Welcome! And what to expect from this seminar

Objectives:

• Introduce students to each other and to the course staff
• Normalize common worries
• Relate common worries to unhealthy self-expectations stemming from misconceptions about thep program
• Motivate course: that research requires learning a hidden curriculum of soft-skills (like reading papers, managing collaborations, etc.) that are seldom discussed explicitly in Ph.D. programs – this course will make this hidden curriculum explicit
• Build a constructive definition of research

Pre-class work

1. Read The Fear of Publicly Not Knowing. Answer:
   • What’s the “fake it ‘till you make it” approach?
   • How does the article criticize this approach?
   • Who, in our society, gets the “benefit of the doubt”?
   • What can you do to create a classroom community in which is it ok to not know?
2. Read What you should know about us (the instructors). Answer:
   • What do we (the course staff) expect of you in this seminar?
3. Create a slide to introduce yourself (in a shared slide-deck), including the following:
   • Name + pronouns
   • One thing you can’t tell by just looking at me is: _____.
   • This is important for me to tell you because: _____.
   • A picture of you
4. Answer a demographic survey, consisting of the following questions:
   • Name, pronouns
   • Dietary restrictions
   • Is there anything that would be helpful for the course staff to know about you?
   • Area (e.g. CS, AM, etc.) and subfield (e.g. ML, Theory, Systems, etc.)
   • Who is/are your advisor(s)?
   • What did you study in undergrad/master’s?
   • What are you hoping to get out of your Ph.D. professionally?
   • What are you hoping to get out of your Ph.D. personally?
   • Is there anything you’re worried about/intimidated by as you begin your Ph.D.?

Note: We noticed that the pre-class readings and reflection helped students answer the last question (about their worries) more openly and honestly. Their responses enabled us to meaningfully shape class-discussion about these worries (see Q1 below) and set inclusive and welcoming community standards for the remainder of the semester.

In class: [slides]

1. [20min] Students get food, sit down (4-5 students per table), write name tags, and introduce themselves to each other using the slides they created.
2. [3min] Course staff introduces themselves (using the slides)
3. [7min] Introduction
   • Course overview: roadmap of the course, course policies and grading
   • Present themes from the pre-class survey question “Is there anything you’re worried about/intimidated by?”.

     Insight: Most students, while coming from diverse backgrounds, share similar worries about the program.

4. [Discussion + regroup] Break into small groups for discussion of the following questions:
   • [15min + 5min] Q1: What’s the expectation/assumption implied by the statement/worry? (see below for an example)

     Insight: Most of these worries stem from misconceptions about the Ph.D. program, leading to unhealthy self-expectations.

   • [10min + 5min] Q2: What is research?
   • [10min + 5min] Q3: What skills do you need to do research? (When re-grouping, relate this back to the course overview).

     Insight: Our definition of research, as well as most of the skills mentioned in the groups, do not accurately reflect many of the most important skills to develop during the Ph.D. (see slides for an example list). This course will focus on exactly these skills.

5. [5min] A brief guide to classes and program requirements (covered in the orientation but promptly forgotten by students): for example,
   • Show the 5-year SEAS course plan
   • Introduce the Q-guide
   • Recommend students take <= 2 technical classes + CS290 in their first semester (unless they were told otherwise by their advisor(s))
   • Encourage students to go for a B average, and tell them it’s ok to get B- (unless they are applying to fellowships or told otherwise by their advisor(s))
   • Emphasize that classes are a “team sport” (collaborate and go to office hours)
6. [3min] Ask students to answer in-class survey:
   • What’s one thing you took away from today’s class?
7. [17min] Informal Q/A with current invited second-year students and course staff

Example in-class student responses from Fall 2022

In the pre-class work for the first class, there were many themes that popped up over and over again – worries that seemed to be on everyone’s minds. It’s important for us to come together as a community to discuss what are the expectations/assumption implied by each of these worries so that we can set more realistic expectations for ourselves, support each other, and ultimately enjoy the Ph.D. Below are the statements (worries), as well as the expectations implied by the statements you all came up with in class:

Statement	Expectation/assumption behind statement
My peers are more accomplished than me	Assumes that you need to have similar accomplishments to all other students combined Assumes that past success indicates future success Assumes that everyone values the same type of achievements Assumes that everybody is at the same point in their academic journey Assumes that you are in a competition with your peers Assumes you need publications to get accepted to Ph.D. programs
I don't have the right background (e.g. math, cs, coding)	Assumes a particular set of prerequisites, that there won't be time to learn anything during the program, that the admissions committee made a mistake Assumes that there is a "right background" Assumes that you need to know everything before the Ph.D. We focus on the things we aren't good at vs what we are. Assumes you're at a disadvantage if you don't know certain things or have had certain research or industry experience Assumes that differences in background are a weakness as opposed to a strength
What if my research projects fail?	Assumes every (incoming) Ph.D. student is already well-trained for research and can make every project work. Assumes that failure is bad, when it actually could be beneficial to learn from Assumes that you need to have a well-polish product in order to present your work Assumes that to be successful, you can never fail Assumes that every research should end with positive results or a publication Assumes that failure is not a part of research Assumes that a failed project is a waste of time
What if I don't publish enough?	Assumes that all publications are of the same quality Assumes quantity > quality when it really should be the other way round Assumes there is a specific metric of number of publications that you have to meet
What if I can't find a good research problem?	Assumes that a first-year student is supposed to find all the right research problems alone Assumes there only exist a limited number of good problems Assumes that you have to have your thesis topic right away Assumes you have to find the problem yourself, when your advisor and others are there to help you Assumes that you have to know whether a problem is good at the start
How can I juggle courses, research, sleep relationships, etc?	Assumes that the program will be difficult Assumes that a Ph.D. is heavier than a typical 9-5 job Assumes that juggling is a solo act Assumes that courses, research, other activities need to be disjoint from each other Assumes that you can't sacrifice research time for anything Assumes that juggling means we have to juggle "perfectly" Assumes there's a "right" way to work
Can I really put my life on hold to do this Ph.D.?	Assumes that you can't have a life and do a Ph.D. Assumes you're expected to prioritize the Ph.D. above everything else Assumes you're not supposed to treat a Ph.D. like a job Assumes that the Ph.D. is not "real life" Assumes you shouldn't need anything outside the Ph.D.