Archive for November, 2009

End of the road

Saturday, November 21st, 2009

Although I had submitted my thesis in mid-summers, I finally had my viva. My life is as a PhD student is now official over …thankfully on a successful note! Although I could dwell on a number of issues as I write my last entries on the blog, I think it will be best if I write down some of the lessons from the viva and last few months.

  1. Before submitting your thesis, take a week or two off so that you can review your thesis with fresh eyes and a fresh mind.
  2. Proofread again and again. When one can sometimes encounter minor errors in one’s 8 page published paper, there is always a chance of some kind of error lurking in the thesis.
  3. Treat the time before you submit the thesis as your viva preparation time. This mental attitude may help you look at the thesis more carefully. This is easy to say but hard to do because after three years, one may be exhausted with one’s line of work.
  4. Write less but make sure each and every sentence is defendable.
  5. I know some academics like to dress casually but viva is a time to show respect to the occasion and dress formally.
  6. Make lots notes on your thesis. Use sticky notes if they help. Your notes will help you in the viva.
  7. Vivas are not meant to make the candidate feel uncomfortable. Rather, they provide a chance to explain what you have been doing for the last few years. From what I have noticed, in UK, viva can be prolonged affairs where the examiners go through the thesis and ask relevant questions or seek clarifying comments on parts of the thesis.
  8. Do not be afraid to hold your own against the expert. It is unlikely that your thesis is deemed a flawless piece of work. Also, examiners like to do their job by looking at everything critically. However, a viva is not a time to get overawed by the expert but a time to have an intelligent conversation on a topic you are supposed to have command on.
  9. It is best to be polite even when disagreeing.
  10. Good examiners invest a lot of time in examining the thesis and giving valuable feedback. It is good to thank them for their effort and interest.

Tags:
Posted in Academics, PhD | 2 Comments »

Countdown timers

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

For many people, the only way to finish papers and projects is to have deadlines. Deadlines themselves are not always easy to keep track off. One may note down a conference deadline in the diary and earmark a reminder for a few days before. One could also plan email notifications some days before the impending deadline. This way one cannot ignore the deadline as long as one is checking email regularly. One can post the deadline notification on the office wall or if one is overly obsessed on the fridge!

However, if one is really worried that one can still not keep track of the coming deadline, what would be better than a countdown timer. Such a timer is now easily down-loadable on to your Google desk top and also on your personal webpage or blog.

One can set up the timer with name of the coming event and also a brief description of the event. The size of the countdown icon can be changed and even countdown of other looks can be downloaded via Google gadgets. From personal experience, when one sees the counter, it does give you a spring in one’s step. The image of ticking minutes gives you a sense of urgency.

The only problem I foresee is this sense of urgency should not change to panic. One may tend to upload more than a few countdown timers and then all these ticking icons may make you neurotic. That would defeat the purpose of having everything well planned and under control.

Posted in Transferable Skills | No Comments »

Micromanaging supervisors

Tuesday, November 10th, 2009

One can encounter many PhD students who complain that their supervisors don’t have time to supervise them properly or that they could not be bothered until the annual progress report is due. If a PhD student mainly depends on the supervisor to bounce back ideas, then this can a tricky position. However, there may also be a scenario when a supervisor is a micro manager who wants to get an update on each attempt at a research at a problem. This is neither  conducive to a good supervising relationship and also puts unnecessary burden on the Phd or masters student. The same theme is critical sports where over coaching of a young player can have a detrimental effect.
Scott Burken has written an open letter to micro managers of the world where he likens managers to racehorse owners and says than only an idiot would step their horses during a race and give instructions. Burken does not stop there but mentions three main points for racehorse owners (managers):
A healthy, confident, well-adjusted manager knows their job is to do three things:
Hire thoroughbreds, point them at the finish line,  and get out of their way unless they ask for help
Coach, teach, encourage and position ordinary horses to maximize their potential and approximate thoroughbreds in some of their work.
Fire those who can never do the work needed without your constant involvement to make room for those who can
The points make good sense and also apply to micromanaging supervisors. Not every one has the same abilities and good managers form a good team where every one is encouraged to perform to the best of their abilities and good performers are not interfered with too much.

One can encounter many PhD students who complain that their supervisors don’t have time to supervise them properly or that they could not be bothered until the annual progress report is due. If a PhD student mainly depends on the supervisor to bounce back ideas, then this can a tricky position. However, there may also be a scenario when a supervisor is a micro manager who wants to get an update on each attempt at a research problem. This is not conducive to a good supervising relationship and also puts unnecessary burden on the Phd or masters student. The same theme is critical in sports where over-coaching of a young player can have a detrimental effect.

Scott Burken has written an open letter to micro managers of the world where he likens managers to racehorse owners and says than only an idiot would step their horses during a race and give instructions. Burken does not stop there but mentions three main points for racehorse owners (managers):

A healthy, confident, well-adjusted manager knows their job is to do three things:

  1. Hire thoroughbreds, point them at the finish line,  and get out of their way unless they ask for help
  2. Coach, teach, encourage and position ordinary horses to maximize their potential and approximate thoroughbreds in some of their work.
  3. Fire those who can never do the work needed without your constant involvement to make room for those who can

The points make good sense and also apply to micromanaging supervisors. Not every one has the same abilities and good managers form a good team where every one is encouraged to perform to the best of their abilities and good performers are not interfered with too much.


Tags: , , ,
Posted in PhD | No Comments »

Habilitation

Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009

My research group’s head is currently completing his habilitation. He was surprised that I knew about habilitation as it is not an academic qualification universally required for tenured positions. However it is definitely an academic qualification which is widely looked up to.

Habilitation is the highest academic qualification in Germany. Variations of its concept are also used in other European countries. It is not only considered the next step after PhD but also generally serves as a requirement for a tenured position or professorship. So how is the habilitation different from PhD? Unlike a PhD, where the PhD supervisor may have a guiding hand, a habilitation is a test for sustained independent high quality research for a few years. It is also an indication of research and scholarship which is higher than a PhD. Just like the PhD, a habilitation involved an academic committee and a defence of the research. This also includes a public lecture.

Although, a habilitation may consist of cumulative research after the PhD, it generally focuses around a specific theme. Therefore the eventual habilitation thesis turns out to become a good researcher an impressive monograph of the research area. I have encountered many great books which were the outcome of some well know German researcher’s habilitation.

The habilitation is not immune from politics and debate. Although a stamp of high quality research, the habilitation is also considered a burden and obstacle for researchers to get a stable position. There is also a move in Germany towards ‘junior professorships’ which are essentially lectureships.

Posted in PhD | No Comments »