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Insider Tips for Thriving in Grad School and Beyond

Learn essential strategies for success in grad school and beyond, from building relationships to finishing your dissertation and landing your dream job. Helpful advice from John Penix, a NASA researcher.

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Insider Tips for Thriving in Grad School and Beyond

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  1. Things I Wish I’d Known in Grad School John Penix NASA Ames Research Center

  2. It’s not all Nuts and Bolts • In the real world, social skills are just as important as technical skills • Building a research career is about building working relationships • Learn how to plan collaborative projects • Learn time management skills • Learn how to write proposals

  3. Learn to Communicate • Specifically focus on your writing skills • Experiment with different approaches to presenting your research • READ!!! - not just research papers, but popular science, science fiction, non-tech • Practice giving talks - experiment with analogies - remember the big picture • Start or join a reading group • Friendly related work sections

  4. Publish and go to Conferences • Small conferences and workshops let you meet people and get feedback • Works in progress, poster sessions, demos, course projects • Find funding: department, university, co-authors, student volunteers, ACM • Don’t restrict yourself to your specific field of expertise

  5. Do an Internship • Internships are there for the taking - there is always work to be done • Internship time is not wasted toward degree • Change of pace & environment • Builds contacts, references, publications • Chance to broaden background to balance depth of PhD studies

  6. How to Finish your Dissertation • Uninstall Netscape • Forget LaTeX, use TeX • Avoid sunlight • Practice sleep typing • No time out for bathing • Sick Ken Starr on your advisor

  7. How to Finish your Dissertation • It is up to you • Know exactly what your committee expects • Prioritize and focus • Draw the line - start a future work section • Chunks and iterations • Write as you work - alternate days/weeks • Set a hard deadline • Set another hard deadline…

  8. Finding a Job • Start early • Internships can lead to full-time positions • Post-docs can be springboards • Pick an area where you want to live • Work with people you like

  9. Summary • It’s not just about technical skills • There is no such thing as a misunderstood genus • Don’t hold out for the big time • Internships aren’t a waste of time • Just do it

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