Some of the best science fiction writers have been scientists: Alice Sheldon (James Tiptree, Jr.), Poul Anderson, David Brin, and many others. S.B. Divya takes up that mantle. Here’s more from IEEE Spectrum:
As well as being a writer, Divya has worked as an EE for 20 years. “My B.S. from Caltech is in computation and neural systems, and my UC San Diego master’s in engineering is in signal processing and communications. My jobs have involved everything from pattern-recognition work—including getting two patents—and signal processing to AI and machine learning, including designing [physical]-layer signal processing at Marvell Semiconductor and developing and implementing the AI engine for the SleepWatch app for iOS.”
“I began reading science fiction around age 10,” recalls Divya. “Around 13 or 14, I became more interested in physics and astrophysics, but I’ve also always been interested in metaphysics—philosophy of the mind, existence, the universe…the big questions.” As an undergrad at Caltech, “when I came across the computational neuroscience department, I thought it was great because it integrated all these different disciplines—physics, electrical engineering, and biology,” she says. “Having a broad cross-subject undergrad major has helped me in doing research for my science fiction, because I am pretty comfortable looking at space science, geophysics, and various forms of biology. As an SF writer, my strength is to draw on that breadth of subject matter and be able to integrate it into a fully realized fictional world.”