research.tex

\chapter{New as Doctoral Researcher?}

What am I supposed to do as a doctoral researcher?
The primary function of researchers is to turn coffee into papers.

\begin{center}
\includegraphics[width=\textwidth]{img/phdcomic1012.png}
\end{center}

The Gesellschaft für Informatik is the biggest national community
of computer scientists and officially advocates the term
\enquote{doctoral researcher} instead of \enquote{PhD student},
because we are not students anymore.

\begin{itemize}
  \item Do proper science!

    For inspiration, we recommend Richard Hamming's
    \enquote{You and Your Research}.
    You can find it online as text or video.

    The DFG has published
    \enquote{Rules of Good Scientific Practice}\footnote{%
    \url{http://www.dfg.de/en/research_funding/principles_dfg_funding/good_scientific_practice/index.html}},
    which the KIT adopted\footnote{%
    \url{https://www.sle.kit.edu/downloads/AmtlicheBekanntmachungen/2014_AB_056.pdf}}.

  \item Write great papers!

    Writing papers is your main job.
    There are other worthy goals, which try to distract you:
    Make students happy, make professor happy,
    make colleagues happy, or save the world.

  \item Present your work!

    People will not notice your great work by themselves.
    You have to advertise it.
    The normal way is make talks about it at conferences.
    Also try to explain your research to normal people once in a while.

  \item Get a PhD!

    The end goal of your current phase in life is to make
    a significant original contribution to knowledge.
    You have to provably solve a relevant problem in a novel way.
\end{itemize}

Need inspiration?
Look for Randy Pausch's talks
\enquote{Last Lecture}
and
\enquote{Time Management}.

\pagebreak
\subsection*{The Process}

At first, you will probably start working for a professor.
A few ideas to get started:
\begin{enumerate}
  \item Convert your bachelor/master thesis into a proper publication.
    You already have something and
    it gets you started with publishing.
  \item Read a lot.
    Once you get fully invested into teaching and other tasks,
    it becomes harder to find free time.
  \item Help your co-workers.
    This gives you karma, experience, and maybe even co-authorship.
\end{enumerate}

The steps to become an \emph{official} doctoral researcher are:
\begin{enumerate}
  \item You and your advisor sign a doctoral agreement (Promotions\-vereinbarung)
  \item Send signed doctoral agreement to our department
  \item Register at KHYS
  \item Apply for acceptance at our department
\end{enumerate}

You should start this process after roughly one year
and the doctoral agreement might limit the time until step four.
The doctoral agreement is required by law (LHG BaWü §38 (5)).
There are a few requirements what must be in there
and our department has a template.
However, this is a contract between you and your advisor.
You are free to change it
and we encourage you read carefully and to negotiate.
In rare cases,
this leads to conflict with your advisor.
Be glad, you found out already!

\checkitem{Looked into doctoral agreement stuff}

The doctoral agreement requires a provisional title of your thesis.
You can easily change it, so don't let this discourage you.

Being officially accepted gives you some security.
If your advisor is run over by a bus,
our department is still responsible for you and your thesis.

\checkitem{Officially accepted as PhD candidate by department}