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

Purdue Big Ten Grad School ExpoPurdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 22

What do you mean by What do you mean by “successful graduate school “successful graduate school

experience”?experience”?

Purdue Big Ten Grad School ExpoPurdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 33

Successful Grad School ExperienceSuccessful Grad School Experience

LearnLearn EngageEngage Have funHave fun ProduceProduce LeadLead GraduateGraduate Change the World!Change the World!

Purdue Big Ten Grad School ExpoPurdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 44

What do you mean by What do you mean by “graduate school”?“graduate school”?

Purdue Big Ten Grad School ExpoPurdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 55

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

Purdue Big Ten Grad School ExpoPurdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 66

How do I find a faculty advisor?How do I find a faculty advisor?

Purdue Big Ten Grad School ExpoPurdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 77

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

Purdue Big Ten Grad School ExpoPurdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 88

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?

Purdue Big Ten Grad School ExpoPurdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 99

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.)

Purdue Big Ten Grad School ExpoPurdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 1010

Purdue Big Ten Grad School ExpoPurdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 1111

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?

Purdue Big Ten Grad School ExpoPurdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 1212

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

Purdue Big Ten Grad School ExpoPurdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 1313

Will I be alone in the lab all of Will I be alone in the lab all of the time?the time?

Purdue Big Ten Grad School ExpoPurdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 1414

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!

Purdue Big Ten Grad School ExpoPurdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 1515

When will I finish?When will I finish?

Purdue Big Ten Grad School ExpoPurdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 1616

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

Purdue Big Ten Grad School ExpoPurdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 1717

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.

Purdue Big Ten Grad School ExpoPurdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 1818

Purdue Big Ten Grad School ExpoPurdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 1919

Q & AQ & A