Planning a PhD

1. Planning a PhD Prof. Bob Givan

2. Caveat • There are many paths and styles to a successful Phd • There are many motives for getting a PhD • My comments represent one slice at this • In particular, I will focus on those aiming at fundamental research jobs.

3. Why get a PhD? • Is a PhD like grades 19 to 24?

4. Why get a PhD? • Which delights you: • Knowing how to kill a problem or • Not knowing how to kill a problem

5. Why get a PhD? Get a PhD if • You like to work on open-ended problems and break new ground or • You need the credential for your career path (e.g. teaching at a teaching-oriented college) or ???

6. Step One • Are you fluent in English? • If not, spend 10 hours/week on this until you are.

7. Choosing a school and advisor • Choose the topic area first… • For the broad area of your PhD, choose something for which you have both passion and talent. • Side note: if you later lose your passion, it is very possible, while not easy, to switch topics. Don’t let yourself feel trapped.

8. Choosing a school and advisor • The role of research-university rankings • These matter if you want a research job • These are not the only thing to consider! • The role of the advisor • Seniority • Activity level • Most important: comfortable professional connection. Someone you get along with.

9. Choosing a Topic • Should you ask your advisor? • Of course, but….

10. Choosing or Refining a Topic Yourself • Learn to bootstrap from a literature scan • Select a question or a couple pieces of related work • Spend 2-3 fulltime weeks reading/scanning a large body of cited work (more weeks for bigger leaps) • Goal: develop comfort with the concept space • Goal: identify the (few) well written key papers • Limit consideration to quality venues (ask advisor) Don’t try to read every word!(focus where you are learning)

11. Choosing or Refining a Topic Yourself • Do multiple such literature scans until you find a concept space you are comfortable with and interested in. …then…

12. Choosing or Refining a Topic Yourself (worded for research on computer software) • Re-attack a “solved” problem from that space. • “solved” does not mean “no need unmet” • Use new ideas if you have them • Don’t worry too much about initial quality • Perhaps re-implement previous solution • Consider starting with a “straw-man solution”

13. Next • Do great novel research • There is no recipe, here are some fragmentary ideas • Identify the big picture of the topic area • What are the big big goals and challenges • Are these the right goals? What are the alternative goals that could be considered? • Are there very different approaches to avoid or address the major challenges • Think BIG

14. Self Discipline • You are talented and passionate about your research • Your competition: many others who are talented and passionate, working very hard. • Conclusion: hard work required • This is a major challenge of graduate work. • The lack of deadlines requires tough discipline.

15. General Mentorship Rule • At each career stage, deliberately seek mentors in the next stage • Junior grad student seeks senior grad student • Senior grad student seeks young faculty • New faculty seek those near tenure or just tenured • Etc.

16. Job Search – Early efforts Visibility • Make and watch presentations • Start local, then workshops, then conferences • Particularly watch job talks by others • Of course, publish your work • Cultivate reference writers, inside and outside Did you notice the value of English fluency?