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Meet Hafeez Jaffer, Software Engineer, Communications and Radar Systems, Engineering & Systems Division

Focus at SRI
My focus is to solve a variety of technical problems by applying my knowledge of programming, algorithm development, and data analysis. I have worked on projects involving over-the-horizon radar, ground penetrating radar, voice over IP (VoIP), speech recognition, and hierarchical temporal memory.  

Day in the life of SRI
Like most SRI employees, I typically spend my day working on multiple projects, which entails managing a busy and challenging schedule.

Before SRI
Upon completion of my bachelor’s and master’s degrees, I was with Applied Signal Technology for two years as a software engineer.

Academics
M.S. and B.S, Computer Science, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA

My concentration of studies was in distributed computing, software engineering, and artificial intelligence (expert systems, genetic algorithms, and neural networks).

Why SRI?
I was attracted to SRI because of the opportunity to work on the latest cutting-edge research with the most talented people in the industry. If a project is not challenging, you will not find it at SRI! Furthermore, I get to work on problems that have a worldwide impact and I can be a part of SRI’s legacy of innovation.

Inspiration and motivation
I am especially motivated by being able to learn something new each day as I collaborate and exchange ideas with my SRI colleagues. I feel rewarded when I receive recognition from our clients for providing solutions to their problems. I also find it inspiring to participate in great scientific innovations and discoveries.

What has changed in your field since you began your career, and what new or exciting trends are you seeing?
I have witnessed a general shift in software applications utilizing multiple CPUs/GPUs, becoming cross-platform and web-enabled, and increasingly installed on portable devices. There has also been significant progress in the field of artificial intelligence, specifically in the areas of image and speech recognition.

Proudest Professional Accomplishments
One of my projects involved rewriting the software to control SRI’s anechoic radar chamber, a shielded room designed to attenuate electromagnetic energy. The older software was written in Fortran, had a text-based interface, and was primarily understood only by a few experts. The new software, written in C++, uses the latest QT GUI toolkit, runs on a standard computer with Linux or Windows, and features an easy-to-use GUI interface.

Another accomplishment that I am proud of relates to when I was tasked to research HTM (hierarchical temporal memory). I successfully created a voice recognition software application that could identify a speaker once their voice was recorded by a laptop’s microphone. I demonstrated this application at the annual HTM Workshop Conference.

Languages
In addition to English, I speak Spanish and understand an Indian language called Gujarati. I also know several programming languages such as C, C++, Java, JESS, CLIPS, CShell, Fortran, Visual Basic, Python, Matlab, IDL, and many more.

Away from the Office
I spend my personal time enjoying outdoor activities, such as hiking, biking, skiing, baseball, basketball, kayaking, running, etc. I also volunteer at many charitable organizations, my favorites being Charity Focus and Karma Kitchen.

Words of Wisdom for SRI Colleagues
Find a project that makes you come alive. That is the key to keeping work interesting and challenging. Also, expand your skills by learning from others. An eclectic, versatile skillset will put you in high demand on a variety of projects.