Laasya Koduru

About me

I am a Ph.D. student in the Computer Science Department at the University of California, Santa Barbara, advised by Professor Arpit Gupta and Professor Elizabeth Belding.

Interests

My interests lie at the intersection of data-driven policymaking, networking, machine learning, and systems.

Research

My research is focused on enabling data-driven policymaking to achieve universal access to high-quality and affordable broadband networks. This involves addressing the disparities in internet access and digital equity, which inform policy actions like subsidy programs, rate regulations, and infrastructure funding. However, a significant gap exists between the broadband data currently used for policy decisions and the precise data needed. Often, these datasets are sparse, noisy, or based on unreliable self-reported information, leading to potentially flawed funding decisions that disproportionately affect underserved areas. To address this, there is an urgent need to develop a sustainable, open digital infrastructure to bridge this data gap and provide accurate data for effective policymaking.

Selected Publications

1. The Efficacy of the Connect America Fund in Addressing US Internet Access Inequities
   Haarika Manda, Varshika Srinivasavaradhan, Laasya Koduru, Kevin Zhang, Xuanhe Zhou, Udit Paul, Elizabeth Belding, Arpit Gupta, and Tejas N. Narechania.
   Proceedings of the ACM SIGCOMM 2024 Conference
   https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2405.18657
   
2. Measuring Broadband Policy Success
   Haarika Manda, Varshika Srinivasavaradhan, Laasya Koduru, Kevin Zhang, Xuanhe Zhou, Udit Paul, Elizabeth Belding, Arpit Gupta, and Tejas N. Narechania.
   In Harvard Law Review Blog 2024
   https://harvardlawreview.org/blog/2024/07/measuring-broadband-policy-success/