Intro: Aditya (Adi) Gowd (E ‘25) is a blend of innovation, creativity, and mentorship. Whether he’s helping students as head teaching assistant for CIS 1100, fostering community as a residential advisor at Hill College House, or producing music with friends, he approaches every task with passion and enthusiasm. His interests range from engineering to music to mentorship, always finding ways to help and support those around him. With dedication and excitement, Adi leaves a lasting impact, making the Penn community a little better one step at a time.
Name: Aditya (Adi) Gowd
Hometown: Stratford, Conn.
Major: Bioengineering and Robotics
Activities: Head TA for CIS 1100, RA at Hill College House, Bell Senior Society, DJ@Penn.
Can you tell me a little bit more about where you’re from?
I was born in Connecticut to Indian immigrants. Although I did not grow up around many Indians, I lived in a diverse town where my neighborhood was home to people from many backgrounds, including Haiti, Puerto Rico, and many other places. The high school I attended gave me a lot of early exposure to a different range of people economically, culturally, religiously, and socioeconomically. As the only Indian student in my school, I found myself in an unlikely melting pot, where I had the opportunity to connect with people from very different walks of life. This experience has shaped my worldview and has taught me to appreciate and value diverse backgrounds.
What would you first think to offer/share about yourself when asked “Tell me about yourself?”
The first thing I would share about myself is that I am very into music. I love playing music, listening to it, and creating it as well.
I know you recently released a song. Can you tell me about that process?
One day, I went to my friend’s house to just play and record some guitar for one of his songs. We were just sitting there and, all of a sudden, had the idea to make a song from scratch at that moment. In the span of two hours, we had the barebones of the track with some verses and a strong chorus. It was really awesome to cook something up in just two hours. It was a completely random encounter, and it was not intentional at all. Over the next week and a half, we continued to ideate, record, and publicize the song. We released a song at the end of that week and a half. I could not have done it without my friend. I had always wanted to do this, but I just never really got around to it. I am really glad I got to publicize my music and put it out there, regardless of whether or not it's perfect.
The song is called “Tell Me” and it is kind of a love song. It touches on the feeling when one person is ready to commit but the other hesitates. It explores the frustration of knowing the person is enough but questioning why they aren’t ready to commit and take the next step. It deals with the feeling and dynamic of asking “Why I am not enough?” and “What’s the hold–up?”
When did you start to love music?
I distinctly remember getting an iPod Shuffle Nano when I was four or five, and I downloaded a lot of music. I listened to very mature music at a young age, such as Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar, and other early 2000s music, which, looking back, seems a little crazy for such a young kid—but I loved it. I would listen to it on the ride to school. I had a lot of older friends in my neighborhood who also helped teach me music and showed me different types of music to listen to. I started playing guitar at seven, and that was when I really got into performing, and that continued to grow throughout the years. I honestly think I would not have been able to develop this interest in music, specifically jazz and the music theory side, if it was not for the exceptional educators that I had. They really helped me take the extra steps to cultivate this passion of mine.
What is your favorite extracurricular activity that you are a part of?
I would say my favorite is probably TA’ing. I started TA’ing for CIS 1100 in the spring of my freshman year and became the head TA my junior year. Because I have been in this role for so long, I have been able to see the course evolve over the semesters. I really enjoy how dedicated the professors are to always wanting to improve the course. I also appreciate that CIS 1100 has a very diverse staff, probably one of the most in the Computer Science department. All of the TAs and instructors are committed to recruiting students from underrepresented backgrounds and incentivizing those groups to join the class. The staff always tries to ensure that the instructors are representative of the students who take the course. It is also always satisfying at the end of the semester to have people realize how much they enjoyed the course and see how much they have learned. I always try to focus on making this introductory course to a technical field as smooth as possible because it will incentivize more people to pursue it in the future. I do not think there is any reason that intro–level courses need to be incredibly difficult because that will only discourage people from continuing to learn it. I also love TA’ing because this is where I have met my best friends. It is an amazing, diverse group of students who have different interests and backgrounds. I also love this role as I care deeply about public education; I was able to come to Penn because of my dedicated teachers at my public high school, and TA’ing is the way I can give back and honor this.
How do you balance your interests all at once?
Everything comes in waves. I have accumulated all of these interests over four years, so it did not all happen at once. Something can consume more time at one point and less at another point. For example, junior year, being a head TA was new for me, so I focused a lot of my energy on that. But now in my senior year, having had more experience under my belt, I can also focus on other things that I am passionate about. Once I know the system, I feel more comfortable tackling more and exploring other interests as well. Also, everything is a break from the other thing; if I feel burnt out from school, being a TA serves as a break. Music can serve as a break if I get tired from being a TA. This makes everything more manageable. Also, just some advice—you don't have to do everything at once!
What accomplishment would you say you are most proud of?
I love being a mentor to others—building relationships and connections is one of my greatest accomplishments. I am also really proud of my song because I created something from nothing with a friend, and we got to bring our vision to life. Another moment I am proud of is performing at Chris’ Jazz Cafe, which is the oldest jazz cafe in Philly, during my junior year. It hosts amazing and talented musicians, yet I was able to really hold my own even when it was challenging and uncomfortable.
What is your favorite class you have taken at Penn?
I would have to say a freshman seminar I took with professor Tyshawn Sorey called “Creative Music Since 1959” was my favorite class at Penn. We listened to a lot of avant–garde jazz that was super unique and out there. I loved being able to see an alternate route in music where artists built off each other in very unique ways. It really challenged how I thought about music and opened my eyes to a new understanding of jazz and musicians.
Where do you see yourself in ten years from now?
I am the type of person who lives hour–by–hour and barely knows what I am doing for dinner until right before. I hope to be doing something that is a good balance between a technical career that impacts lives and a creative career that allows me to have an outlet to express myself. I never want to lose my creative side. I almost lost it at Penn, but I never want that to happen again. I want to always place a strong emphasis on creative endeavors no matter what that means.
What advice would you give to someone about to start at Penn:
Keep as open a mind as possible, because you never know what you might want at the end of these four years. This school has pipelines and paths to choose from, so it can be easy to feel siloed, but just always keep an open mind. Also, always try to prioritize only genuine connections.
Lightning round:
Favorite song as of now: "Name of God" by Mustafa
Favorite thing to do in Philly: I love walking anywhere.
If you could travel anywhere in the world where would you go: Countryside of India
Favorite food: Chicken over rice from any culture or any place
Favorite book: Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman
There are two types of people at Penn … Those who sidequest and those who don’t.
And you are … I'm a sidequester; in fact, my life is a whole sidequest.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Do you know that one senior who brings a smile to everyone’s face or always has the craaaziest stories? It’s time to give them the recognition they deserve. Ego of the Week seeks to showcase seniors not for their grades or any other academic construct, but for who they are as a person and the joy they bring to the people around them! Nominate your favorite Penn seniors for Ego of the Week!
