TY - GEN
T1 - Can great research be taught? independent research with cross-disciplinary thinking and broader impact
AU - Feamster, Nick
AU - Gray, Alexander
PY - 2008/12/16
Y1 - 2008/12/16
N2 - This paper describes a course we have developed for preparing new Ph.D. students in computer science for a career in research. The course is intended to teach the skills needed for research and independent work, prepare students psychologically and socially for years lying before them, and help them find a good Ph.D. topic by providing principles and examples. In this course, we emphasize and encourage impact through cross-disciplinary research and broader societal outreach. To our knowledge, the course represents a first-of-its-kind systematic introduction to a graduate research career. This paper describes our high-level goals for this curricular initiative, the structure of the course (including lecture components and assignments), and the challenges we faced in developing this course. As we continue to develop this course, which is now in its second year, we hope it will serve as a model "introduction of Ph.D. research" course for other computer science departments.
AB - This paper describes a course we have developed for preparing new Ph.D. students in computer science for a career in research. The course is intended to teach the skills needed for research and independent work, prepare students psychologically and socially for years lying before them, and help them find a good Ph.D. topic by providing principles and examples. In this course, we emphasize and encourage impact through cross-disciplinary research and broader societal outreach. To our knowledge, the course represents a first-of-its-kind systematic introduction to a graduate research career. This paper describes our high-level goals for this curricular initiative, the structure of the course (including lecture components and assignments), and the challenges we faced in developing this course. As we continue to develop this course, which is now in its second year, we hope it will serve as a model "introduction of Ph.D. research" course for other computer science departments.
KW - Graduate education
KW - Ph.D.
KW - Research
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=57449095171&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=57449095171&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1145/1352135.1352294
DO - 10.1145/1352135.1352294
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:57449095171
SN - 9781595937995
T3 - SIGCSE'08 - Proceedings of the 39th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education
SP - 471
EP - 475
BT - SIGCSE'08 - Proceedings of the 39th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education
T2 - 39th ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, SIGCSE 2008
Y2 - 12 March 2008 through 15 March 2008
ER -