Bhoj Raj Thapa

Doctor of Philosopy (PH.D.) in Electrical Engineering

Aug 2021 - Present

University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky, USA

Dissertation Title (working on): EEG-based Brain Machine Interfaces using Freewill for Reaching and Grasping Tasks

Bachelor of Electronics & Communication Engineering (BE)

Sep 2014 - Sep 2018

Nepal Engineering College (Affiliated to Pokhara University), Bhaktapur, Nepal

Thesis Title: Classification of EEG signal before epileptic seizure to detect its onset for a patient-specific case.

Higher Secondary School (+ 2 Science)

2012 - 2014

Liverpool International SS/College, Kathmandu, Nepal

Concentration: Computer Science & Mathematics

From my days in higher secondary school in Nepal, my deep interest in Engineering and Technology was sparked by an enriching education in Computer Science and Mathematics, inspiring me to explore how innovative technological solutions can address real-world challenges.

School Leaving Certificate (SLC)

2012

Shree Mahendra Jyoti Secondary School, Bheerkot, Syangja, Nepal

Graduate Teaching Assistant

Aug 2021 - Present

Department of Eletrical and Computer Engineering, University of Kentucky, Kentucky, USA

• Utilized MATLAB and LabView to enhance instruction materials, evaluated over 200 assignments, and provided mentorships to 100+ students, improving their understanding of Signals and Systems through two courses: Lecture (EE421G) and Laboratory (EE422G).

Graduate Research Assistant

Aug 2021 - Aug 2022, Summer 2024

Neural Interfaces & Signal Processing (NISP) Lab, University of Kentucky, USA

• Recorded/acquired multi-modal EEG/EOG data of 22 subjects over 2.5 years for developing goal-driven Brain-Machine Interface (BMI) algorithms for freewill reaching and grasping task.
• Analyzed and classified EEG data for pre-movement intention motor imagery using Fourier Transform and Spectrogram for frequency domain analysis and KTD-based reinforcement learning algorithms, thereby advancing understanding of neural patterns in movement prediction.
• Executed precise EEG data recording for EEG-fMRI-based inter-ictal clinical epilepsy research study, contributing to critical insights in inter-ictal clinical research and potential treatment avenues.

Research Assistant

Aug 2019 - Dec 2019

Kathmandu Institute of Applied Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal

• Engineered an innovative, cost-effective mobile weather station leveraging Arduino, which captures comprehensive meteorological data, enhancing real-time environmental monitoring capabilities.
• Led and mentored an intern, guiding the successful development and implementation of the mobile weather station project, ensuring quality and timely project delivery.