(This schedule is subject to change as the session progresses)

Week Lectures Work
Week1, August 26 (*) in-person only PhD program overview

  • Getting to know one another (use elevator speech)
  • Program overview and requirements
  • Sharing of PhD journeys by faculty and invited guests
 In class HW

  • Write down your goals and expectations for the Ph.D. program after listening to the four PhD journeys and share them with the class.
  • Set up your personal research webpage to document your Ph.D. journey. One of the first place that people learn about your research is your personal webpage. It is important to construct one that will summarize your research interests, expertise, completed software projects, internships, presentations given, papers published and awards received
Week 2, September 2 (*) in-person only Research process

  • What is doctoral level research?
  • Overview of CS research process
  • Choosing a research topic
  • Analysis of research papers
  • Time management
  • Advisor Managment
  • Authorship and publication
Time audit (HW)

  • Keep a log of how you spent your time each day over the course of a week. You can write down for each hour the nature of the activity (work, recreation, social media). Through this exercise, you may discover what are the little wasted time "slices" that might turn up to be significant.
  • Post your top time management tips on canvas and share that at the next class time
September 9-16#-23 (*), joined by CS5300 students on Sept 16 Doctoral faculty research presentation

  • 3-4 presentations per week
Document the following for each presentation in class:

  • What are the main research problems being addressed?
  • Why a particular research problem is significant?
  • Can you observe any challenges and gaps in knowledge outlined in each presentation?
  • What solutions were proposed?
  • How solutions were verified?
  • Record a potential idea that you like for a possible rotation project
  • Finalize your Rotation Project
Week 6, September 30 (*) in person only Systematic literature documentation, Graduate College Resources and critiquing a paper

  • Literature search documentation uisng EndNote or Zetero given by the librarian, Trica Boucher
  • Graduate school resources for students given by Austin Allen Wilson (20 mins)
  • Analysing and writing paper review/critique
Critiquing ideas (HW)

  • Write a one page critique/review of a given reserach paper
  • Set up your personal reference/literature collection
Week 7, Oct 7(*), online only Systematic literature search

  • Finish off research process
  • Attend the Library presentation and quiz via the library module on Canvas
 In class HW

  • Attend the library module quizz
  • Finalize your Rotation project
  • Post your top time management tips on canvas and we will discuss that at the next class time
Week 8, October 14 (*) in-person only Communicating your research

  • How to give an engaging research presentation
  • How to create an engaging poster
  • How to write a great research paper
  • Writing style
Communicating ideas

  • Prepare a 20 minutes oral presentation (ppt) to the class on your work in progress rotation project in week 12
Week 9, October 21 (*) (Combined with CS5300/CS7309). There is a meet and greet session with Dr. Gurumurthi and Dr. Hernandez at 1:00 pm. In the morning, there is a distinguished Alumni speaker event at 11 am followed by lunch from 12-1 pm. The CS7309 class will start at 2:30 pm. All CS7300 students must attend the morning Greet and Meet Session with Dr. Gurumurthi and Dr. Hernandez. You are invited to attend the Alumni event and stay for lunch as well. IT Security presented by (JD Moore)

 In class HW

  • Show the completed reference collection using a designated tool in class. Complete the paper critique/review and upload to Canvas by October 20, 12 midnight
Week 10, October 28 (*), online only class Online CITI Research Misconduct Module

Complete the Responsible Conduct of Research curriculum at CITI website and upload your certificate to Canvas
Week 11 November 4 (*) in-person Rotation project presentation

 Give a 20 +5 minutes oral presentation to the class on your rotation project
Week 12, November 11 (*) in-person Rotation project presentation

Give a 20 +5 minutes oral presentation to the class on your rotation project
Week 13, November 18, combined with CS5300/CS7309 at 1:45 pm Research facilities by Jerry and Scott

  • CS Computing infrastructure
Preparing a poster on your rotation project. Email your poster to Karen by Nov 29
Week 14, December 2 (*) Rotation project poster presentation

Lunch at 12 noon and presentation starting at 1 pm