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How To Do High Quality Research and Run Large Research Group: - Sharing of My Experience at USC

C.-C. Jay KuoC.-C. Jay Kuo

University of Southern CaliforniaUniversity of Southern California

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Snapshots of Media Communications Lab. URL: URL: http://viola.usc.edu Consisting of 105 PhD alumni, 2 post-doctors, 2 Consisting of 105 PhD alumni, 2 post-doctors, 2

visiting scholars, and about 25 PhD studentsvisiting scholars, and about 25 PhD students Performing active research in the following areas:Performing active research in the following areas:

Digital image and video processingDigital image and video processing Multimedia data compressionMultimedia data compression Multimedia content and rights managementMultimedia content and rights management Multimedia communications and networkingMultimedia communications and networking Biological and biomedical signal processingBiological and biomedical signal processing

Part I: How to Do High Quality

Research?

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Motivation Why should I do PhD (or MS)?Why should I do PhD (or MS)?

Internal driveInternal drive Research interest (curiosity, sense of Research interest (curiosity, sense of

achievement/fulfillment)achievement/fulfillment)Strong ambition (self-expectation)Strong ambition (self-expectation)

External driveExternal driveDegree and diplomaDegree and diplomaParents, teachers, friendsParents, teachers, friendsPeer pressure (sense of honor and responsibility)Peer pressure (sense of honor and responsibility)Small successSmall success

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Problem Selection Good research largely depends on the selected Good research largely depends on the selected

problemproblem A good problem is difficult to findA good problem is difficult to find

Not too easy or too difficultNot too easy or too difficult How to select a problem?How to select a problem?

Is it an old problem or a new problem?Is it an old problem or a new problem?Usually, new problems have more opportunitiesUsually, new problems have more opportunities

Is it a significant problem?Is it a significant problem?Practically important yet technically challengingPractically important yet technically challenging

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More about Ambition Principle of “aim high, accept low”Principle of “aim high, accept low” Use problem selection as exampleUse problem selection as example

Aim highAim highDo not patch a small hole left by leading researchersDo not patch a small hole left by leading researchersFind a more fundamental problem which may have Find a more fundamental problem which may have

a long impacta long impact Accept lowAccept low

If it is difficult to find a fundamental problem, then If it is difficult to find a fundamental problem, then we need a compromisewe need a compromise

Advice from professor is importantAdvice from professor is important

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Literature Survey Use toolsUse tools

Trace backwardTrace backwardTutorial paper and reference listTutorial paper and reference list

Trace forward Trace forward Use Google scholar to find papers that cite the Use Google scholar to find papers that cite the

current workcurrent work Proactive vs. passive readingProactive vs. passive reading

Reading with a critical attitudeReading with a critical attitudeReading according to your own agendaReading according to your own agendaReading between lines (not only what was said but Reading between lines (not only what was said but

what was not said)what was not said) Form a study groupForm a study group

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Nurturing Good Taste There are many mediocre papers publishedThere are many mediocre papers published

Do not ruin your taste by poor-quality papersDo not ruin your taste by poor-quality papers Read selectivelyRead selectively

Highly cited papers and papers from first-tier journals and top-Highly cited papers and papers from first-tier journals and top-ranked conferencesranked conferences

Classification of papersClassification of papers Type A: 80% understanding (main idea, solution method and Type A: 80% understanding (main idea, solution method and

main results)main results) Type B: 50% understanding (idea & results)Type B: 50% understanding (idea & results) Type C: 20% understanding (only introduction)Type C: 20% understanding (only introduction)

Learn to appreciate good papers and criticize poor papersLearn to appreciate good papers and criticize poor papers

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Monitoring Activities of Leading Research Group in Your Field

Identify leading research groups in your Identify leading research groups in your fieldfield

Find out their recent research focusFind out their recent research focus

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Research Environment Large group can be a blessingLarge group can be a blessing

More resourceful in terms of interaction (now) and More resourceful in terms of interaction (now) and networking (future)networking (future)

Senior students can be very helpful to junior studentsSenior students can be very helpful to junior students Experience sharing & encouragementsExperience sharing & encouragements More tolerant to mistakesMore tolerant to mistakes More accessibleMore accessible

Good versus bad environmentsGood versus bad environments Each group has its own cultureEach group has its own culture

Building a nice group culture is rewardingBuilding a nice group culture is rewarding

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Guidance and Feedback Role of AdvisorRole of Advisor

Joint decision on problem selectionJoint decision on problem selection Set up the research standardSet up the research standard Help when students get stuckHelp when students get stuck

Find out whyFind out whyRe-directingRe-directing

Feedback on research resultsFeedback on research resultsPositive and negative feedbackPositive and negative feedback

Help in oral presentation and written reportsHelp in oral presentation and written reports

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Oral Presentation

Preparation of the ppt filePreparation of the ppt file Logical flow of motivation/ideas/resultsLogical flow of motivation/ideas/results Fluent English language capabilityFluent English language capability Practice, practice and practicePractice, practice and practice

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Writing Critical to the sale of your ideas/resultsCritical to the sale of your ideas/results Paper organizationPaper organization

Proper arrangement of texts, figures and tablesProper arrangement of texts, figures and tables Multi-pass writing styleMulti-pass writing style

11stst pass: Detailed outline pass: Detailed outline 22ndnd pass: Rapid writing pass: Rapid writing 33rdrd pass: Fine-tuning pass: Fine-tuning 44thth pass: cross-reading pass: cross-reading

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Plagiarism

A severe problem Intentionally and un-intentionally

Need to tell students a proper way to cite and paraphrase

Part II: How to Run Research Group

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Introduction My own PhD experienceMy own PhD experience

Little supervision from MS and PhD advisorsLittle supervision from MS and PhD advisors Little interaction with peersLittle interaction with peers Little management observedLittle management observed

My early years at USCMy early years at USC First 5-6 years (ad hoc style)First 5-6 years (ad hoc style) When the no. of group members goes beyond 10When the no. of group members goes beyond 10

Seeking a better management systemSeeking a better management system How it reaches today’s status?How it reaches today’s status?

30 PhD students 30 PhD students About 8-10 students graduating per yearAbout 8-10 students graduating per year18 journal papers published in 200518 journal papers published in 2005Extremely diversified research areasExtremely diversified research areas

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Report and Feedback (1)

Weekly report systemWeekly report system The origin of the weekly report systemThe origin of the weekly report system The practiceThe practice

Due every Thursday nightDue every Thursday nightRead and returned on Friday afternoon Read and returned on Friday afternoon

during subgroup meetingsduring subgroup meetingsA synchronization and diagnosis toolA synchronization and diagnosis tool

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Report and Feedback (2)

Weekly report formatWeekly report format Tasks achieved last weekTasks achieved last week Tasks to be done next weekTasks to be done next week Feedback and interactionFeedback and interaction ReportsReports MilestonesMilestones

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Goal Set-up, Planning and Execution Long-term goals (6-12 months) are set upLong-term goals (6-12 months) are set up

Screening, qual, defense examsScreening, qual, defense exams Conference/journal papers due datesConference/journal papers due dates Deliverables for sponsored projectsDeliverables for sponsored projects

Milestones are established and revisedMilestones are established and revised Schedules are set according to the goalsSchedules are set according to the goals Periodic review of progress towards to these Periodic review of progress towards to these

goalsgoals Milestones revision may be needed Milestones revision may be needed

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Group Dynamics and Interaction (1) Group levelGroup level

Group weekly seminarGroup weekly seminar Friday noon: 12:30-1 and 1-2Friday noon: 12:30-1 and 1-2

Group websiteGroup website Internet and intranetInternet and intranet

Thanksgiving luncheon and other eventsThanksgiving luncheon and other events Subgroup levelSubgroup level

Subgroup meetingsSubgroup meetings Informal discussions among special interest groups Informal discussions among special interest groups

(SIGs)(SIGs) Talk rehearsalsTalk rehearsals

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Group Dynamics and Interaction (2)

Personal levelPersonal level One-to-one professor-student meetingOne-to-one professor-student meeting Mentor systemMentor system

Every junior student has a senior student Every junior student has a senior student as mentoras mentor

Support from AlumniSupport from Alumni Many graduates still contribute to the Many graduates still contribute to the

mentoring and research co-supervision of mentoring and research co-supervision of studentsstudents

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Role Modeling

Building an atmosphere of a big familyBuilding an atmosphere of a big family Building core valuesBuilding core values

Team spirit (accepting and giving help)Team spirit (accepting and giving help) Hard-working spiritHard-working spirit Openness to diversified research topicsOpenness to diversified research topics High standardsHigh standards

Both technical and ethicalBoth technical and ethical

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External Collaboration

CollaboratorsCollaborators Group AlumniGroup Alumni Faculty in other universities and USCFaculty in other universities and USC Industrial partnersIndustrial partners Weekly report & conference callsWeekly report & conference calls

Key driving force to different new research Key driving force to different new research areasareas

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Education That Goes Beyond Research An Educator roleAn Educator role

TeacherTeacher Senior (father or big brother)Senior (father or big brother) FriendFriend ShepherdShepherd

Help establish core valuesHelp establish core values 30-minute sharing per week (before the group seminar) 30-minute sharing per week (before the group seminar)

about various topicsabout various topics How to do researchHow to do research How to find a jobHow to find a job Technology trendsTechnology trends Observations from trips & conferencesObservations from trips & conferences How to handle stress and disappointmentHow to handle stress and disappointment

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Example 1: Learning Management Skills Early Two skills not taught (but caught) in universitiesTwo skills not taught (but caught) in universities

ManagementManagement Sale and marketingSale and marketing

About management skillsAbout management skills Resources managementResources management

Time, search tools, e-mails, faculty, student Time, search tools, e-mails, faculty, student peers, etc.peers, etc.

Objectives managementObjectives managementImportance vs urgencyImportance vs urgency

Planning is needed to match objectives and Planning is needed to match objectives and resourcesresources

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Example 2: Sales and Marketing Skills Sales is essentially related to your presentation Sales is essentially related to your presentation

skills and networkingskills and networking Paper writingPaper writing Oral presentationOral presentation Poster presentationPoster presentation Proposal writingProposal writing Making friends and building networksMaking friends and building networks

Marketing skillsMarketing skills Finding new opportunities in funding and Finding new opportunities in funding and

research directionsresearch directionsBlue ocean versus red oceanBlue ocean versus red ocean

Resource is limited -> seek the possible biggest Resource is limited -> seek the possible biggest impactimpact

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Conclusion Build a group culture Build a group culture

Consistency, transparency, fairnessConsistency, transparency, fairness Encouragement yet with disciplineEncouragement yet with discipline

Demand an eco-systemDemand an eco-system Funding sourceFunding source Job opportunitiesJob opportunities

Demand determination and commitmentDemand determination and commitment A system could be too demanding on the leader A system could be too demanding on the leader

if implemented by mimickingif implemented by mimickingLocal adaptation is neededLocal adaptation is needed

Where to get the energy to run the systmeWhere to get the energy to run the systmeA genuine love to research and studentsA genuine love to research and students