Who am I?

Hello! I'm Tejaaswini Narendran (finding it difficult to pronounce? no worries, call me TJ)!

I'm a Backend Developer with 3 years of professional experience based in Washington DC, US. I have a strong foundation in Python, especially within frameworks like Django and Flask, I've also extensively worked on frontend technologies like JavaScript, React, and Svelte.

I'm currently pursuing Masters in Computer Science at The George Washington University - School of Engineering and Applied Science.

I am passionate about cryptography and privacy protection, particularly Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) and have worked as a Blockchain researcher concentrating on elliptical curves and anomalies in smart contracts.

When I'm not coding, you can find me reading books, playing the ukele, watching F1, driving RC cars or exploring the city.

Research and Publications

Autonomous Systems

I am currently working as a Research Assistant under Prof. Sibin Mohan, focusing on the development of autonomous drones and rovers. My research is centered on secure communication protocols to enable robust and reliable data exchange between these systems, enhancing their safety, efficiency, and scalability.

I leverage the Robot Operating System (ROS) to develop and integrate custom libraries and packages for autonomous navigation, sensor fusion, and communication. I also have hands-on experience with Vicon motion capture systems, ensuring precise localization and control of drones for high-accuracy testing.

My expertise includes working with embedded systems such as NVIDIA Jetson platforms and Raspberry Pi, bridging the gap between software algorithms and physical hardware. This allows me to develop end-to-end solutions, covering low-level control and high-level decision-making.

My latest research focuses on detecting and mitigating buffer overflow attacks on drones. This includes analyzing vulnerabilities in communication protocols and onboard systems, implementing real-time detection mechanisms, and using secure coding practices to prevent exploitation. Ensuring the security and resilience of autonomous systems in adversarial environments is at the core of my work.

Blockchain and Cryptography

I'm passionate about cryptography and privacy protection, particularly Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) and have worked as a Blockchain researcher concentrating on elliptical curves and anomalies in smart contracts.

Collating all my research work, I've co-authored a book titled "Blockchain for Beginners: Art of Decentralization and Cryptography" which lays the foundation for most of the web3 concepts that one would require to get started.

I've also given a few talks on the same topic at various conferences and meetups.

Want to have a conversation? Here are a few topics I'm interested in

• I like digital art and sketching. I usually sketch on a wacom connected to my mac and use Sketchbook. - View My Artwork


• I enjoy wacthing F1. I support Ferrari (#forzaferrari) and I'm a huge fan of Vettel and Kimi. On non-race days I play F1 (currently playing F1 2022)


• I recently bought a RC car and I'm learning to drive it. I'm also learning to build one from scratch.


• I like to go on treks and hikes. Recently I went to The White Mountains in New hampshire. It is one of the highest peaks in New England and home to the most rugged and challenging terrain. I tend to click a lot of pictures during these hikes!



• I'm building an extension to for leetcode spaced repetition. Check out the repo here - Leetcode Spaced Repetition


• I also read a when I find time. I'm currently reading The Art of Invisibility by Kevin Mitnick. It provides essential strategies for securing personal privacy online, using real-life examples to demonstrate how to protect against hackers and maintain digital anonymity. I recently finished reading Tokyo Ghoul v1 by Sui Ishida. It's a dark fantasy manga series about a college student named Ken Kaneki who barely survives a deadly encounter with a ghoul and becomes a half-ghoul himself. He must learn to live in both worlds.


• Occasionally I also write poems. Here is one of my favorite one titled "Storyteller" It's a poem about how you wish to be loved.