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Subject
: Re: LUG: Feedback for Computer Science department strategic
From
: "Marhn Fullmer" <mhfullme@ncsu.[redacted]>
Date
: Thu, 15 Apr 2010 23:10:33 -0400
Parent
CSC freshmen do research; highschoolers do research with CSC Dept.
See the winners of $50k prize on wall near coffee shop in EBII and another
significant prize winner helped by CSC Dept's Dr Samatove that made local
media coverage lately. There is an Undergraduate Research set of presentations
on ~22 APR 2010. Not sure what is not getting propagated regarding
opportunities - may need attended to make more aware. I was present in lab
recently where a group of incoming undergradute students interested were
being guided through the department with their parents to see students
doing so & being made aware of the opportunities.
Again, perhaps better publication might be necessary to help others know
but there are students doing so as I help support them.
- Marhn Fullmer
>>> Alexander Ray <alexjray.ncsu@gmail.[redacted]> 04/15/10 10:50 PM >>>
Hey All,
I'm gonna be the kind of side-observer here. I'm a regular in the LUG here,
who's not in Computer Science (go figure), and heres a peripherial opinion:
This is really gross negligence on the part of the department, professors
and students. Yes! You are at a horrible disadvantage trying to get into
graduate school with no research experience.
I'm a student in the college of textiles, where undergraduate research is
discussed and presented and offered from FRESHMAN year onward. I've done a
half-dozen semesters of undergraduate research now, from Crop Science to
Textiles to Electrical Engineering, and it's one of the most valuable things
I've done so far here at State.
I can't believe that you aren't offered the opportunities; that
undergraduate research isn't shown in early/introductory classes, or
mentioned in the upper-level classes (many of these professors do research
in the fields they present).
Are students encouraged to pursue their own research topics? Do they know
they can get funding and mentoring to do research on a topic they find
interesting/compelling (Undergraduate Research Grants)? Do they know that
they can just go to professors for research suggestions if they don't have
any ideas of their own? Do they know what their professors research, and
which professors' research matches their own interests? Do students know
that there are several different ways of going about research, from elective
class-credit to NSF or outside funding, to NCSU funding?
If there is a 'No' to any of these, in my opinion, you're "doing it wrong".
Theres a lot of research opportunities in all fields all over the
university, and undergraduate research is CHEAP! We cost less than
simulation time on the NCSU High-Performance Computing Cluster. And most of
all the research experience is extremely valuable to us, either in graduate
schools or in industry.
I'm sad that this isn't the case for computer science. Arguably, if any
department should be doing lots of undergraduate research, it's computer
science, you guys have lots of advantages over other fields, most
importantly:
* The field is relatively young. There's plenty of new and old ideas to
explore, and lots of room for innovation. This is harder to come by in
older fields.
* COMP SCI RESEARCH IS CHEAP! You don't have to by parts, or equipment, or
fertilizer, or test tubes. Use open source code (see: Linux User Group),
and open source tools. The only cost is your time! I don't think any other
field (than programming) can boast this.
Geez, guys. Get your act together.
Humbly yours,
~Alex Ray
Junior, college of textiles
On Thu, Apr 15, 2010 at 6:51 PM, Andrew Austin <adausti2@ncsu.[redacted]> wrote:
> The department needs to provide a formal program for undergraduate
> research, or in the very least a public list of professors willing to
> take on undergrad students. Nobody really encourages research at the
> undergraduate level, yet if you want to apply to graduate school
> you're competing with kids who are already published.
>
> Andrew
>
>
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