graduate studies and research
TRANSCRIPT
Graduate Studies and ResearchP f J A d P EProf. Jason Anderson, P.Eng.
Dept. of Electrical and Computer EngineeringU i it f T tUniversity of Toronto
PEO Student Conference
Saturday November 13, 2010
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Talk Outline
• My own careerMy own career• What is research?
G d t h l• Graduate school• Work• Looking further
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CircuitCircuit description
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Back to School• Why?
– Realized that I enjoydoing research.Maybe a future in– Maybe a future in academia?
– An achievement I wanted in my life.
• PhD research on reducing the power consumption of computer chips
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computer chips.
Into Managementg
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Academia
PROF.ANDERSON
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ResearchResearch
““Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing.” g
Werner von Braun
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What is Research?
• Advances human knowledgeAdvances human knowledge.– “Create” knowledge.
Shedding light on unknown• Shedding light on unknown.– Transforming the unknown → known.
• Innovation:Creativity brought to aCreativity brought to a useful purpose.
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All of Human Knowledgeg
14Source: Matt MightUniv. of Utah
Elementary School Educationy
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High Schoolg
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Bachelor’s Degreeg
specialization
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Master’s Degreeg
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Reading Research Papersg p
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Zoom in at the Boundaryy
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At the Boundaryy
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Ph.D. Degreeg
Crack throughthe boundary
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Knowledge Expansiong p
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Grand Scheme of Thingsg
Ph.D.Ph.D.
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Research
• A noble pursuit:A noble pursuit:– Extends human knowledge in a
specific areaspecific area.– A great service.
• A good master’s degree can also• A good master s degree can also extend human knowledge.
Th h l th Ph D– Though less so than a Ph.D. • Years of work for a tiny “bump” in
h k l d ?25
human knowledge?
Outside the CircleKnowledget t dto extendbattery life
Knowledgegto cure geneticdiseases
K l d t26
Knowledge tobuild artificialeye
Outside the CircleKnowledget t dto extendbattery life
Knowledge Your research ingto cure geneticdiseases
Your research in graduate school
may advancemay advanceknowledge to
improve quality of life
K l d t
improve quality-of-life
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Knowledge tobuild artificialeye
Applied Researchpp
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Pure Research
Listening for E.T.
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Graduate SchoolGraduate School
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Graduate School• Graduate school allows you to obtain specialized
knowledge in an area of study.– You like to have such knowledge.
Y ld lik j b th t i h k l d– You would like a job that requires such knowledge.• Two main degrees: Master’s and Ph.D.
T k l– Take classes.– Pursue research in your area of study.
• Graduate school has its rewards• Graduate school has its rewards– Personal satisfaction.– Opens up opportunities
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Opens up opportunities.
Graduate School – Cont’d• But it also requires a strong commitment:
– 1-2 years for Master’s degree.– 4-5 years for Ph.D.
• Financial implications:– Expenses and loss of income.
Off t b hi h t ti l i– Offset by higher starting salaries.
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Graduate Programsg
• Research-OrientedResearch Oriented– Master of Applied Science (M.A.Sc.)
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph D )– Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)
• Professionally-Oriented– Master of Engineering (M.Eng.)
• Counts as up to a year of experience
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p y ptowards your P.Eng. license.
M.A.Sc. Programg• Advanced studies in a field of interest and
a research thesis.– Five graduate courses and a thesis.
• Completed on full-time basis, typically in about 2 years.
H f ll d bli ti !– Hopefully produces a publication!• Admission requirement: a four-year
d i i t di i li ddegree in an appropriate discipline and high academic standing.
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M.Eng. Programg g• An opportunity for advanced study geared to
f i l tiprofessional practice• Designed for those who have interest in a
professional career or wish to accelerate theirprofessional career or wish to accelerate their existing careers, but not necessarily an interest in research:in research:– Newly graduated students who wish to specialize in
an area to improve their career outlooks– Professionals who wish to upgrade technical skills– Professionals who see increased “management”
responsibilities in their career outlooks
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responsibilities in their career outlooks
M.Eng. Programg g• By course work only nine courses;
full-time (12-16 months) or part-time• UofT: Up to 3 engr management courses:
– e.g, leadership, entrepreneurship, financial engineering.• Similar admissions requirements to M.A.Sc.
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Ph.D. Programg
• For exceptional individuals who intend to pursue a career in fundamental or applied research– If you want to be a prof, you need a Ph.D.
• Coursework and successful completion of a research thesis; typically 4-5 years.
Must advance state of the art– Must advance state-of-the-art.• Minimum admission requirement: excellent
standing in M.A.Sc. + proven research record.standing in M.A.Sc. proven research record.• Direct transfer from the M.A.Sc. program to the
PhD program possible in exceptional cases.
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Supervisorp
• For M A Sc or Ph D you work with aFor M.A.Sc. or Ph.D. you work with a supervisor who guides your research.
• Keys:• Keys: – Matched interests.
F di– Funding.– Supervisory style / chemistry:
H d ?• Hands-on?• Hands-off?
M k i t t d t lk t th38
• Make an appointment and talk to them.
Choosing a Schoolg
• School reputation mattersSchool reputation matters.– Not all Ph.D.’s from all schools are viewed
as equalas equal.– Some schools are good in research.
• School rep must be balanced with your• School rep must be balanced with your interests and your potential supervisor.
D ’t d t d i thi d ’t– Don’t end up studying something you don’t like with an incompatible supervisor!
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Courses in Grad School
• A lot more fun than undergradA lot more fun than undergrad.• More open-ended projects.
St d t i t– Students can innovate.• Seminar/reading courses common.• Frequently courses have no exams.• Lots of interaction between the ots o te act o bet ee t e
prof and students.
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Grad School Success: ResearchResearch
• You must learn how to do research:You must learn how to do research:– Your supervisor will guide you.
Choosing a good topic is hard• Choosing a good topic is hard.– Start with a well-defined project at first.
M k t ib ti d bli h it• Make a contribution and publish it.– Move on to vague/fuzzy projects that make
a larger contributiona larger contribution.• Good students can work independently,
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get around the obstacles.
Grad School Success
• Time managementTime management.• Writing skills.
P t ti kill• Presentation skills.
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Grad School Perks
• PeersPeers.– Be around the top people.
Conference travel• Conference travel.– Sell your ideas.
• Work on your own ideas.• Become “famous” in your area.y• Teaching.
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Ph.D. → Companyp y
• Not uncommon for Ph D research toNot uncommon for Ph.D. research to produce products/methodologies that are commercially viableare commercially viable.– Spawn a start-up company arising from
your Ph D researchyour Ph.D. research.
B f i it IP li i• Be aware of university IP policies.
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Money Issuesy
• You will get paid more than an undergrad, butYou will get paid more than an undergrad, but not nearly as much as if you go to work.
• Financial support available for ppresearch-oriented degrees:– Scholarships (e.g.: NSERC/OGS).– Research and Teaching assistantships.– Guaranteed support packages.
• Typical: $20-30K / year.
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yp y
Go to Work Instead?
• MoneyMoney– If you are considering grad school, you can
probably get a good-paying job right now!• Produce products that get used.• Teamwork and mentoring• Access to technologies.• Work/life balance:
– No homework!– 9-5 job; weekends off (maybe!)
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• Pursue other directions: management,business, applications, etc.
Work Negative: Scopeg p
Large companyMid-size companyMid-size company
Graduate school orStart-up
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Work: Negativesg
• Scope• Scope.• Deadlines / pressure.• Inflexibility:
– Must be in the office 9-5.• Waning skills.• Monotony.Monotony.
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Bad Reasons for Not Going to Graduate SchoolNot Going to Graduate School• I’ll work for a while and go laterI ll work for a while and go later.
– Hard to take a pay cut.
• I don’t want to become too specialized.
• I will do a master’s while I’m working.g
49[Source: F. Vahid, UC Riverside]
Grad Research Case Examplep
LegUp: A Self-Accelerating Adaptive ProcessorAdaptive Processor
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Standard Software Flow
int FIR(int ntaps, int sum) {int i;for (i=0; i < ntaps; i++)sum += h[i] * z[i];
return (sum);
Compiler
Program code
return (sum);}....
51Standard processor
Motivation
• Custom hardware design has advantagesCustom hardware design has advantages over software:
Performance: lower latency higher throughput– Performance: lower latency, higher throughput– Energy-efficiency
H d d i i diffi lt & kill• Hardware design is difficult & skills are rare:– X software engineers for every hardware
i *10engineer*
• We need a flow that simplifies hardware d i f ft i
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design for software engineers*US Bureau of Labour Statistics ‘08
Grand VisionPortion of program
i ftint FIR(int ntaps, int sum) {
Standard processor
runs in software
int i;for (i=0; i < ntaps; i++)sum += h[i] * z[i];
return (sum);
Compiler
Program code
return (sum);}....
Single computer chipCustom hardware
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implementing a portionof the program
Example HW Implementation of a Program
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Energy Consumptiongy p600,000
an)
400,000
500,000
met
ric m
ea
200,000
300,000
(nJ)
(geo
m
18X
-
100,000
Ener
gy
55(55)(55)Increasingly hardware
Our Research Objectivesj
• Trying to change the way people designTrying to change the way people design hardware digital circuits.
Make hardware design much easier and– Make hardware design much easier and less costly.
– Improve the energy-efficiency andImprove the energy efficiency andspeed of computations.
– Lofty and hard.Lofty and hard.• 3 M.A.Sc. students involved +
2 summer undergraduate researchers56
2 summer undergraduate researchers.• Industrial funding.
How to Applypp y
• For September admission deadline isFor September admission, deadline is usually early in the year: Jan – March.
• Need:• Need:– Letters of reference (2 or 3).
P f k i• Profs, work supervisor.– Statement of intent.
A li ti f– Application form.
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Points to Take Home
• Start your planning NOWStart your planning NOW– Think about what you would like to do in grad
school.sc oo– Consider possible referees.– Can be work supervisors course profsCan be work supervisors, course profs,
design project supervisors.– This may help: Consider working orThis may help: Consider working or
volunteering for a prof in the area of your interest over the summer.
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Points to Take Home
• Apply for external awards (NSERC OGS)Apply for external awards (NSERC,OGS)– Deadline is early September
Don’t wait until start of school– Don t wait until start of school– Required elements: profile, research
proposal 2 letters of ref transcriptsproposal, 2 letters of ref, transcripts
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Further Tipsp
• What we look for in an applicationWhat we look for in an application– Coursework and marks
Letters of reference– Letters of reference– Statement of interest – make it interesting!
• Proofread it!• Proofread it!
• You have an advantage– Talk to your profs
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Summaryy
• Research is a noble endeavour!Research is a noble endeavour!• Graduate school can lead to improved
employment opportunitiesemployment opportunities. • It is a great time to:
– Think deeply about how to solve a problem.– Prove that you can be creative and
innovative.• Going to graduate school is an important
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decision that only you can make!
