Akanksh Rao Santhoor Ravishankar Prasad

Akanksh Rao is a passionate and accomplished professional currently pursuing a Master of Science in Robotics and Autonomous Systems (Artificial Intelligence) at Arizona State University (ASU), Tempe, Arizona, United States. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning from B.M.S. Institute of Technology, where he graduated with distinction and ranked 4th across the University.

At EdPlus at ASU, Akanksh supports the Leadership and Professional Development team through digital resource development and AI-driven process automation. He builds intelligent tools to streamline HR workflows and works on initiatives that enhance career development, support working learner engagement, and improve access to key resources.

Professionally, Akanksh has significant experience as an AI Engineer at Simpragma Solutions, Bangalore, India, where he engineered AI-driven multilingual voice-bots and fine-tuned Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) models like Whisper and Wav2Vec. He also worked as a Machine Learning Intern at IBM, where he developed a sign language recognition system using CNNs to support inclusive communication.

Akanksh has contributed to ASU’s academic mission as a Teaching Assistant for the AI and Data Analytics Strategy course at the W. P. Carey School of Business, helping business majors understand deep learning, computer vision, and applied data analytics.

Beyond academics and work, Akanksh is actively engaged in the ASU community. He was awarded Best Volunteer by the International Students and Scholars Center (ISSC) for his dedication to organizing impactful events and fostering meaningful connections among students. He is also an active member of multiple ASU student organizations, regularly participating in general meetings, workshops, and volunteering for key events that drive campus engagement and community impact

With a focus on real-world impact, community building, and responsible technology use, Akanksh is dedicated to developing scalable, human-centered AI systems that bridge education, career development, and innovation.