When Snehil Mathur arrives at Rice University this fall to begin his graduate studies, it will be his first time setting foot on campus.
Despite never having visited Rice in person, Mathur, a recent electrical engineering graduate from Georgia Tech, says he’s more than ready to call the university home. “Honestly, even just from pictures, without people having to tell me, it looks like a beautiful campus,” he said. “I have no concerns at all. I’ll get acclimated quickly and like the life there.”
Mathur’s path to Rice began at an international conference in Germany, where he was co-presenting research on exoskeletons and attended a talk by Rice professor Marcia O’Malley. That talk introduced him to the university’s robust work in robotics, haptics and rehabilitation, fields he had been drawn to since his undergraduate years.
“Meeting Dr. O’Malley and learning about the research at Rice was mind-blowing,” Mathur said. “That was my first real introduction to the graduate world at Rice.”
Now, Mathur is preparing to join the lab of Keya Ghonasgi, an assistant professor in mechanical engineering focused on human-robot partnerships that intelligently assist, rehabilitate, and augment human performance. He’ll be developing upper and lower limb exoskeletons to improve mobility in patients, which is technology he sees as life-changing.
“This field has a huge impact,” Mathur said. “I saw a patient once go from a wheelchair to walking up stairs with a prosthetic. That moment clicked for me. Robotics can make a massive difference for people with disabilities.”
From Georgia, Mathur brings a strong foundation in applied robotics. He spent four years as part of Georgia Tech’s solar racing club, building and racing electric vehicles, and was a longtime participant in the FIRST Robotics Competition in high school.
Outside the lab, he’s excited to explore Houston’s food scene and join Rice’s biking and Ultimate Frisbee communities. He’s also looking forward to classic campus events like Beer Bike.
Though his first Rice experience will be move-in day, Mathur is confident in what lies ahead.
“I like the surprises,” he said with a smile. “I’m just excited to start building.”