Tarang Pande

Year in School
Freshman

Major

Research Interests

Research Mentor

Research/Engagement Experience

Interests

Project Title

How did I get interested in Computer Science?
I got into computer science because I needed a way to execute ideas. I've always liked solving problems, whether it's math puzzles, philosophical questions, or figuring out how systems work. But at some point, just understanding something theoretically wasn't enough. I wanted to build things, test solutions, and see if they worked. That’s where Computer Science came in as a tool. You have an idea, you write code, you run it, you see results. No fluff, no waiting, but just direct feedback on whether your solution holds up or falls apart. That's what hooked me. It's problem-solving with immediate execution. You're not just thinking about how something should work but you're making it work, debugging when it breaks, or optimizing when it's slow.

What social interests matter to me?

Why did you choose Illinois?
UIUC is one of the top computer science schools in the country with serious research infrastructure. The R1 research designation means I'd have access to cutting-edge work across domains, including machine learning, systems, and theory. UIUC also has NCSA, one of the only supercomputing centers of its kind in the entire country. That kind of computational resource is rare and opens research opportunities you just can't get elsewhere. But beyond academics, I was also drawn to campus culture. I've always been more introverted, and I wanted to push myself to become more sociable and well-rounded. UIUC has this vibrant, collaborative community. It felt like the right environment to grow not just technically, but personally too.

What are your passions outside of computing?
I read a lot: philosophy, books from different cultures, and research papers. Outside that, I play video games to unwind, bowl when I need something physical and competitive, and listen to music constantly (pop/rap is my go-to).

What has been one of your favorite experiences at Illinois that you would like to share with prospective students? (For Continuing UIUC Students)
One of my favorite experiences during my first semester has been the welcome week along with Quad Day. The events during welcome week were truly one of its kind, and I'm glad I took part in them. Quad Day was also really well done, as we had more than a thousand clubs/groups spread across all the Quads, and going around to each booth and learning more about what the club did with my friends was also really fun.

What has been one of your favorite experiences as a CS STAR? (For Returning CS STARS)

What is my most impactful college experience?

These are a few of my favorite things!
Listening to music, Pets (cats, dogs, hamsters, owls), Bowling

Research Description

Biography
My name is Tarang Pande and I am majoring in Computer Science & Philosophy at UIUC. I am from New Jersey, originally from India. I became interested in computer science because I see it as a tool to execute problem-solving, as a way to turn ideas into reality. I've worked on projects involving time series forecasting for pharmaceutical demand, federated learning systems, and algorithmic trading. Outside of academics, I enjoy reading philosophy from different cultures, playing video games, bowling, and listening to music.