Shreedhar Jangam

About Me

Hi 👋🏼 I’m an undergraduate student advised by Prof. Leilani Gilpin in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at UC Santa Cruz. My current research at the AEIA Lab focuses on the applications of generative and explainable systems, such as Large Language Models and their trustworthiness in various domains. Beyond the lab, I’m exploring explainable robotics and autonomous systems, with a focus on integrating transparency and interpretability into robotics applications like human-centered autonomous systems and multi-agent collaboration. Outside of research, I enjoy backpacking and practicing my wilderness EMT skills.

Research Interests

XAI (Explainable AI): Investigating methods to make AI systems more transparent, trustworthy, and interpretable, particularly in safety-critical applications.
LLMs (Large Language Models): Studying model architectures. Ensuring that the model’s responses are explainable.
Reinforcement Learning: Developing and understanding RL algorithms. Learning applications for interpretability methods with Decision Transformers.
Multi-Agent Systems: Studying swarm robotics and distributed systems, focusing on optimizing communication, coordination, and transparency in autonomous groups.

Publications

arXiv

Can Large Language Models Explain Themselves? A Study of LLM-Generated Self-Explanations

Shiyuan Huang, Siddarth Mamidanna, Shreedhar Jangam, Yilun Zhou, Leilani H. Gilpin

arXiv preprint 2310.11207, 2023

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arXiv

The Hidden Risks of Large Reasoning Models: A Safety Assessment of R1

Kaiwen Zhou, Chengzhi Liu, Xuandong Zhao, Shreedhar Jangam, Jayanth Srinivasa, Gaowen Liu, Dawn Song, Xin Eric Wang

arXiv preprint 2502.12659, 2025

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News

[Oct. 2023] I submitted my first paper!
[Feb. 2024] I gave a presentation on the transformer architecture [Link]
[Apr. 2024] I’m starting a research internship at Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) this summer
[May. 2024] Our paper got the UCSC Deans’ Undergraduate Research Award [Link]
[Aug. 2024] I finished my research internship at ERAU and presented our research [Link]
[Jan. 2025] I was awarded an honorable mention for the CRA Outstanding Undergraduate Researcher Award [Link]
[Feb. 2025] I submitted a paper on reasoning model (R1 and o3mini) safety.

Interests and Activities

Community Engagement

UCSC Emergency Medical Services Club [Link]
Certified NOLS Wilderness First Responder (WFR) [Link]
Eagle Scout: Troop 92 [Link]