Biography

Kushas Khadka is a Researcher and Software Engineer at the Engineering for Democracy Institute (EDI) at the University of Rhode Island. He joined EDI in Fall 2023 as a Graduate Student Researcher while pursuing his MS in Computer Science at URI and continues to contribute to the institute’s research and engineering initiatives following graduation. His work focuses on developing data-driven tools and software systems that support election administration, operational planning, and civic technology.

Before joining URI, Kushas was a Founding Engineer at Upaya CityCargo, a logistics technology company in Nepal. During his five years with the organization, he helped design, build, and maintain web-based platforms used by more than 5,000 drivers and 30,000 customers. His work included developing backend services, operational tools, and scalable software systems that improved efficiency across logistics operations.

Kushas earned his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, and his Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Rhode Island, where he received the Graduate School Tuition Scholarship for the 2024–2025 academic year. His interests include artificial intelligence, accessibility, software engineering, human-computer interaction, and the application of technology to address complex societal challenges.