INTERNATIONAL OUTSTANDING RESEARCHER AWARD
I’m Jayaram Immaneni, a technology leader passionate about building scalable, secure, and intelligent infrastructure for modern enterprises. As Vice President of ML Ops at JP Morgan Chase, I lead initiatives that merge machine learning, DevOps, and cloud-native technologies to drive efficiency, innovation, and resilience across the organization. With a background that began in biotechnology and evolved through system administration, infrastructure engineering, and site reliability, I bring a unique interdisciplinary perspective to complex problems—especially in the fields of data, fintech, and artificial intelligence. Over the years, I’ve led major transformations, from data center migrations to cloud-native adoption. One of my proudest contributions has been architecting and orchestrating the migration from legacy Virtual Server Infrastructure (VSI) to Kubernetes-based environments—projects that not only enhanced scalability and system performance but also significantly reduced operational overhead and environmental footprint. As the first to migrate an application to Kubernetes at scale within the firm, I helped establish a roadmap for future containerized deployments that align with both sustainability goals and performance benchmarks. My journey has been fueled by a commitment to continuous learning. I hold certifications in AWS DevOps, Kubernetes (Administrator and Developer), Terraform, Apache Airflow, and TigerGraph. These reflect my ability to implement infrastructure as code, automate complex data workflows, and scale machine learning operations using technologies like Jenkins, GitLab, Helm, and Terraform. My work has spanned end-to-end ML pipelines—data ingestion, preprocessing, training, validation, deployment—and integration of predictive models with real-time systems, using frameworks like TensorFlow, PyTorch, and Scikit-learn. One of the most impactful projects I led was the development of the PRISM CL model for real-time credit card fraud detection. By integrating advanced ML algorithms like RuleFit and GBoost into Chase’s fraud detection systems, we improved the bank’s capability to protect millions of transactions globally. Another key initiative involved onboarding TigerGraph for credit card authorization, allowing us to detect and analyze complex transaction relationships more effectively. These innovations significantly enhanced the firm’s fraud detection accuracy and processing speed. Beyond technical achievements, I am deeply committed to ethical AI and community mentorship. I actively mentor individuals in underrepresented regions, such as South Africa and India, helping them grow their careers through communication and technical skill-building. I’ve also partnered with nonprofits like the Hope Foundation and Mallikamba ManoVikasa Kendram to bring technology for social good. I believe in using my skills to not only advance innovation but also uplift others through empowerment and shared knowledge. My work philosophy is rooted in adaptability, collaboration, and integrity. I thrive in fast-paced environments, quickly integrating new frameworks, tools, and methodologies. Whether it’s using Airflow for robust workflow orchestration, implementing cross-cloud architectures with AWS and Azure, or streamlining cost and performance through IaC, I aim to blend technical precision with a human-centered approach. I lead with Agile and DevOps practices to foster team alignment, accelerate delivery, and ensure high-impact outcomes for both internal stakeholders and end users. Data security and governance are also core to my approach. I actively implement compliance strategies that align with global standards like GDPR and HIPAA, ensuring secure, auditable systems across the ML and cloud stack. My focus on model explainability, fairness, and bias mitigation has become increasingly important as AI continues to shape critical decision-making in finance and beyond. At my core, I’m driven by a vision—to contribute lasting, meaningful innovation in AI and neural networks. I want to be remembered not just for solving technical challenges but for inspiring teams to pursue excellence, for mentoring the next generation of tech leaders, and for using my work to create positive change in the world. Whether I’m designing next-gen fraud detection systems, mentoring aspiring engineers, or optimizing infrastructure for scale and resilience, I bring my full self—curious, collaborative, and committed to making a difference.