The purpose of this section is to help prospective students understand whether Dr. Yung-Hsiang Lu's research team can meet your expectation. Dr. Lu advises both graduate and undergraduate students. A research project needs to answer the following questions:
Use these eight questions as a first filter for any topic you propose. Crisp answers come before email.
Each row is a binary. Read them all; the rhythm is the point.
Honesty is the foundation of science. Quality is always more important than quantity.
Each quote on the left is real. Each response below it is mine. Read sequentially or search for a phrase.
Many beginning researchers immediately reject a research topic because someone has done something related. These beginning researchers do not yet have the ability to think deeply. If a problem is important, some people must have done some things related. If nobody has ever done anything about a research topic, this topic is not worth doing.
Learning is not the purpose of doing research. The purpose research is to discover new knowledge for other researchers. Many beginning researchers learn some new things and then stop. They have not created new knowledge and thus they have not accomplished anything yet.
Research needs real participation. Looking around cannot accomplish anything.
Researchers need to explain their discoveries in writing and speaking. If the new knowledge is not disseminated, research is incomplete.
This sentence is self-contradictory. Research is a process to find solutions (more specifically, better solutions).
It is not possible to do research if a researcher wants to build everything from nothing.
This is not possible. Instead, a beginning researcher should identify and read important papers. After reading these papers, the researcher should follow a few papers closely. Reproducing the results in these papers will be a better way than reading many more papers.
Research often improves existing solutions by a little amount each time. Some beginning researchers are eager to say, "This will not work." Instead, they should say, "I will make some improvements."
Researchers have responsibilities explaining their discoveries. After finding solutions, researchers need to write papers and present their work.
Failures are common in research. The only way to succeed in research is to continue improving (through discussing with other researchers, reading literature, experimenting new methods, etc.). Many beginning researchers stop when they encounter difficulties.
Research has many stages, including (1) identify problems, (2) study existing work, (3) determine the needed improvements, (4) improve existing methods, (5) evaluate the new methods, (6) explain the discoveries. If a beginning researcher changes topics too often, this researcher does not have opportunities going through these stages and does not really have true experience being a researcher.
or "I do not want to go to a graduate program. I do not need to do research." Research is a style of thinking. Researchers want to create new knowledge to fulfill their curiosity. Many people do research even though they do not attend graduate programs.
The truth is the opposite. People respect you better if you can explain things clearly.
Many smart people do not do research. Why do you care whether people think you are smart?
Research teams can last many years and the people you work with can be your life-long friends as well as references for career opportunities.
You cannot remember everything. Even if you could remember everything, your work does not exist without documentation.
If nobody cares, this topic is not worth doing. Why do you waste your time?
If a beginning researchers works alone, it is very difficult to make progress. It is better to work in a team and help each other.
A research team usually has specific directions, strength, as well as accumulated expertise and resources. A beginning researcher should take advantage of the team.
Some beginning researchers believe that professors should know everything. The truth is that professors usually do not know the details of every project. If professors know the details, the professors will likely move to different topics. Thus, professors usually select research topics that require further investigation by beginning researchers (usually students).
Many beginning researchers want to change topics often because they always feel others' topics are easier. After they change topics, they find their topics too difficult and want to change again.
Some beginning researchers think they must do everything from the very beginning. They want to rebuild everything; they want to rewrite software; they want to "start from scratch".
Some beginning researchers do not understand how to explain the importance of their topics. These researchers jump directly to technical details.
Some people are confused and think activities are accomplishments. A person is successful because of accomplishments, not because of long hours.
Research is about depth, not breadth. When a person aims for breadth, this person is always catching up with what has already been done. As a result, this person cannot discover new knowledge.
Some beginning researchers consider research only after receiving financial support. The problem is that professors do not know what these students want to do and cannot provide financial support immediately.
Some beginning researchers do not understand what professors do. They do not understand professors' responsibilities. This is what Dr. Yung-Hsiang Lu's activities in a typical week: (a) meet other professors about research projects, collaborations, papers; (b) meet students on research projects about papers, presentations, oral exams, plans of studies; (c) teach in lectures, meet teaching assistants, meet students in office hours, give career advice, design future courses; (d) write research proposals; (e) meet project sponsors; (f) review research papers and proposals. Dr. Lu also attends conferences to present research discoveries and to learn the discoveries by other researchers.
If you consider to join Dr. Lu's research team, please read this before you send an email. Doing so can save your time.
If you are an undergraduate student, Vertically Integrated Projects (VIP) is the best way to start research. If you have any question about VIP, please visit this website.
People sometimes think a professor teaches three hours a week and does nothing else. Here is what a typical week of mine actually contains.