Nathan Decker
PhD in Industrial and Systems Engineering
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
I've received a lot of great advice over the years, (including from my faculty advisor here at USC), but my favorite advice comes from my grandfather, who passed away last year at the age of 100. He would often remind me to cultivate a heart of gratitude by not taking for granted the small things that God blesses us with each day.
What do you consider your greatest accomplishment?
My friends and I formed a band to compete in our high school talent show, and won! (I played the harmonica. Yikes...)
What's your favorite impulse purchase from the past 12 months?
During the height of the pandemic, I decided to splurge - and prioritize self-care - by getting a set of adjustable-weight dumbbells, since I couldn't go to the gym. It took 3 months for them to arrive, but when they finally did, it upped my home-workout game immensely! I'm also way less likely to skip a workout, since there's no excuse now.
Please describe a little about your research and what excites you about it.
My research focuses on the application of artificial intelligence to 3D printing. I try to make printers smarter by enabling them to learn from their past mistakes and leverage diverse sources of sensor data, resulting in parts that are more accurate. This is important for applications where the part must be functional, which are increasing in frequency as 3D printing becomes more utilized. I love my research, since it forces me to work across a number of fields and learn a little bit about everything to solve problems.
If you could choose any other profession outside of engineering or computer science, what would it be?
Before I realized that I have a passion for engineering, I was a Philosophy major for a year during my undergraduate studies, and really enjoyed the experience. Had I not come to that realization, I might have tried to pursue a career as a Philosophy professor.
What are some factors that helped you decide to pursue your PhD at USC?
My love for USC began from a young age! Sadly, from 1995 (the year I was born) to 2015, Los Angeles lacked an NFL team, meaning that if you wanted to cheer for a football team, USC and UCLA were the only game in town. Thankfully, my dad chose correctly, and decided that our family would root for USC. He took me to watch open football practices on campus growing up, where you could meet players and coaches, as well as a good number of games in the Coliseum. When it came time to decide where I would go to grad school, I could say that it was USC's outstanding reputation, the fantastic resources that my department offers, the amazing Trojan family, or the great fit with my advisor and lab that sealed the deal, but deep down, I think it was the memories with my father that convinced me I couldn't be anywhere else.
If you were to recommend to an incoming student 3 places to go in California/Los Angeles, what would they be?
#1 Get a breakfast burrito at Phanny's in Redondo Beach and take it to the ocean, just a quick 5 minute walk away.
#2 Visit the Irwindale Speedway for their 'Night of Destruction', a full fledged demolition derby! Trust me on this - it's so much fun.
#3 Have a picnic at the Getty to take in some beautiful views and incredible art.
What is a memory you'll cherish about your time at USC?
During my first year at USC, a group of PhD students from my department decided to celebrate the last final of the semester (which finished at 9 PM) with a late night hot pot / fondue get-together on campus. The flavors were incredible, and we each got to share a bit of our cultures with the food that we contributed and passed around over newspaper laid out on the breakroom table.
What's one thing about you that might surprise me?
I don't want to brag too much, but as a PhD student, I've been able to get plenty of sleep.
What are your plans after graduation?
In my career, I hope to continue working on challenging problems and learning from brilliant people, wherever that may be.
Hometown (city, country):
La Mirada, CA
Personal Website (if any):
www.nathanidecker.com
Faculty Advisor:
Prof. Qiang Huang
