CS 7001: Introduction to Graduate Studies

Objectives

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:

Textbooks

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.

Prerequisites

None.

Grading

Grading will be based on group assignments, a group presentation, and a writeup based on semester-long project with your faculty advisor for the term.

Schedule

Papers will not be handed out in class. Please print the readings and read them before class.

Lecture Date Topics Notes/Resources Preparation
1 Mon 08/21 Course Overview and Introduction
[pdf] [ppt]
2 Wed 08/23 From Dissertation to Startup (David Dagon)
Fri 08/25 Exercise: Identifying Good Ideas
PS 1
3 Mon 08/28 Good Ideas and Problems (Nick Feamster and Alex Gray)
[pdf] [ppt]
4 Wed 08/30 How to Read a Research Paper (Nick Feamster and Alex Gray)
[pdf] [ppt]
Fri 09/01 Work on PS 1
Mon 09/04 Labor Day
5 Wed 09/06 The Joy of Research (Santosh Vempala)
Erdos Vempala
Fri 09/08 Work on PS 1
6 Mon 09/11 Importance of Historical Perspective/Wireless (Mostafa Ammar)
7 Wed 09/13 Computational Foundations of Statistics/Machine Learning (Alex Gray)
Thu 09/14
Slides to TAs by noon
8 Fri 09/15 Group Presentations (PS 1)
PS 1 Due; PS 2 Out
9 Mon 09/18 CSS Research Overview (Ellen Zegura)
10 Wed 09/20 Big Ideas in Information Visualization (John Stasko)
9:45 am start time!
Fri 09/22 Work on PS 2
Project title/professor due
11 Mon 09/25 Reading and Reviewing Papers
12 Wed 09/27 What is IIC? (Aaron Bobick)
Fri 09/29 Work on PS2 in Groups
13 Mon 10/02 Group Presentations #1 (PS2)
PS 2 (Part 1) Due
14 Wed 10/04 Group Presentations #2 (PS2)
15 Fri 10/06 Investigating the creative reasoning practices of scientists and engineers (Nancy Nersessian)
16 Mon 10/09 Work on PS2 (Part 2) in Groups
17 Wed 10/11 How to Read a Research Paper, Part 2 (Spencer Rugaber)
Brooks
Mon 10/16 School Holiday
PS 2 (Part 2) Due
18 Wed 10/18 PS 2 (Part 2) Presentations
Interim Project Report (or
Mini-Project Report) Due
19 Mon 10/23 Robotics (Henrik Christensen)
20 Wed 10/25 PS 2 Presentations / PS 3 Overview
PS 3 Out
21 Mon 10/30 CSE Research Overview (Richard Fujimoto)
22 Wed 11/01 Life Management: Lecture and Panel (Alex Gray)
Hamming
23 Mon 11/06 Research Problems (Dick Lipton)
PS 3 Due
24 Fri 11/10 Attend ARC Seminar
25 Mon 11/13 Fellowships (Amanda Gable)
PS 4 Out
26 Wed 11/15 Industrial Lab vs. Academia (Jennifer Rexford)
27 Mon 11/20 Hot Topics in Computer Architecture (Gabe Loh)
Wed 11/22 Eat Turkey
PS 4 Due
Sat 11/25
PS 5 out
28 Mon 11/27 Time Management (Nick Feamster)
29 Wed 11/29 Student Panel
30 Fri 12/01 Mini-Conference Plenary Session
31 Mon 12/04 Talk Advice (Zach Pousman)
PS 5 Due
32 Wed 12/06 Mini Conference
33 Fri 12/08 Mini Conference
Project Writeup Due

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