Ganesh Neelakanta Iyer Ph.D.

Dr. Ganesh Neelakanta Iyer is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Computer Science at the National University of Singapore. A dedicated educator and researcher, he bridges the gap between high-level industrial practice and academic excellence, specializing in Agile Software Engineering, Cloud Computing, and Applied Machine Learning.

Education & Academic Background: Dr. Iyer holds a distinguished academic record, having earned his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering from Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, where he secured the University First Rank. He subsequently moved to Singapore to complete both his Master’s (2008) and PhD (2012) at the National University of Singapore.

Prior to his current role at NUS, he held significant academic positions as an Associate Professor at Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham and as a Visiting Faculty member at IIIT-Hyderabad.

Industry Expertise: With over a decade of experience in the software industry, Dr. Iyer has worked with global leaders such as Salesforce, NXP Semiconductor, Sasken Communication Technologies, and Progress Software. His multifaceted career has spanned various critical roles, including - QA Architect, Technical Support Manager, Engineering Development Lead, Lead DevOps Engineer and Technology Evangelist.

As a staunch advocate for Agile methodologies, he has managed complex, large-scale business products in roles such as Scrum Master and Product Owner. He now brings this practical expertise into the classroom to prepare the next generation of software engineers.

Research & Innovation: STeAdS: In 2021, Dr. Iyer founded STeAdS (Software Engineering and Technological Advancements for Society), a virtual research group that leverages technology for social good. STeAdS fosters global collaboration on projects within three primary pillars: (1) Cultural Heritage: Applying AI, image processing, and cloud computing to preserve traditional theatre arts like Kathakali (India) and Wayang Kulit (Indonesia), (2) Healthcare: Utilizing modern engineering paradigms to improve health outcomes, (3) Education: Developing technological solutions to enhance learning and accessibility.

Professional Achievements & Publications: An IEEE Senior Member, Dr. Iyer has contributed extensively to the field of computational social sciences, EdgeAI, Software Engineering Education and Federated learning in low-power networks.

Global Presence: He is a frequent speaker and workshop lead at academic and business conferences across North America, South Ameria, Europe, Australia, and Asia, focusing on Agile software engineering, computational social sciences and edgeAI for healthcare.

Arts & Culture: Beyond his technical pursuits, Dr. Iyer is a Maestro of Kathakali, a traditional Indian dance-drama. He is deeply committed to cultural preservation, organizing performances and workshops worldwide. Notably, he composed the Kathakali story “Sri Mookambika Mahathmyam,” which has been staged across multiple venues in India.