellows Scholarship and the Magellan Scholar Award. Blake is currently researching edge computing and neuromorphic computing. His research interests include Machine Learning and Neuromorphic Computing.

Brendan Reidy is pursuing his Ph.D. in computer engineering at the University of South Carolina. He received his bachelor's degree in computer science in Fall 2021. His research focuses on machine learning at the edge for computer vision and natural language processing applications. Brendan has led several projects including industry collaborations, various works with mixed precision neural networks, and deployment of large language models on edge AI devices. Over multiple summers, Brendan has also interned at multiple companies to research AI applications in industry.

Andy Waters is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Computer Engineering from the University of South Carolina. He received his B.S. in Computer Science from Limestone University, an MBA from the University of South Carolina – Aiken, and an M.S. in Business Analytics from the University of South Carolina. He currently leads the Software Engineering organization for IQVIA Laboratories. His research interests include applied AI, edge AI devices, machine learning, and hardware-software co-design.

Hasti Zanganeh is currently a graduate student in computer science at the University of South Carolina, having earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics in Fall 2022. Her research focuses on distributed machine learning, edge computing, and neuromorphic systems, with a background of two years in researching differential equations and partial differential equations.

Matthew Grenier is a graduate student at the University of South Carolina, currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science. His research interests include machine learning, edge computing, and computer architecture, with a particular interest in their intersections. Before joining the lab, he researched algorithmic methods for fairness in online marketplaces.

Mark Shperkin received his B.S. degree in Computer Science from the University of South Carolina in 2024 and is currently pursuing his M.S. degree in Computer Science with a specialization in Artificial Intelligence. During his undergraduate studies, he developed several mobile and web applications, including innovative solutions for real-world problems. He was also a member of the Gamecocks swimming team, where he was a finalist in the SEC championships and became a school record holder. His current research interests include machine learning, sensor fusion techniques, and real-time systems.

Arshia Eslami is a dual-degree student at the University of South Carolina, studying Neuroscience and Computer Science. He is interested in creating interdisciplinary connections between medicine and computer science. His research interests include machine learning, computer vision, and the neurobiology of stress and brain aging. 

Ben Kaliope is currently a Computer Engineering freshman working toward his bachelor's degree. He is interested in edge computing, neuromorphic computing, and applied AI in real-world applications.

Haley Lind is an undergraduate student pursuing a degree in Computer Engineering. Her research interests were initially inspired by a fascination by the workings of the brain and how discoveries in neuroscience could be applied to artificial intelligence and computing systems. She aims to grow a skillset geared toward robotics, machine learning, and edge computing.

Khushal Pandala is an undergraduate in computer engineering, highly fascinated by computing research and artificial intelligence. Keen to delve deeper into his field, he is exploring the different areas of computer engineering. Currently, he is focused on developing AI processing techniques with a focus on low energy consumption. He continuously seeks knowledge about emerging technologies related to neural networks and machine learning to improve his understanding and contribute to the development of intelligent systems.

Thesis: Real-Time Facial Expression Recognition Using Edge AI Accelerators

Integer Technologies - Lead Computer Engineer