What’s it take to do great research?
From Anita Borg Institute Wiki
Contents |
Blog Entries
Charna's Blog: Speaker Profiles and My Opinions
Megan's Blog: CRA-W Workshops bring interesting perspectives on research
Notes
This section is still on progress
Speakers
Mary Jean Harrold - BS MS math, secondary, college math teacher, PhD CS, Georgia Tech now.
Nina Bhatti - UC Berkeley BA Mathematics and Computer Science, worked at tektronix inc sw developer 3 yrs. Made her excited to go back to grad school. Now a research scientist at HP labs.
What?
-Investigation of a problem in a scientific manner -Discovery of a solution that advances state of art in areas from theory to algorithms -"no one could do this before and now we can"
Why?
-Create have fun play -Invent be on the leading edge -Interesting and rewarding careers -Club card, personal motivations
Begin with the end in mind. We are planning to get a phd and use it in our career. So think about this:
Know -How to select a difficult and interesting research direction. This is an ongoing skill to develop. -How to form hypothesis that can be scientifically evaluated. -How to conduct research and report on the results. -How to obtain funding run a research group be an advisor and mentor to your own students. -How to position and explain your research.
Plan for a research CAREER not a research project.
Approximate timeline
1-2 choose area choose advisor secure support work on team 2-4 identify a thesis problem choose a committee 3-6 develop long term research goals write thesis.
Criteria for choosing a research area Exciting and interesting area important problems activities suitable to you (theory vs systems)
Try to jump ahead of the pack.
Ways to identify areas
courses read learn about yourself solve some problems
If you have a niche area but no committee can confirm it then don't do it as a student do it later in your career. You need to have peers. The test is if you can get funding then go for it.
Its not a good idea as an assistant professor to try to change your research area when you were hired. It takes a good 2 years to get into the area. By the time you graduate you should be in your community. However in a new area to the entire community you can enter there as adjacent person.
You will be sick of it by the time it is time for you to graduate but it will get better once you do graduate.
Advisor-advisee relationship are forever. You want an advisor that will do things. After you graduate you want someone on your side. Recommend you for awards later. In general be a continual advisor. Almost every time she has something serious she asks her advisors opinion.
An Advisor: How do you find one?
The best way is to talk to other students. They are usually very honest. DONT get an advisor you like but is in a different area. Look at their style. Where did the students of that advisor go? What expectations do they have? Maybe you can even try out a few.
During her (Mary's) masters she has one advisor she knew well. But for her PhD is was a person she did not know. It was the best thing for her but it was difficult to do. YOU SHOULD DO whats best for you.
Nina started with an older professor but she ended up with a younger group. Professional research is different you determine what is a good area business as well as technical reasons.
Don't be afraid to change Choose carefully relationship forever. too junior too senior? research group is useful but be sure to give back and help others you will be responible for finding financial support so start looking early and consider your options.
How do you find a topic?
-become an expert in the area, read papers talk to experts, question assumptions made by previous work, consider hot topics carefully. -consider some potential thesis problems, break it into pieces, develop methods work for you -develop short term sub goals, plan, meet, describe, listen. send it the day before. -the more you write about your research the better you communicate it.
Completing your dissertation
-plan your research and regularly revisit reevaluate and revise -communicate your results along the way - do it early real important: -be able to present your work in the community -take the initiative in your own research your advisor should know less about your work than you do when you graduate.
After the phd?
Supposed to be the training wheels experience. There is no such advocate for your research when you are on your own. The rest of your life... average or memorable? take risks. Money! - you have to fund your research!!!! Academic and industry. you will deal with this for everyday of your life. The audiences will be different. What are you going to do with a dollar if i give it to you?
Section 1 should get increasingly easy to write. Why is your research useful?
