How NOT to Have a Successful How NOT to Have a Successful PhD on Middleware ResearchPhD on Middleware Research

The Ten Commandments The Ten Commandments (to carefully avoid)(to carefully avoid) Paolo Costa

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

costa@cs.vu.nl

http://www.cs.vu.nl/~costa

# 1 : PhD is A Nightmare# 1 : PhD is A Nightmare

Despite all, PhD is a Despite all, PhD is a privilegedprivileged job job You can work on what you like mostYou can work on what you like most If it you aren’t having If it you aren’t having funfun, there is something wrong, there is something wrong

# 1 (revised): PhD is Just Fun# 1 (revised): PhD is Just Fun

Wrong again!Wrong again! Take yourself Take yourself seriouslyseriously Although you’re not going to Although you’re not going to

save the world, you should aim save the world, you should aim at improving itat improving it

BelieveBelieve in what you are doing in what you are doing always challenge yourselfalways challenge yourself if you cannot convince yourself if you cannot convince yourself

about the need of your work, how about the need of your work, how can you convince others ?can you convince others ?

# 2: State-of-the-art ?!?# 2: State-of-the-art ?!?

It does not matter how narrow / wide is your It does not matter how narrow / wide is your research area but you should be THE expertresearch area but you should be THE expert

Select the best venues and keep yourself updatedSelect the best venues and keep yourself updated Keep annotated versions of the most relevant Keep annotated versions of the most relevant

papers on your deskpapers on your desk

# 3: Publish or Perish !# 3: Publish or Perish !

Publications are key to determine a success of a PhD but...Publications are key to determine a success of a PhD but... strongly prefer strongly prefer qualityquality over quantity over quantity the goal should be let other people know about the work, not the goal should be let other people know about the work, not

to increase our egoto increase our ego use workshops responsiblyuse workshops responsibly

they are useful to discuss preliminary ideasthey are useful to discuss preliminary ideas they are not an easy path for publicationthey are not an easy path for publication

1idea

4journal papers

16extended abstracts

64technical reports

# 4: “You MUST know my # 4: “You MUST know my papers”papers”

Making your work popular is up to youMaking your work popular is up to you Choose right venues: Choose right venues:

avoid obscure conferences / journalsavoid obscure conferences / journals Talk to people at conferencesTalk to people at conferences

bring printed papers with youbring printed papers with you Make your Make your paperspapers available on your homepage available on your homepage If you produced any If you produced any softwaresoftware, create a website and , create a website and

keep it updatedkeep it updated don’t forget don’t forget documentationdocumentation

# 5: Never Share Your Ideas# 5: Never Share Your Ideas

Don’t be afraid of other people stealing your workDon’t be afraid of other people stealing your work Don’t be afraid of bothering other peopleDon’t be afraid of bothering other people

most academics like being asked for comments most academics like being asked for comments Be ready to defend and, in case, revise your ideasBe ready to defend and, in case, revise your ideas Discussion makes your research strongerDiscussion makes your research stronger

# 6: Advisor is Always Right# 6: Advisor is Always Right

Most of the time yes but...Most of the time yes but... you have a more in-depth and close knowledge of the problemyou have a more in-depth and close knowledge of the problem

Don’t be scaredDon’t be scared part of your growth is to become independentpart of your growth is to become independent

However, you are NOT always rightHowever, you are NOT always right be open to discuss and challenge your ideasbe open to discuss and challenge your ideas master students are usually the most critical because they are master students are usually the most critical because they are

not biasednot biased

# 7: Let Complexity Be Your # 7: Let Complexity Be Your GuideGuide SimpleSimple (but not (but not trivialtrivial) is a ) is a

benefitbenefit Simple ideas are the most Simple ideas are the most

powerfulpowerful Usually complex protocols Usually complex protocols

are just patched version of are just patched version of non-working ideasnon-working ideas most working protocols are most working protocols are

simple (e.g., TCP/IP)simple (e.g., TCP/IP) If simple,If simple,

people can understand itpeople can understand it bugs are easily foundbugs are easily found implementation is less error-implementation is less error-

proneprone

# 8: Never be Proven Wrong# 8: Never be Proven Wrong

Whenever possible, implement your ideas and test them Whenever possible, implement your ideas and test them in real settingsin real settings

but but thinkthink before before codingcoding Don’t overestimate intuitionDon’t overestimate intuition Be Be fairfair::

make other people able to repeat your experimentsmake other people able to repeat your experiments don’t discard unsuccessful runsdon’t discard unsuccessful runs

““If you get it right the first time, you are likely not If you get it right the first time, you are likely not understanding the problemunderstanding the problem” (Murphy’s Law)” (Murphy’s Law)

# 9: Internships are Wasteful# 9: Internships are Wasteful

If possible, spend some months in a If possible, spend some months in a different university / research centerdifferent university / research center

It helps you to:It helps you to: strengthen your personalitystrengthen your personality

different topics, styles of work, peopledifferent topics, styles of work, people improve your cvimprove your cv increase your networkincrease your network

Many opportunities to get fundedMany opportunities to get funded e.g., EU grant Marie Curiee.g., EU grant Marie Curie

# 10 Thesis: Mission # 10 Thesis: Mission ImpossibleImpossible

Clearly state the problemClearly state the problem List the system model and assumptionsList the system model and assumptions Describe your solution as simple as possibleDescribe your solution as simple as possible

use examplesuse examples Provide details of your experiment setupProvide details of your experiment setup Don’t hide flaws: be fairDon’t hide flaws: be fair Compare your work against existing solutionsCompare your work against existing solutions

AcknowledgmentsAcknowledgments To my former advisor, who prevented To my former advisor, who prevented

me from making such mistakesme from making such mistakes