# Mihir Bhagatwala

> Computer Engineering @ UC Santa Cruz

Location: Santa Cruz, California, United States
Profile: https://flows.cv/mihirbhagatwala

Hey! I’m a computer engineering student exploring how light and computation intersect—building embedded systems that see and interpret the world.

At UC Santa Cruz, I work in the SWIM Lab on imaging for medical isotope detection and develop computer vision pipelines for underwater robotics through Slugbotics, using OpenCV and YOLOv8 to map and analyze shipwrecks.

I’m especially interested in optical computing, sensor fusion, and bio-inspired imaging systems. I love designing experiments that turn raw signals into insight—whether through photodiodes, microcontrollers, or code.

Always open to collaborations in robotics, imaging, or embedded systems research.

## Work Experience
### Undergraduate Research Assistant @ University of California, Santa Cruz
Jan 2025 – Present | Santa Cruz, California, United States
Designed Arduino-based data acquisition systems for isotope imaging experiments.

Applied computational modeling to optimize detector positioning and improve imaging resolution.

Managed and calibrated photonic instruments under guidance of Prof. Bruce Schumm.

### Charging Engineer @ Formula Slug
Jan 2025 – Present | Santa Cruz, California, United States
Creating a PCB to regulate charging to an EV, monitoring voltage amount, safety checks, etc.

Integrating PCB into a vehicle to compete in the 2026 FSAE competition.

### Computer Vision Engineer @ Slugbotics
Jan 2025 – Present | Santa Cruz, California, United States
Developed an underwater shipwreck detection system using OpenCV and YOLOv8, increasing object recognition accuracy by 25%.

Designed and implemented waterproof camera housings for real-time image capture.

Collaborated with mechanical and electrical subteams to integrate vision modules into ROV architecture.

### Teaching Assistant @ AoPS Academy San Diego - Carmel Valley
Jan 2023 – Jan 2023 | San Diego, California, United States
Taught mathematical problem-solving to students aged 8–12 using Socratic and visual methods.


## Education
### Bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering
University of California, Santa Cruz

### The Bishop's School


## Contact & Social
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/mihir-bhagatwala

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Source: https://flows.cv/mihirbhagatwala
JSON Resume: https://flows.cv/mihirbhagatwala/resume.json
Last updated: 2026-04-10