Muhammad Twaha Ibrahim, PhD, Computer Science
Muhammad Twaha Ibrahim is a research engineer and will graduate with a PhD in Computer Science on June 15 in the Bren Events Center. He will also be the student speaker during the Grad Hooding Ceremony.
His research is in Spatially Augmented Reality, which uses projectors to illuminate objects of any shape and size and completely transform their appearance. He has also been collaborating with plastic surgeons from UCI Health to apply his research in the surgeries by illuminating surgical sites using projectors. And last month, he successfully ran his system on a real patient in the OR. He was also the UC Irvine Grad Slam Champion of 2023. While his research technology transforms the appearance of objects, he looks back and reflects how much technology has transformed the world since he started at UCI.
What is your favorite memory at UCI?
“He’s going to win before he graduates.” Hearing Dean Gillian Hayes announce me as the winner of UCI Grad Slam 2023 has to be my favorite memory at UCI. It took me four attempts until I finally won. But winning that competition meant a lot more to me, beyond just professional growth or being the champion. To me, it created an important paradigm shift: failure is not a lack of success, but a learning opportunity. True failure is not trying when you have the chance.
What are your plans after graduation?
I will be joining Summit Technology Laboratory, a local startup company where I will continue working on my research. I will also continue collaborating with the plastic surgeons from UCI Health to improve and enhance the medical application of my research.
Failure is not a lack of success, but a learning opportunity. True failure is not trying when you have the chance. – Muhammad Twaha Ibrahim
I really want to start my own company at some point! That’s one of the many awesome things that UCI encourages its students to do. And I really want to advance the medical application of my research. I truly believe it has enormous potential to transform surgery across the world.
My advisor, of course! Dr. Aditi Majumder. I feel very blessed to have had her as my advisor. Beyond just research and academics, she has been enormously supportive throughout my studies and has taught me many important life lessons, including that life will close many doors in your face, but with every door that is shut lies an opportunity to look for other open ones.
The importance of networking! Having a good professional network can make a huge difference in our professional lives. Kudos to our Graduate Division that works really hard to help us students develop such a network!