My Precog Tale: Persistence, Growth, and Collaboration

Hello everyone! I’m Saurav Chhatani, a recent Computer Science graduate from IIIT Hyderabad, joining Thoughtspot, a SaaS product company, as a Software Engineer. As someone who always wanted to explore research, joining IIIT Hyderabad, known for its vibrant research culture, was a natural choice for me.

Joining Precog: A World of Opportunities

When the opportunity to be a part of a research lab presented itself, Precog stood out as the most appealing and welcoming option. The lab’s flexibility to work on any topic, numerous collaboration opportunities, knowledgeable and helpful peers, and of course, the guidance of Prof. PK, made it an ideal environment for my research journey.

I vividly remember the day I found out I was going to be a part of Precog. I was filled with happiness and excitement for the next phase of my college life. With a strong desire to explore everything and an abundance of energy and motivation, I embarked on my Precog journey.

Early Projects and Challenges

One of my first projects at Precog was an exciting project where we analyzed social media data to enhance event management strategies. We worked on predicting traffic regulation, crowd control, sentiment analysis, and location-based sentiments during events. It was a fascinating project that exposed me to the practical applications of our research.

In my second semester, I started a project in collaboration with Prof. Jisun An from Indiana University, Bloomington, where we aimed to explore hate speech. However, as the semester progressed, balancing the academic pressure at IIIT Hyderabad with the research work became increasingly challenging. Being part of the COVID batch, experiencing my first full offline semester added to the difficulties.

As a newcomer to research, I struggled to find my footing in the hate speech project which was frustrating and at times disheartening. I grappled with uncertainty, trying different approaches, but often felt like I was going in circles due to my lack of experience. Consequently, during the semester review, Prof. PK asked me to explore other options, including other labs. 

Resilience and Growth

Being asked to explore other options was not just a shock; it was a wake-up call. But instead of letting it defeat me, it fueled my determination to prove myself. This moment marked a turning point in my journey, where I truly learned the value of resilience and self-motivation. I wasn’t ready to let go of this incredible opportunity. After extensive discussions with Prof. PK and senior lab members, I continued working with the lab. This experience taught me two valuable lessons:

1. At Precog, you have the freedom to chart your own path. Unlike the structured deadlines of coursework, this environment teaches you the art of self-management and personal accountability. You are your own boss.
2. Precog is filled with knowledgeable people who are always willing to help. If you’re stuck on something, chances are someone in the lab has encountered a similar problem. You just need to proactively discuss and seek assistance. Ask for help. 

With renewed determination, I embarked on the next phase of my Precog journey. My collaboration with Prof. Jisun An was put on hold, and I started working with Neha Kumari, a PhD student from IIITD in Precog. Together, we worked on two research papers focused on protests and the collective narratives they share, primarily involving research on community structure.

Our paper titled “Understanding Coordinated Communities through the Lens of Protest-Centric Narratives: A Case Study on #CAA Protest” was accepted at ICWSM’24. This was my first publication, and it brought immense happiness and motivation to continue my research endeavors.

Collaboration and Success

After concluding my collaboration with Neha, I felt more confident and eager to take on new challenges. This newfound confidence led me back to the hate speech project, now with a clearer vision and stronger sense of purpose.

Initially, we had began out using a particular approach but ultimately changed our direction to examine how hate speech is changing on Twitter. We collected a sizable dataset after months of data collection, which was finished shortly before Twitter’s API was deprecated. This gave us the opportunity to consider several viewpoints and, in the end, concentrate on how the dynamics of hate speech have shifted since Elon Musk took over. We also devised a technique to recognize these alterations as they occur.

We (joint work with Arvindh, who was a Dual Degree Masters student in the lab then) put a lot of work into our short paper, which we submitted to WWW 2024 in my final semester, where it was just rejected. Not to be defeated, we revised our story rapidly and sent it again to WOAH’24, an NAACL workshop, where our paper titled “𝕏-posing Free Speech: Examining the Impact of Moderation Relaxation on Online Social Networks” was accepted.

Reflection and Gratitude

My journey at Precog was filled with ups and downs. There were moments when I lost motivation and faced failures in my experiments throughout the two years I spent in the lab. However, looking back, it was all worth it in the end. I had the privilege of working on four projects, publishing two research papers, and collaborating with exceptional individuals.

Precog provided me with a nurturing environment to grow as a researcher and an individual. The lab’s culture of collaboration, the guidance from Prof. PK, and the support of my peers were instrumental in shaping my research journey. I am grateful for the opportunities, the lessons learned, and the friendships forged during my time at Precog.

To anyone considering joining Precog or embarking on a research journey, I would say this: embrace the challenges, stay persistent, and never hesitate to seek help from the incredible community at Precog. The rewards of personal growth, collaborations, and the joy of contributing to impactful research make the journey worthwhile.

As I step into the next chapter of my life, I carry with me the lessons of persistence, collaboration, and the joy of discovery that Precog has instilled in me. These experiences have not only shaped my academic journey but have also prepared me for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.