What role do you play at COSMOS?

I am a Data Engineer at COSMOS, where I help build scalable, robust, and resilient data pipelines that power socio-computational research and tools.

Please share a bit about your professional background and experience.

I’m Sanket Bhangale, originally from India, and I recently graduated from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a Bachelor of Computer Science degree.

My background combines software development with data engineering, which I look forward to applying to COSMOS Research Center’s initiatives.

What attracted you to join the COSMOS Research Center? What aspects of COSMOS’s vision, mission, and culture stood out to you and why?

What drew me to Prof. Nitin Agarwal was the real-world impact of the work he is leading at COSMOS. Prof. Agarwal has established an interdisciplinary team of researchers working at the intersection of social computing, artificial intelligence, and data science to understand digital behaviors and forecast trends for social good, which is quite remarkable.

That kind of mission, where cutting-edge technology directly serves society, is exactly the environment I wanted to grow in as a Data Engineer. I was also inspired by Prof. Agarwal’s deep commitment of transitioning research into usable software tools to bring research closer to the community. Prof. Agarwal’s work has been recognized by organizations such as the U.S. Department of State’s Global Engagement Center, NATO, and the World Health Organization for over two decades.

How do you anticipate your role at COSMOS helping your growth on both a personal and professional level? Are there any specific skills or experiences you’re looking to gain?

Professionally, I am eager to learn how LLMs can be applied to real-world social and behavioral data. The research environment created by Prof. Agarwal at COSMOS gives me direct exposure to that frontier.

Personally, being part of a globally diverse, mission-driven team will sharpen how I think, collaborate, and solve problems at scale.

From your experience, what tips, insights, or advice would you share with someone starting a new role at COSMOS?

Having clear fundamentals is the most important thing at COSMOS. Prof. Agarwal is leading some of the most advanced research projects solving pressing real-world problems. The work at COSMOS is deep and fast-moving, and understanding things fundamentally, rather than relying only on surface-level solutions, is what’s needed and motivates me to keep coming back every day.

If you could share a meal with any historical figure or fictional character, who would it be, and what would you want to talk about and learn from them?

I would choose Ratan Tata. Beyond his business legacy, what I admire most about him is how he led with humility and integrity on a scale.

I would want to talk about how he balanced bold vision with staying grounded, how he made decisions under pressure, and what it truly means to build something that outlasts you.