Shubh Jain

Year in School
Sophomore

Major
Computer Science

Research Interests

Research Mentor

Research/Engagement Experience

Interests

Project Title

How did I get interested in Computer Science?
I got interested in CS the same way I get interested in most things, I noticed a problem and wanted to fix it. I was using ChatGPT in 2023 and kept catching it being confidently wrong about things I knew the answers to. I wanted to understand whether that was a pattern or just noise, so I built a structured questionnaire and tested it systematically. That paper got published. I did not realize at the time that what I was doing had a name, or that it would pull me into a field I now cannot imagine leaving. Before that I had been building websites and small automation tools, but that moment of turning a genuine question into a rigorous investigation was what made me understand what CS actually was.

What social interests matter to me?

Why did you choose Illinois?
The CS program's reputation was impossible to ignore, top five in the country, a research culture that punches well above its size, and a faculty list that reads like a who's who of the areas I care about most. But what actually sealed it was talking to students who were here. They were building real things, publishing real research, and doing it as undergraduates. I grew up without a roadmap for any of this and I needed a place where the ceiling was as high as possible. UIUC felt like that place.

What are your passions outside of computing?
I care deeply about education access, and it is something I have spent years working on directly through Project Uthaan and Bharat Scouts. Beyond that, I love cooking, mostly Indian food but I have been experimenting with other cuisines since moving to the US and discovering that I have strong opinions about what constitutes a good bowl of ramen. I hike whenever I can. There is something about being physically tired and mentally quiet that I do not get anywhere else. I travel as much as a college budget allows. And I write, which started as a way to process things I did not yet understand and turned into two published books, so apparently it works.

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 things about Illinois has been discovering a community of people who share so many of the same interests and are driven to use what they're learning to make a real impact. Whether in classes, clubs, or programs, I've met people who genuinely inspire me.

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!
Bhopal in October. Chai at the wrong time of day. Badminton whenever and wherever.

Research Description

Biography
I am Shubh Jain, from Bhopal, India. I came to college with two industry internships, a patent, two published research papers, and two authored books, mostly because I have never been good at waiting until I feel ready to start something. My research interest is in AI interpretability, specifically understanding what is actually happening inside language models when they produce an output. Outside of research I mentor peers, build production software that real people use, and run educational programs for underserved communities. I am still figuring out a lot of things, but I am figuring them out quickly.