From UC Berkeley to Google: Tech scholar’s academic roots inspire purposeful solutions

Supported by IMDA’s SG Digital scholarship, he has leveraged his education and work experience to innovate with purpose

When faced with a challenge that needs the world’s brightest minds to solve, Joshua Chandiramani would assemble his dream team: the three legendary Steves.

The late visionary Steve Jobs, for his problem-solving skills; his fellow Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, for his technical brilliance; and movie director Steven Spielberg, for his boundless creativity.

For Joshua, it is not just about individual genius – it is about how diverse perspectives and teamwork can unlock solutions no single person is able to achieve alone.

It is a lesson the 25-year-old Singapore Digital (SG Digital) scholar honed during his transformative years at the University of California (UC), Berkeley in the United States, under IMDA’s Singapore Digital (SG Digital) Scholarship.

Today, he is working in Silicon Valley as a software engineer at Google.

In his job, Joshua channels these principles of creativity, technical expertise and collaboration into creating innovative, secure and scalable software solutions. These qualities have fuelled his lifelong passion: harnessing technology to improve lives on a global scale.

“The tech industry is evolving rapidly with the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML),” Joshua shares. “These powerful tools are transforming the way we enhance and deliver services, making them more efficient and effective.”

Realising tech dreams in Silicon Valley

Growing up, Joshua remembers receiving his first Apple iPhone on his 13th birthday. He also used to watch one of his favourite tech leaders Steve Jobs present at Apple’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference.

“I was moved by the introductory video that highlighted how apps have made a difference in people’s lives,” he says. “When a blind man discovered a GPS app that enabled him to walk independently through a large forest next to his home, tears of joy streamed down his cheeks – he had gotten his freedom back. It was then that I decided I wanted to pursue a career in computing to develop innovative solutions to problems that will improve people’s lives.”

Recognising that the SG Digital Scholarship could serve as a direct pathway to his aspirations, Joshua applied for and was awarded the scholarship after completing his A levels at Raffles Institution (Junior College).

Landing a scholarship that brought him to the epicentre of tech innovation – Silicon Valley – has been a dream come true for Joshua.

The scholarship not only covered his overseas expenses for three years, but also connected him with IMDA’s wide network of tech leaders and fellow engineers in the birthplace of iconic companies that have shaped society.

At UC Berkeley, his bachelor’s degree in computer science allowed him to take courses in AI, ML, deep learning and natural language processing.

He worked on innovative projects, including creating an AI-powered neural network to help identify and classify brain tumours in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, contributing to advances in medtech.

Tech as a force for good

While at university, this self-described “try everything at least once” student went beyond his computer science studies to fully embrace Silicon Valley’s culture.

Besides joining creative classes like acting, theatre and art, Joshua was also vice-president of NextGen Consulting at UC Berkeley, a competitive consulting club where he was part of a team developing data-driven business development and marketing strategies for businesses such as United Airlines, Lyft, Sephora and Blue Origin.

“There, I learnt more about business than I could have in the classroom,” he says. “I continue to apply many of the transferable skills that I have picked up – such as public speaking and presentation skills – to my work today.”

Joshua also joined and became the president of Big Data at UC Berkeley – one of the largest data science clubs at the university – where he led the creation of a free, self-paced online course called Data Science Demystified to help secondary school students around the world learn more about AI and ML.

“Data science is an emerging field and actually, much of AI and ML comes from data science, not just computer science,” he says. “When I was growing up, I did not have such a resource and it is not offered in high schools, so I wanted to make it more available to the youth today, equipping them with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in an increasingly data-driven world.”

When he returns to Singapore to serve his five-year bond – SG Digital scholars can fulfil their bond in a tech or media role at any organisation and industry of their choice – Joshua plans to dive deeper into AI and ML.

“In today’s fast-changing job market, staying relevant means upskilling and reskilling, especially for technical roles. With platforms like Coursera and Big Data at Berkeley offering free AI and ML courses, there is no shortage of opportunities to learn.

“Change is the only constant. Embracing change allows us to adapt, acquire new skills and innovate, helping us grow both personally and professionally,” he says.