Dr. Viktor Prasanna

Professor

Build a Statement of Purpose

Generate a tailored SOP for Dr. Viktor Prasanna. Improve your application with a focused, well-structured draft.

Biography

Viktor K. Prasanna is the Charles Lee Powell Chair in Electrical Engineering and a Professor of Computer Science at the University of Southern California (USC). He serves as the director of the Center for Energy Informatics and an associate member of the Center for Applied Mathematical Sciences. His leadership extends to the Integrated Optimizations efforts at the USC-Chevron Center of Excellence for Research and Academic Training on Interactive Smart Oilfield Technologies and the LA Smartgrid project focused on demand response optimizations. Prasanna holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronic Engineering from Bangalore University, a Master’s degree in Computer Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, and a Doctorate in Computer Science from Pennsylvania State University. He is a recognized expert in High Performance Computing, Parallel Distributed Systems, Reconfigurable Computing, Cloud Computing, and Smart Energy Systems. His extensive publication record and consultancy work span several industries. Prasanna has held significant editorial roles, including serving as Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE Transactions on Computers and the Journal of Parallel Distributed Computing. He has received numerous awards for his contributions to the field, including the W. Wallace McDowell Award and the Outstanding Engineering Alumnus Award from Pennsylvania State University.

Research Interests

Experience

Professor

2000-01-01 — Present

University of Southern California • Los Angeles, CA

Conduct research and teach in the areas of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

Awards

#

W. Wallace McDowell Award

2015-01-01
#

Outstanding Engineering Alumnus Award

2009-01-01

Requirements for University of Southern California

Master Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
TOEFL
Listening
Required:20
Reading
Required:20
Writing
Required:20
Speaking
Required:20
Total
Required:90
IELTS
Listening
Required:6
Reading
Required:6
Writing
Required:6
Speaking
Required:6
Overall
Required:6.5
GRE General
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Math, or Hard Science
Application Checklist
  • Online application
  • Official transcripts
  • Personal Statement
  • Resume/CV
  • Letters of Recommendation (not required for MS CS, but allowed)
Specialization Notes

GRE is NOT required for Master's applicants for 2025-2026.