A comprehensive overview of my research interests, academic journey, and vision for doctoral studies made especially for faculty and admission committee
Hi! I'm Prithvi Raj Singh, currently serving as a Visiting Lecturer in Computer Science at McNeese State University. My journey in computer science began in my hometown of Birgunj, Nepal, where I developed a passion for problem-solving and technology that would eventually lead me across the world to pursue higher education.
I completed my Master's in Computer Science at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where I specialized in computer vision and robotics. My research focused on developing novel tracking algorithms for fast-moving small objects—a challenging problem that sits at the intersection of classical computer vision, deep learning, and physics-informed models.
Beyond research, I'm deeply passionate about teaching and mentoring. At McNeese, I teach everything from introductory Python programming to advanced machine learning courses. I believe in making complex concepts accessible and fostering a love for learning in my students. My mentoring experience dates back to my teenage where I would explain math, science topics to juniors.
Outside academia, I value physical fitness and mental well-being. I regularly engage in weight training, running, and yoga. I also stay connected to my roots—I grew up in a working-class family in southern Nepal, spending my childhood in a small village where I learned the values of hard work, perseverance, community, and asking for help.
Get to know me better through these short videos where I discuss about myself, my research, teaching philosophy, career aspirations.
A brief introduction about myself, my background, and what drives my passion for computer science research.
Overview of my master's thesis work on tracking fast-moving racquetball and future research directions.
My approach to teaching computer science and the joy I find in mentoring students.
My decision to pursue a PhD stems from a deep-seated desire to push the boundaries of computer vision and robotics. During my master's research, I encountered fundamental challenges in tracking fast-moving small objects—problems that existing state-of-the-art algorithms couldn't adequately solve. This experience ignited my passion for developing novel solutions that bridge theoretical innovation with practical implementation.
I believe that the next generation of robotic systems requires perception algorithms that are not only accurate but also efficient enough to run on edge devices. This vision drives my research interests and aligns perfectly with the cutting-edge work being done in computer vision and robotics labs worldwide.
A PhD will provide me the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to this field, collaborate with brilliant minds, and ultimately develop technologies that can make autonomous systems more capable and accessible. I'm particularly excited about the prospect of working on projects that combine classical computer vision techniques with modern deep learning approaches, informed by physics-based models.
Moreover, I am passionate about academia and see a PhD as a crucial step toward a career in research and teaching at the university level. I aspire to mentor the next generation of computer scientists, just as I have been mentored throughout my journey. I also want my PhD to form a basis for future Company.
Developing robust vision systems for robots to understand and interact with dynamic environments, with emphasis on real-time performance.
Tracking and trajectory forecasting of objects in 3D space, particularly challenging scenarios involving rapid motion and occlusion.
Optimizing complex vision algorithms to run efficiently on resource-constrained devices like Jetson TX and Raspberry Pi.
Integrating physics-based motion models with deep neural networks to improve tracking accuracy and prediction reliability.
Applying RL techniques to optimize sequential decision-making in computer vision tasks like object detection and tracking.
Exploring machine learning on microcontrollers and embedded systems for ultra-low-power intelligent devices.
Aug 2024 - Present
Teaching programming fundamentals and machine learning. Developed new course materials and mentored undergraduate students in research projects.
Sep 2023 - July 2024
Worked as a part-time research associate at IRI, helping manage high-school interns and assist lead researchers in their research projects.
Aug 2021 - Aug 2023
Thesis: Real-time Object Detection and Tracking of Fast-moving Small Objects. Developed novel tracking algorithms combining Kalman filtering with physics-based models.
Aug 2021 - July 2023
Finished my MS Thesis research. Mentored several UG research apprentices. Helped in several research project
2021 - 2023 (Part-time)
Developed software solutions for transportation researchers. Led development of GeoTechPileCPT software using .NET framework.
Primary source for funding during regular semesters in the MS program
2017 - 2021
Minor in Mathematics. President of ACM Chapter. Founding member of Robotics Club.
2017
Left my hometown and motherland of Birgunj, Nepal to pursue higher education in the United States, marking the beginning of my academic journey.
Life Motto: "Whatever work you do, do it fully - not for reward, prestige - just for fun in action" (Modified for Bhagvad Gita)
I'm actively seeking PhD opportunities for Fall 2026. If you believe my research interests align with your lab's work, or if you'd like to discuss potential collaboration, I'd love to hear from you.