Can great research be taught?

Abstract

This paper describes a course we have developed for preparing new Ph.D. students in computer science for a career in research. The course is intended to teach the skills needed for research and independent work, prepare students psychologically and socially for years lying before them, and help them find a good Ph.D. topic by providing principles and examples. In this course, we emphasize and encourage impact through cross-disciplinary research and broader societal outreach. To our knowledge, the course represents a first-of-its-kind systematic introduction to a graduate research career. This paper describes our high-level goals for this curricular initiative, the structure of the course (including lecture components and assignments), and the challenges we faced in developing this course. As we continue to develop this course, which is now in its second year, we hope it will serve as a model "introduction of Ph.D. research" course for other computer science departments.