Dr. Elakkiya R is an accomplished researcher, educator, and innovator, currently serving as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at the Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Pilani, Dubai Campus. She earned all her academic degrees from Anna University, Chennai, consistently demonstrating academic excellence. She secured the University First Rank and was awarded a Gold Medal for her exceptional performance during her graduation studies. She completed her Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Engineering (2010), Master’s degree in Software Engineering (2012), and Ph.D. (2018), with her doctoral research specializing in Sign Language Recognition.

Dr. Elakkiya has been recognized among the Top 2% World Scientists by the Stanford-Elsevier global rankings (2024-25) for her significant contributions to Artificial Intelligence and Image Processing. Her research has resulted in the publication of over 75 research articles in premier journals like IEEE Transactions, Elsevier, and Springer, 6 patents, 6 authored books, and 7 book chapters, with her work cited extensively across Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science.

Over her career, Dr. Elakkiya R has secured 14 extra-mural funded projects as Principal Investigator (12 projects) and Co-Principal Investigator (2 projects), with grants awarded by prestigious agencies including DST-RFBR (Indo-Russian Joint Collaboration), SERB-SRG, DRDO-iDEX, AICTE-RPS, Royal Society UK-IES, TVS Motors, TVS Credits, and Trajectorie Business Solutions. She has also led bilateral research projects under Indo-Russian and Indo-UK programs, fostering global partnerships in Artificial Intelligence-driven healthcare and assistive innovations. In addition to her research engagements, Dr. Elakkiya actively serves as an AI/ML consultant for industries, delivering several cutting-edge technology projects across diverse sectors.

Dr. Elakkiya’s leadership is equally noteworthy: she is the Chair of the ACM-W Professional Dubai Chapter and Vice President of the ACM Dubai Professional Chapter, both of which are the UAE's first ACM Professional Chapters convened under her leadership. She also serves as the Associate Head of the Anuradha and Prashanth Palakurthi Centre for Artificial Intelligence Research (APPCAIR) and the Chairperson of the Staff Welfare Committee at BITS Pilani Dubai Campus. She has successfully organized and coordinated several international conferences and workshops, including CINS 2023 & 2024 and InterSys 2023, 2024 & 2025.

Her excellence has been acknowledged through numerous accolades, such as the Young Achiever Award (INSc, 2019), the iDEX Challenge Winner Award (DIO-DRDO, 2021), the Rising Star Educator Award (AIMER Society), and recognition as an Intel OneAPI Innovator. She has also been an invited speaker and panellist at over 30 prestigious national and international events.

Dr. Elakkiya is a professional member of ACM, ACM-W, IEEE, IEEE Young Professionals, IEEE Women in Engineering, and a Lifetime Member of the International Association of Engineers. Her research aims to bridge the critical gaps across multidisciplinary fields, integrating Computer Science, Mathematics, Engineering, and Application Domains, with a focus on advancing Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning solutions for real-world impact.

Educational Qualifications

Administrative Responsibilities

Chair: ACM-W Professional Dubai Chapter (2025-2026)

Vice Chairperson: ACM Professional Dubai Chapter (2024-2025)

APPCAIR: Associate Head (2024-2026)

Chairperson: Staff Welfare Committee (2023-2026)

Clubs: Microsoft Tech Club & Allure