搜索
BillFreemanAssociateDepartmentHeadElectricalEngineeringandComputerScienceMassachusettsInstituteofTechnologyMarch1,2013Monday,March4,13TimePolaroid1981-1987China1987-1988PhD1988-1992MERL1992-2001MIT2001-presentPictorialdisplayofmyownbackground.Monday,March4,13ElementsofasuccessfulgraduatecareerCouldeachofyoupleasesendmewhatyouthinkisthemostimportantqualityforsuccessingraduateschool?Icrowd-sourcedtherestofthistalk.Isentthise-mailtotheMITComputerSciencefacultyandotherCSAILresearchers:FollowingaretheanswersIgotback.Monday,March4,13DesiredqualitiesMonday,March4,13Themostimportantqualities:curiosityandcreativityTommiJaakkolaMonday,March4,13Herearemydesiredqualities:Determination,curiosityandflexibility,willingnesstoworkhard,trynottoberuledbyfear...ShafiGoldwasserMonday,March4,13Youwanttobeamarathonrunner,notasprinter.(Notnecessarilyjustthegood,quickanswers,asinaclass.Wanttobeabletocomeupwiththemorethoughtfulanswers,too).BrianWilliamsMonday,March4,13Purposefulness.Youareingradschoolforapurpose(whateveryourpurposeis)anditisuptoyouseethatpurposeaccomplished. Now,whennobody'stellingyouwhattodo,youhavetotellyourself.DavidKargerMonday,March4,13Totalfascinationwithanareaofsciencecoupledwithdriveandimagination!DaveGiffordMyfirstthoughtsare:persistence,courage,flexibilityMychoiceformostimportant:persistence.JackDennisEnthusiasm,curiosity,lotsofenergy,andscholarship.Beingsmartalsohelps,butadmissionshasalreadytakencareofthat.PeteSzolovitsMonday,March4,13AdviceMonday,March4,13EnjoythefreedomyouhaveingraduateschooltobecreativeFransKaashoekMonday,March4,13Figureoutwhatyoulove,anddoit(sinceyouaregoingtobedoingitforawhile).Ifyoucannotfigureoutthatthereissomethingthatyouactuallywanttodo,youwilldrift,loseyourwayandfail.DaveClarkMonday,March4,13Themostimportantcriterionistoexplore(andembrace)thingsyoudon'tunderstand,asopposedtoavoidingthingsyoudon'tunderstand.SriniDevadasMonday,March4,13Takewhatyouaregoodatandgrowit.AudeOliva“Theydidn’tknowitwasimpossible,sotheydidit.”Toomanystudentsthinkitisn’tpossibletodosomething,sowhatstopsthemisthemselves.Oncetheyunlockwhatwasstoppingthem,nothingisimpossible.Monday,March4,13Ithinkthemostimportantthinginresearchisastory--notatheoremoranalgorithm--butthestorythatmakesthetheoremoralgorithminterestingandexciting. It’simportanttohaveanearforagoodstory...whendothestoriesmakesense,whenaretheybogus?TomasLozano-PerezMonday,March4,13TheadvisorMonday,March4,13Thebeststudentsarepossessedbyaproblem.They'reindependent.Theyteachtheiradvisors.Theydon'tdowhatthey'retold...theydosomethingmoreinteresting.(Butmaybethat'sascarythingtotellnewstudents....butit'strue).LeslieKaelblingMonday,March4,13BemorestubbornthanyouradvisorPolinaGollandMonday,March4,13Don'ttellyouradvisoryou'redoingwhattheyadvisedagainstuntilyou’vesolvedtheproblem.ManolisKellisMonday,March4,13CharlesLeisersonBill,I'lltellyouajokeinstead.Arabbitiscaughtbyawolf. Thewolfisabouttoeattherabbit,buttherabbitprotests,I'monlyafewweeksawayfromdefendingmyPh.D.dissertation. Ihaveworkedsohard,andeveryonetellsmeIhavesomuchpromise. ItwouldbeashametokillmewhenIhavesuchabrightfutureofresearchcontributionsaheadofmethatwillbenefittheworld. Thewolfsays,You'rewritingaPh.D.dissertation? Whatisiton? Therabbitreplies,It'sentitled,TheSuperiorityofRabbitsoverFoxesandWolves. Thewolfsays,That'saboutthestupidestthingyoucouldhavesaid. I'lleatyourightnow. Therabbitsays,Wait,wait! Cometomydenandreadmythesisdraft. Ifyoudon'tagreewithmyconclusions,Iwillwillinglygivemyselfuptoyou. So,thewolfgoesoffwiththerabbittotherabbit'sden...andthewolfnevercomesout.Afewweekslater,therabbitiscaughtbyafox. Thefoxisabouttoeattherabbit,buttherabbitprotests,I'monlyafewdaysawayfromdefendingmyPh.D.dissertation. Ihaveworkedsohard,andeveryonetellsmeIhavesomuchpromise. ItwouldbeashametokillmewhenIhavesuchabrightfutureofresearchcontributionsaheadofmethatwillbenefittheworld. Thefoxsays,You'rewritingaPh.D.dissertation? Whatisiton? Therabbitreplies,It'sentitled,TheSuperiorityofRabbitsoverFoxesandWolves. Thefoxsays,That'saboutthestupidestthingyoucouldhavesaid. I'lleatyourightnow. Therabbitsays,Wait,wait! Cometomydenandreadmythesisdraft. Ifyoudon'tagreewithmyconclusions,Iwillwillinglygivemyselfuptoyou. So,thefoxgoesoffwiththerabbittotherabbit'sden...andthefoxnevercomesout.Monday,March4,13CharlesLeisersonAfewweekslater,therabbitisoutandmeetsupwithhisoldfriendthemuskrat. Themuskratsays,IhearyoufinallyearnedyourPh.D. Congratulations! Therabbitsays,Yes,IjustdefendedmyPh.D.thesisafewdaysago. Themuskratasks,Whatwasyourthesistopic? Therabbitanswers,TheSuperiorityofRabbitsoverFoxesandWolves. Themuskratsays,That'squiteinteresting. CanIreadit? Therabbitsays,Sure. Cometomyden. Theyentertheden,andthemuskratseesthebonesoffoxesandwolvesalloverthefloor. Inthecornerisalargelion. Whichbringsustothemoralofthestory: Moreimportantthanyourthesistopiciswhoyouradvisoris.Monday,March4,13Maybeinsteadofqualityforsuccess(whichsoundslikeit'sjustaboutthestudent),mightbebettertocallthemingredientsofsuccess?Sohere'saningredient:asupportiveadv