Monday, August 11, 2008
PhD
I have started graduate school! Surprisingly graduate school doesn't look much different from my DA research work: I sit in the same lab, same supervisor, working in the same research area,...
However, there should be a slight difference in the work attitude in graduate school. While during your undergraduate studies it might still be sufficient to follow, from now on it should be the case that I am part of those people that are spearheading the research process in computer science. Whow, that sounds really scary :)
And of course, the search for the PhD thesis topic has officially begun now. Finding a topic can be of the hardest challenges in grad school, a process that is hard to control and needs some inspiration.
One of the Prof's told us that he found his topic while taking a shower.
But basically, you have to think about a problem 24/7, eat with it, sleep with it, live with it; then eventually you will have a great idea. I read that Andrew Wiles (the guy who proved Fermat's last theorem) thought about his problem constantly for over eight(!) years: he woke up in the morning and thought about Fermat's theorem, then went to the attic where his study was, thought about the problem the whole day until he went to bed, while still thinking about Fermat's theorem and so on...
(At this point, I of course want to note that Wile's work proved one of the most famous theorems in math's history and that I don't put my PhD anywhere near his work.)
However, there should be a slight difference in the work attitude in graduate school. While during your undergraduate studies it might still be sufficient to follow, from now on it should be the case that I am part of those people that are spearheading the research process in computer science. Whow, that sounds really scary :)
And of course, the search for the PhD thesis topic has officially begun now. Finding a topic can be of the hardest challenges in grad school, a process that is hard to control and needs some inspiration.
One of the Prof's told us that he found his topic while taking a shower.
But basically, you have to think about a problem 24/7, eat with it, sleep with it, live with it; then eventually you will have a great idea. I read that Andrew Wiles (the guy who proved Fermat's last theorem) thought about his problem constantly for over eight(!) years: he woke up in the morning and thought about Fermat's theorem, then went to the attic where his study was, thought about the problem the whole day until he went to bed, while still thinking about Fermat's theorem and so on...
(At this point, I of course want to note that Wile's work proved one of the most famous theorems in math's history and that I don't put my PhD anywhere near his work.)
Labels: Graduate School
# posted by Daniel @ 5:22 AM 
