CGE Student Spotlight: Amit Kumar Nath

Amit Kumar Nath, international student from Bangladesh pursuing a Ph.D. in computer science, is conducting research to inform the design of next-generation photo organization and retrieval tools that will improve user experiences.

During his initial years at FSU, Nath worked on big data analytics. Now he’s conducting research to understand how users organize photos and retrieve specific photos from their large personal image collections.

“My Ph.D. research combines elements from image processing, computer vision, and human-computer interaction,” Nath said. If you would like to participate in Nath's IRB-approved study, you can take the 5-7 minute survey here.

During his Ph.D. studies, he has co-authored several conference and journal papers. View his Google Scholar profile for a list of publications.

When he was applying to graduate schools in the U.S. in 2016-2017, he thought about several factors. “Some of the major issues for consideration were university ranking, scopes of research, funding opportunities, and assistantships,” Nath said. “After completing my applications, initially I got an admission offer from the Computer Science department at FSU and then got a research assistantship offer. With the diverse research scopes and the assistantship, the offer from FSU was the best among all the other options. Also, the weather in Tallahassee is very similar to my home country, Bangladesh, which was a huge plus.”

During his time here, Nath has also taken every opportunity to get involved on campus. He’s served in multiple positions with the Bangladeshi Student Association at FSU (BSA-FSU), first as the cultural secretary for the 2018-2019 academic year and subsequently as the president for 2020–2021. During his presidency, BSA-FSU participated in the Center for Global Engagement’s Virtual International Coffee Hour and Annual International Bazaar as co-hosts to engage with the FSU community during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, he worked with the leadership team to develop BSA-FSU’s official website and YouTube channel in 2021.

“I have enjoyed being a member of BSA-FSU, as well as on the leadership team in various roles,” Nath said. “Several events organized by BSA-FSU stand out as particularly special to me, including our annual celebration of the Independence Day of Bangladesh, Bengali New Year Celebration, Freshers’ Reception, Annual BBQ, and participating in the CGE’s Annual International Bazaar. I will cherish the memories I made with my friends and colleagues for years to come.”

When asked about the best part of his FSU experience so far, he noted the magnificence of the campus and FSU’s culturally rich community. “The opportunity to explore the beautiful campus and attend lots of diverse events at FSU created a wholesome experience for me here,” Nath said. “The best part of my FSU experience has been the opportunity to know many new people from around the globe, which mostly happened during the International Coffee Hours arranged by the CGE.”

Nath feels his time at FSU has prepared him to take on the challenges that will come in the future. “The academic and personal experiences achieved from FSU have shaped my way of thinking and analyzing complex situations,” Nath said. “I used to work as a lecturer of Computer Science back in Bangladesh. The experience I've gotten at FSU has prepared me to return to teaching with more confidence and knowledge. Also, I work as a graduate assistant in systems, serving as the department webmaster, in FSU CS Systems Group, which gives me ample opportunities to learn about web maintenance and system administration.”

When asked what advice he would share with new incoming international students, he spoke about how important it is to push through the initial discomfort of being away from home.

“The first semester feels very difficult as you are coming a long way from home all by yourself. You will miss your family and friends so much that it will make you question your decision to come abroad, sacrificing everything. You will need to complete a plethora of assignments and projects, and at the same time cooking and managing all the affairs of your household. Seems very overwhelming, right? It is! However, please just hang in there. The first semester is the most difficult one. After that everything would get easier. Once you get used to everything, you will be able to enjoy life at FSU,” he said.

Nath also encourages international students to get involved on campus and in their communities saying, “Do not limit yourself to only academic works. Try to participate in diverse on and off-campus activities, which will keep your mind fresh. Also, as an international student, try to contact the student association representing your country at FSU, the student association can help you immensely in various tasks.”

If you’re an international student who is interested in being highlighted by the CGE on our website, social media platforms, and in publications, please share your experience as an international student at FSU with us through this questionnaire. Plan to upload a collegiate picture of yourself and spend about 20 minutes completing the survey.