T-0.050: Introduction to Postgraduate Studies in Computer Science. Funding for Ph.D. Dr. Jyrki Kontio Professor of Software Product Business

Transcription

1 T-0.050: Introduction to Postgraduate Studies in Computer Science Funding for Ph.D. Dr. Jyrki Kontio Professor of Software Product Business Contributions from Mr. Markus Mäkelä, Dr. Sari Kujala, and Dr. Minna-Kaarina Forssén gratefully acknowledged! What Does Funding Mean, Really? Opportunity to dedicate time to do the doctoral research - to enhance freedom to concentrate to what you actually try to achieve For grants: An incentive boost for your work: if you do well, you will then have a background with which you can apply for increased funding (your income will really reflect your productivity) May feel good: an early signal that an external body with a review process believes in what you try to achive 2 1

2 Sources of Funding Your employer s time You can work on your Ph.D. as a part of your job Grants You apply and get a grant that allows you to dedicate time to your Ph.D. At best, can significantly boost your income and thus perhaps motivate you to do good work If you aim at an academic career, you can even use these as mini-research projects to race yourself to do better and better with quality, too Your free time You allocate some of your weekends, nights, and holidays to your Ph.D. 3 Ph.D. As Part of Your Job Employer may have two motives: Help you improve your skills and competencies and keep you motivated You may get one day a week The research results are potentially important to the company How well is your research aligned with the company s interests? Your real job? Your Ph.D. 4 2

3 Doing the Ph.D. in Industry Benefits You are near (or in) the data You can find real, industrially relevant problems Good pay (?) Challenges Limited time available for real research You cannot control your time or the research (it tends to be characteristic to academic research that you would need to find time to really concentrate) Things will change Critical Success Factors Get your boss s commitment The right selection of your topic: it should be relevant for several years for your company 5 Doing Your Ph.D. at University Benefits More time for research (potentially including the ability to arrange multiple-day periods for just your research) More freedom for selecting your topic Better access to scientific counceling and support More support from peers Challenges Many research projects are based on annual funding University overheads: teaching, administration,... Critical Success Factors Find long-term funding and research agenda Advance planning Find a suitable reesarch team 6 3

4 Grant Sources HUT Ph.D. researcher positions If you have the time, you can arrange for a project of your own; see Graduate Schools, e.g., HeCSE, GEBSI, Grants of Helsinki University of Technology and its Foundation Grant Sources (cont d) Academy of Finland Other foundations and funds The national research funding database administered by the University of Turku: Finnish foundations: Finnish Cultural Foundation: CIMO: See for additional information Tekes: Identify potential sources from e.g. the acknowledgements in your colleagues work; ask for advice from them 8 4

5 How to Write a Good Grant Application Have a good research topic: Problem is relevant and there is a research gap Focus, focus, focus Sound research approach Knowledge of relevant literature Realistic plan for conducting the work Brevity is a virtue Reviewers have limited time Recommendation letters are critical Display any early achievements very clearly Workshop papers, internal reports, publications, good grade in your masters thesis,... Make an attempt to show that you (a) have high potential and that (b) you are willing to put it into use to make a real contribution 9 How to Write a Good Grant Application (cont d) Show that the grant is critical for your progress or helpful for that of your institution Tailor the whole application to what the financier values: academic and/or industrial contribution; internationality; presentation and publication of results; etc. Only apply financing for something that has not been executed yet (planned only) Only apply financing for something that has not been fully financed yet; Finnish foundations systematically share information about who is seeking and has sought what financing for which things Remember who read your application: Foundations typically use a board of senior professors to evaluate applications; you can ask about their names from the foundation s secretary 10 5

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