Saguna

PhD candidate (2008)

Master of Information Technology (Minor Thesis) (2007)

Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Communications (2006)

The international experience
Saguna is an international student from India who has enjoyed her experience studying at Monash. “I like the fact that there are international students from all over the world. It is a great learning experience,” she says. “I’ve had a rare opportunity to make friends with people from different countries in this one place. I feel you could learn more about different cultures here than actually travelling around the globe!”

Saguna believes that the worldwide reputation of the IT faculty is what attracts students from overseas. “The staff and facilities such as libraries, labs and lecture theatres are world-class and so are the research opportunities at Monash.” Saguna also recommends Melbourne as one of the most beautiful and liveable cities in the world, in which to live and study. “I think I have been fortunate to have taken the decision to come and study here. It is a blend of global cultures and it is very convenient for international students to live here.” she says.

Choosing Monash
After completing her undergraduate studies at home in India, Saguna wanted to finish her postgraduate studies at a university of international repute. “I was looking at the possibilities of going to either US, UK or Australia. I happened to attend an IDP fair for Education in Australia. I still remember the friendly faces of the representatives. Monash University was one of three Australian universities I applied to and got accepted for admission!”  Saguna then had the difficult task of selecting the university at which she would eventually study; and she did this by researching online about the three universities – their staff, facilities, locations, and worldwide rankings. “I chose Monash in the end for its high reputation, worldwide ranking for IT and the flexibility of its courses. I knew this was the beginning of a whole new future for me!”

Being an international student, Saguna had many reservations about travelling to a new place without the usual support of family and friends. “The support and counselling services at university made my life easier and helped me immensely,” she says. “Living on my own taught me to grow as an individual and take on responsibility for myself. I learned to manage my time efficiently and now I can say with confidence that this experience will help me get through any situation in the future. Life can throw anything at me and I would be able to cope with it and succeed!”

Postgrad research
A project undertaken in the final year of her Bachelors degree led to an interest in the field of Networks and Communications for Saguna. It involved the design of a Network Management System (NMS) and she realised that there was a lot more in this field that she wanted to learn. “I wanted to enhance my skills to become the best in the industry,” she says. Saguna’s areas of research are Mobile, pervasive and ubiquitous computing, Context-aware systems, Wireless communications and Internetworking. 

Saguna describes the Master of Information Technology (Minor Thesis)  as a unique course combining the experience of both coursework study and research interests. “This course allows me to understand how research is done,” she explains. “Students have access to an exceptional faculty, teaching resources and support along with up-to-date curricula and hands-on practical experience. Not forgetting, that the best IT firms come to campus for graduates to interact with and gain further insight into the industry. This course truly makes you a ‘Master’ of IT! “

She is confident of her research skills after successfully completing her master’s thesis. “I learned that with an open and curious mind along with hard work, you can overcome all obstacles and succeed. Research taught me to work independently and to persevere, no matter what comes in your way. I believe with my degree from Monash I will be able to achieve my goals and become a leader in my field.”

Tutoring other students
Saguna found that tutoring in Networks and Data Communications, as well as in Wireless and Personal Communications, added a whole new dimension to her Monash experience. “It was very rewarding for me, to teach students, share their problems and help them achieve their goals.”  

She also feels that Monash provides students with up-to-date skills that are desired by prospective employers from the best IT firms. “The courses here are flexible and the curriculum is designed keeping in mind the industry requirements. Monash gives its students a cutting-edge IT experience,” says Saguna. “Plus, the fact that IT courses at Monash are administered by a separate faculty places focus on IT alone which is very important to me.”

Advice for new research students
“Monash provides a whole lot of opportunities but you need to make the effort to cash in on them. You need to explore these new pathways provided to you by merely being a part of this university.  Monash has given me the opportunity to work on current research issues and opened new avenues for me to explore in the future. My research was an exciting, challenging and fruitful experience, and after completing my degree with first-class honours, I believe I can succeed at whatever I do in the IT field. “

Future directions
Saguna's hard work, research methods training and significant guidance from her supervisor Assoc. Prof Arkady Zaslavsky has paid off with the award of a PhD scholarship which she plans to start in 2008, and also a prestigious internship at IBM. "The internship will be crucial in my understanding of how one of the world's biggest research labs undertakes research projects and develops new technology. I believe this experience will be valuable for my PhD," she says.

Postgraduate Diploma in Digital Communications    
Master of Information Technology (Minor Thesis)     
Doctor of Philosophy