Post on 11-Dec-2015
How (How (and Whenand When) to Finish ) to Finish Graduate School –Graduate School –
Five Keys to a Successful Grad Five Keys to a Successful Grad School ExperienceSchool Experience
Janise McNairJanise McNairAssociate Professor and Graduate Recruitment and Admissions ChairAssociate Professor and Graduate Recruitment and Admissions Chair
Department of Electrical & Computer EngineeringDepartment of Electrical & Computer Engineering
University of Florida, Gainesville, FLUniversity of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Email: Email: mcnair@ece.ufl.edu, Phone: 352-392-2629, Phone: 352-392-2629
Purdue Big Ten Graduate School Expo
www.wam.ece.ufl.eduwww.eng.ufl.edu
Talk OutlineTalk Outline Defining TermsDefining Terms
• Success, Graduate SchoolSuccess, Graduate School Answering questions …The five keysAnswering questions …The five keys
• Finding a faculty advisor Finding a faculty advisor • Getting started on research Getting started on research • Publishing your workPublishing your work• Forming a social network Forming a social network • Making an exit strategy Making an exit strategy
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What do you mean by What do you mean by “successful graduate school “successful graduate school
experience”?experience”?
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Successful Grad School ExperienceSuccessful Grad School Experience
LearnLearn EngageEngage Have funHave fun ProduceProduce LeadLead GraduateGraduate Change the World!Change the World!
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What do you mean by What do you mean by “graduate school”?“graduate school”?
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The Graduate School ProcessThe Graduate School Process
Take courses and do projectsTake courses and do projects Grade, Teach and/or ResearchGrade, Teach and/or Research Decide trackDecide track
• MS Non-thesis versus MS Thesis vs PhDMS Non-thesis versus MS Thesis vs PhD MS Thesis or PhD TrackMS Thesis or PhD Track
• Find faculty advisorFind faculty advisor• Experiment / Simulate / AnalyzeExperiment / Simulate / Analyze• PublishPublish• Write Thesis or DissertationWrite Thesis or Dissertation
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How do I find a faculty advisor?How do I find a faculty advisor?
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Finding a faculty advisor Finding a faculty advisor
Learn research interestsLearn research interests• What are yours?What are yours?• What are the professor’s?What are the professor’s?• Is there a (relatively close) match?Is there a (relatively close) match?
Start a conversation (courses)Start a conversation (courses) Do some initial research (projects)Do some initial research (projects) Show that you can contribute to the cause Show that you can contribute to the cause
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Once I find an advisor, how do I Once I find an advisor, how do I get started on a research topic?get started on a research topic?
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Getting started on Research (1 of 2)Getting started on Research (1 of 2)
Read,read…and then read some more!Read,read…and then read some more!• Literature surveysLiterature surveys• Reference lists / bibliographiesReference lists / bibliographies
What has been done and by whom?What has been done and by whom? What are the open problems?What are the open problems? Who are your potential reviewers?Who are your potential reviewers?
(Soon you will know more about the topic than your advisor.) (Soon you will know more about the topic than your advisor.)
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Getting started on Research (2 of 2)Getting started on Research (2 of 2)
Try somethingTry something Get feedback Get feedback
• Advisor, other studentsAdvisor, other students Set goalsSet goals
• Break research into small, “publishable” tasksBreak research into small, “publishable” tasks.. Set deadlines for publishing your workSet deadlines for publishing your work
• What are the upcoming conference and journal What are the upcoming conference and journal deadlines?deadlines?
• Calls for Papers (CFPs)Calls for Papers (CFPs)
How and Where Do I Publish?How and Where Do I Publish?
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Publishing your workPublishing your work
Original, significant ideasOriginal, significant ideas Preliminary ideas and works-in-progressPreliminary ideas and works-in-progress
• Conferences, Workshops, Symposiums.Conferences, Workshops, Symposiums. Well-developed and tested ideas Well-developed and tested ideas
• Journals, Book chaptersJournals, Book chapters SurveysSurveys TutorialsTutorials
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Will I be alone in the lab all of Will I be alone in the lab all of the time?the time?
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Forming a social networkForming a social network
Other graduate studentsOther graduate students• Inside of your labInside of your lab• Outside of lab, inside departmentOutside of lab, inside department• Outside departmentOutside department• Around the worldAround the world
There are other people around!There are other people around!
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When will I finish?When will I finish?
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Making an exit strategyMaking an exit strategy Continue to start conversationsContinue to start conversations
• Feedback is importantFeedback is important• Your faculty advisor is importantYour faculty advisor is important
Take responsibility for your progressTake responsibility for your progress• Keep up with requirementsKeep up with requirements• Keep up with goals and deadlinesKeep up with goals and deadlines
Network with the outside worldNetwork with the outside world• Conferences – Companies, Agencies, UniversitiesConferences – Companies, Agencies, Universities• Take on a leadership positionTake on a leadership position
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ConclusionConclusion Graduate school will be an Graduate school will be an
intellectually productive, engaging intellectually productive, engaging and fun time.and fun time.
To be efficient and timely, you will To be efficient and timely, you will need to keep track of your progress need to keep track of your progress and communicate well.and communicate well.
When you finish, your leadership will When you finish, your leadership will be in demand.be in demand.
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