1. How (and When) to Finish Graduate School – Five Keys to a Successful Grad School Experience Janise McNair Associate Professor and Graduate Recruitment and Admissions Chair Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering University of Florida, Gainesville, FL Email: mcnair@ece.ufl.edu, Phone: 352-392-2629 mcnair@ece.ufl.edu Purdue Big Ten Graduate School Expo www.wam.ece.ufl.edu www.eng.ufl.edu

2. Talk Outline Defining Terms Defining Terms Success, Graduate SchoolSuccess, Graduate School Answering questions …The five keys Answering questions …The five keys Finding a faculty advisorFinding a faculty advisor Getting started on researchGetting started on research Publishing your workPublishing your work Forming a social networkForming a social network Making an exit strategyMaking an exit strategy Purdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 2

3. What do you mean by successful graduate school experience? Purdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 3

4. Successful Grad School Experience Learn Learn Engage Engage Have fun Have fun Produce Produce Lead Lead Graduate Graduate Change the World! Change the World! Purdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 4

5. What do you mean by graduate school? Purdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 5

6. The Graduate School Process Take courses and do projects Take courses and do projects Grade, Teach and/or Research Grade, Teach and/or Research Decide track Decide track MS Non-thesis versus MS Thesis vs PhDMS Non-thesis versus MS Thesis vs PhD MS Thesis or PhD Track MS 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 Expo 6

7. How do I find a faculty advisor? Purdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 7

8. Finding a faculty advisor Learn research interests Learn research interests What are yours?What are yours? What are the professors?What are the professors? 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 Expo 8

9. Once I find an advisor, how do I get started on a research topic? Purdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 9

10. 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? (Soon you will know more about the topic than your advisor.) Who are your potential reviewers? (Soon you will know more about the topic than your advisor.) Purdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 10

11. Purdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 11 Getting started on Research (2 of 2) Try something Try something Get feedback Get feedback Advisor, other studentsAdvisor, other students Set goals Set goals Break research into small, publishable tasks.Break research into small, publishable tasks. Set deadlines for publishing your work Set deadlines for publishing your work What are the upcoming conference and journal deadlines?What are the upcoming conference and journal deadlines? Calls for Papers (CFPs)Calls for Papers (CFPs)

12. How and Where Do I Publish? Purdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 12

13. Publishing your work Original, significant ideas Original, significant ideas Preliminary ideas and works-in-progress Preliminary 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 Surveys Surveys Tutorials Tutorials Purdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 13

14. Will I be alone in the lab all of the time? Purdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 14

15. Forming a social network Other graduate students Other 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 Expo 15

16. When will I finish? Purdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 16

17. Making an exit strategy Continue to start conversations Continue to start conversations Feedback is importantFeedback is important Your faculty advisor is importantYour faculty advisor is important Take responsibility for your progress Take 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 world Network 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 Expo 17

18. Conclusion Graduate school will be an intellectually productive, engaging and fun time. Graduate school will be an intellectually productive, engaging and fun time. To be efficient and timely, you will need to keep track of your progress and communicate well. To be efficient and timely, you will need to keep track of your progress and communicate well. When you finish, your leadership will be in demand. When you finish, your leadership will be in demand. Purdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 18

19. Purdue Big Ten Grad School Expo 19 Q & A