This class will prepare you to perform great research in computer science, regardless of the area you ultimately choose to pursue for your Ph.D. Towards achieving this goal, this course will:
You will be expected to read some material on graduate school, research, etc., which will be assigned throughout the term.
There are no required textbooks for the course.
You must be a first-year Ph.D. student in the College of Computing.
This course will have a letter grade: A, B, or Fail. The components of the grade are as follows:
Papers will not be handed out in class.
Please print the readings
and read them before class.
Speaker schedule is tentative!
| Lecture | Date | Topics | Notes/Resources | Preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mon 08/17 | Course Overview [pdf] [ppt] |
Mini-Assignment 1: Thought Questions |
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| 2 | Wed 08/19 | Why Ph.D.? [ppt] |
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| 3 | Mon 08/24 | How do I recognize a great idea? [ppt] |
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| 4 | Wed 08/26 | How do I get a fellowship? (Karen Adams) [pdf] |
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| 5 | Mon 08/31 | Case Study #1: Example of a Scientific Revolution [ppt] |
Assignment 1: Recognizing Good Ideas |
Baran Interview |
| 6 | Wed 09/02 | On Great Ideas #1: Scientific Revolutions [ppt] |
Kuhn | |
| Mon 09/07 | Labor Day |
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| 7 | Wed 09/09 | Case Study #2: Examples of Great Researchers [ppt] |
Hamming | |
| 8 | Mon 09/14 | On Great Ideas #2: Great Researchers [ppt] |
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| 9 | Wed 09/16 | Motivation and Time Management [ppt] |
Mini-Assignment 2: Time Log |
Griessman |
| 10 | Mon 09/21 | Fun in Atlanta (Panel) |
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| 11 | Wed 09/23 | Generating Ideas #1: Research Patterns [ppt] |
Assignment 2: Creating an Idea | Polya |
| 12 | Mon 09/28 | Case Study #2: Examples of Research Patterns [ppt] |
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| 13 | Wed 09/30 | Generating Ideas #2: Creativity [ppt] |
Adams | |
| Mon 10/05 | Recess |
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| 14 | Wed 10/07 | Generating Ideas #3: Cross-Disciplinary Thinking [ppt] |
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| 15 | Mon 10/12 | Communicating Ideas #1 (Karen Head) |
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| 16 | Wed 10/14 | Ethics (Jason Borenstein) |
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| 17 | Mon 10/19 | Communicating Ideas #2: Writing [ppt] |
Mini-Assignment 3: Project and Mini-Projects Interim Report |
Zobel Strunk |
| 18 | Wed 10/21 | Mock PC Session #1 |
Assignment 3: Critiquing Ideas |
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| 19 | Mon 10/26 | Mock PC Session #2 |
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| 20 | Wed 10/28 | People Skills [ppt] |
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| Fri 10/30 | |
Pseudo-Assignment: Costume Contest |
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| 21 | Mon 11/02 | Communicating Ideas #3: Speaking |
Mini-Assignment 4: Elevator Pitch |
Asher |
| 22 | Wed 11/04 | Elevator Pitches |
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| 23 | Mon 11/09 | Teaching Skills (Lydia Soleil) |
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| 24 | Wed 11/11 | Commercialization (Keith McGreggor) |
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| 25 | Mon 11/16 | Diversity (Stephanie Ray) |
Mini-Assignment 5: Personal Web Page |
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| 26 | Wed 11/18 | Data Analysis and Visualization |
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| 27 | Mon 11/23 | Grad School Survival (Panel) |
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| Wed 11/25 | Turkey Cooking |
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| Mini-Conference | ||||
| 28 | Mon 11/30 | Mini-Conference |
Assignment 4: Talk Reviews | |
| 29 | Wed 12/02 | Mini-Conference |
Pseudo-Assignment: Social | |
| Mon 12/07 | |
Project and Mini-Project Writeups Due | ||