The Young Professionals Network South Bend and St. Joseph County Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the South Bend Tribune, area chambers of commerce, presenting sponsor Gates Automotive Group and supporting sponsors Barnes & Thornburg, Crowe Horwath and 1st Source Bank recognize the 2013 Michiana Forty under 40 class. The Michiana Forty under 40 program shines a spotlight on 40 of the area's most talented and dedicated young executives, leaders and professionals, under the age of 40, who demonstrate business and career achievement and civic/charitable engagement.

Name:  Nitesh Chawla

Age:  38

Education and/or training background:  Ph.D., Computer Science and Engineering, University of South Florida

Company where employed:  University Of Notre Dame; Founder, Aunalytics Inc.

Current job title/role:  Frank Freimann Collegiate Associate Professor of Computer Science and Engineering

Tell us about yourself:  I came to the U.S. in 1997 to pursue my Ph.D., following which my wife and I moved to Toronto for a career in retail risk management at CIBC. It was an exciting stint and we made wonderful friends, but I had to follow my passion to be an educator, researcher and entrepreneur. Now, I'm living my dream as a professor at Notre Dame and founder of Aunalytics, blessed with a wonderful family, brilliant colleagues, deep friendships, and thinking each day on how to be innovative and entrepreneurial to make an impact on Big Data for common good.

Tell us something about yourself that people don't know:  I created a break dancing troupe with my middle school buddies -- those were the mighty '80s, after all.