1 / 16

Pursuing a Research Career in CS

Pursuing a Research Career in CS. Or: Why Get a PhD?. Outline. Things to think about before getting a PhD The realities of doctoral studies Secrets to success Post-doctoral career opportunitiesf. Thinking of Getting a PhD?.

awhiteman
Download Presentation

Pursuing a Research Career in CS

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Pursuing a Research Career in CS Or: Why Get a PhD?

  2. Outline • Things to think about before getting a PhD • The realities of doctoral studies • Secrets to success • Post-doctoral career opportunitiesf

  3. Thinking of Getting a PhD? A Computer Science doctoral program is training for research and academia. A long, competitive road. High-risk, high-payoff for the right person.

  4. Getting a PhD: Pros • Entry point into a career in research and academia • Intellectual freedom • Interactions with smart people at the cutting edge of science • Opportunity to contribute to science and society

  5. Getting a PhD: Cons • Takes a long time, in the prime of your life. • Low pay. • Little recognition (at first). • Can be a cold, lonely experience. • Welcome to the world of science– no more mercy. • Overqualifies you for many career paths.

  6. Realities of Doctoral Studies Main issues when considering programs: • Advisor • Research group • Quality of life • Reputation of University Axiom: Do not pay for a Computer Science PhD. Expect tuition + stipend (~14K-20K).

  7. PhD Advisor The person who will control your life. • Your main intellectual influence. • Chooses your research direction. • Approves or disapproves of your efforts. • His/her reputation will establish or destabilize yours. Choose wisely!

  8. Research Group Your immediate peers can have a heavy influence on your experience and career. • Connections in your personal network. • Research collaborators, now and in the future. • Comrades in arms. Remember: you’ll be working with them every day once you start research.

  9. Quality of Life A PhD program can become very difficult at times. A good QoL is ensured by: • Opportunities for recreation and relaxation • Support from friends and family To be successful, you need to maintain sanity and motivation.

  10. Reputation of University As for other degrees, the reputation of a University is important, but: • The quality of advisor and program in research specialty trumps school ranking. A name school is a nice calling card, but your advisor and peers are your network interface.

  11. Secrets to Success • Work hard • Ally yourself with your advisor and peers • Recognition takes a long time, in the meantime learn as much as you can • Stay focused on science: in the end, good work distinguishes itself PhD study is an apprenticeship– not a cakewalk or indentured servitude.

  12. Post Doctoral Realities So you’ve got your PhD. What now? • Academia: become a Professor • At a “Teaching University” • At a “Research University” • Private Research Groups • Government Research (NSA,DoD,NASA,…) • Technology Consulting • Combine with other degrees (MD/PhD)…

  13. Post Doctoral Realities The harsh realities of an academic career: • Jobs are extremely scarce, competitive • Tenure is a stressful and risky process • No job security until you’re 40 The harsh reality of private research groups: • They disappeared when the dotcom bubble burst

  14. Still Interested? Good! Becoming a Professor is only one option for highly-trained professionals. Become involved in research as soon as you can. • Find out if you really like it • Research experience is a BIG advantage when applying to PhD programs

  15. For More Information… One of the best resources for information on the web for computing research careers: Computing Research Association http://www.cra.org Browse their listing to get a feel for what’s out there.

  16. Questions?

More Related