In my last post on grad studies, I made a list of topics that I thought were important from a prospective/current graduate student's point of view. This post follows up on that one with an essay on exploring the academic world while an undergrad.
Exploring the academic world as an undergrad is both useful and daunting. It is useful since it helps you make a very important career choice - whether to continue in academia or jump into the "real" world. Exploring the academic and research world as an undergrad can be a daunting prospect as well, because, often, you dont know where to start. So, how should you undertake this little exploration? Let me try to answer this in an anecdotal manner followed by a few general comments.
I was lucky in my "explorations". Fed up with text book metal extraction stuff, I had partly made up my mind by the end of 2nd year to opt out of metallurgy asap (i.e. immediately after BTech) and get a software job. However, as luck would have it, we went to IISc Bangalore on a study trip during the 3rd year of BTech. We went to meet our erstwhile college seniors, who were ME students at IISc. And in doing so, at some point of time during that trip I found myself standing in front of Prof. Ranganathan's lab. They had a wonderful poster outside the lab highlighting the work of Eric Lord and S. Ranganathan on geometry of quasicrystals. Ever since my school days, I had loved geometry and math. The reason I found metallurgy so stultifying in undergrad days was because it seemed bereft of mathematical beauty. That one poster gave me hope that there may be a lot more to metallurgy than I learnt from undergrad courses. Subsequently, I spent months searching up quasicrystals on the internet. I garnered some information, found some research papers, a short monograph, and just as importantly, made email contact with a number of scientists and professors working on this field who kindly directed me to a few valuable resources. I searched up people who worked on quasicrystals. I applied and got an internship in Prof Chattopadhyay's lab. Although I finally didnt work on quasicrystals and nor did i have much success on my internship project on solidification I gained valuable experience and insight to the research world.
I was lucky to come across the poster. Such luck is not uncommon, but it doesnt come the way of everyone. So what should you do if you didnt have "luck". Well, first of all, there should be a resolve not to trash your discipline unless you have given it a good shot - meaning, dont think of switching lanes too early. Secondly, think clearly about what you are passionate about (in my case, it was numbers, math and geometry). Then talk to professors to see whether you are able to tie up your passions in any research field (IMHO, you should be able to do this!! That's the beauty of research). I cant over-stress how important this step is. Thirdly, walk through the library. Look at books that professors havent ever suggested. Often such books turn out to be specialized books and may be a bit tough, but, they have the advantage of offering you a glimpse on how things may look at the research level. No professor at undergrad level asks you to browse through the "Physical Metallurgy Vol 1,2 &3" by Cahn and Haasen. But having done just that, I found an useful article by Walter Steurer on quasicrystals, which helped me fuel my interest on. Lastly, keep your eyes and ears open for research projects. Nothing matches gaining experience on the job. So, working on a research project part time in your college, or a summer internship in a research lab helps you no end.
To summarize:
1. Be positive and dont equate coursework with research; often research is infinitely more interesting than coursework. So, before giving up on higher studies/research, give it a honest shot.
2. Never give up on your passions; and, always look for research fields where the topics about you are passionate has a key role.
3. Write to people; whether grad students, or scientists or professors (in your university and elsewhere) with a short note on your area of interest, the sort of work you visualize that you would love and ask for guidance. However, do proper research on the net on whom to write to, and dont make your letters too generic.
4. Dont just live on the net. The college library (however big or small that may be) is a resource as fantastic as the net. Just browsing through the book shelves may be an immensely rewarding experience.
5. Look out for research openings for undergrads. Hands on experience in research at undergrad level is invaluable.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
The changing face of cricket
Cricket. What connotations does this one word have for someone who has even a bit of idea about the game? Today, probably, the word will have different connotations for different people. But not too long ago, the one phrase that was synonymous with cricket was the "gentleman's game".
The game of cricket is centuries old. For sure, the game was being played on village greens as early as 16th centuries. The game was initially popular amongst the farming and the metal working community, and slowly evolved from there on. Like most sports, in the early days, cricket was a game played honestly by hardworking men almost as a social activity. The game those days was fueled on by their passion. In the early days, cricket teams flourished in the countryside under the patronage of the dukes and earls, in general the gentry. Blacksmiths and woodcutters, peasants and the occasional gentry would assemble together during a lunch break. Lunch breaks used to be more like net sessions with a bowler being allowed to bowl a certain number of overs and the batsmen being allowed to bat out a certain number of deliveries (irrespective of whether they got out or not).
International matches started much later in 1844 and slowly, the professional cricketer came into being - ones who played for money and prize and made a career out of the game. No longer was the game just a social occasion for the players (although till 1980s when there were limited number of matches, it still was a social occasion for the paying public). A match had to be won and the approach was to damn aesthetics and win the game. mostly, win it hard and fair. The early professional cricketer still had at their core some of the gentlemanly values - they wanted to win, but win fair and square and not "at all costs". Many of the professionals during this ear (late 19th century to mid 20th century) had regular day jobs - a famous example being Don Bradman. While they played for money, the money that they earned was not solely linked to cricket. Despite being professionals they could still afford to treat it not as a guerilla war but a battle of the more honorable kind.
With more and more international matches being played out between countries who were neighbors, or countries who were at loggerheads (India - Pakistan?), the games started getting a nationalistic tinge. Ian Chappell's growling Aussies surface in 1970s. Players, who purportedly played for national pride and so thought that winning the game was the be all and end all (so what, if later on many of them defected to Kerry Packer for money, pride be damned). They defended their actions under the thought "cricket is a game for grown up men. One should be able to take a bit of lip and stay focussed on the game, etc.". (aside: when did grown up men have to resort to childish snipes at each other and make petulant remarks?). But, at least, in the defense of Chappell's Aussies, despite the gladiatorial air with which they played the game, they still went out with their opponents after the match. Chappell's Aussies represented a transitional breed of cricketers.
The modern cricketer is a much meaner version of the Aussies. True, some of the comments exchanged on the field would leave you wondering whether or laugh or to fume, but an increasingly large number of comments were becoming personal, racial and abusive. Today, the cricketer's income is totally dependent on the game. They get sponsorships for their success on the field and equally importantly, for their eye catching ability and newsworthiness. In addition, advent of cricket leagues like ICL and IPL means large salaries directly from the game itself. The game of cricket is creating moneyed individuals. In itself, that is not bad. The professional cricketer reaches where he is by sheer dint of hard work and sacrifices from an early age. But, money after all is the root of all evils. With money comes an ego, the size of which in many (but thankfully not all) cases is directly proportional to the bank balances. In such an era, can someone afford to nurture the gentlemanly values at the cost of losing a match, losing publicity for himself and forgoing a few quick bucks? Slowly, more and more players are starting to answer this with a resounding "No".
Today, the modern pro plays the game in the gladiatorial ampitheater of Eden Gardens or Melbourne cricket ground with their teams having outlandish names like "Knight Riders" and "Daredevils". Money talks, as do abuses. Players cheat, because they believe they should "give no quarters because they ask for none".
Centuries ago, in the sepia tinted days, simple minded honest folks worked hard at the nets in bright sunshine in the village greens trying to perfect a straight drive or get their leg breaks to turn a mile. An era of camradeire abounded and cheating and abusing was not called for, nor tolerated. Just as the samurai perfected his breathing and the stroke of his sword with a sense of spirituality, the early practitioners of cricket tried to perfect their art not for fame or money, but for the sake of perfection. That, in essence, described the spirit of cricket. This is the spirit that is being abused by all and sundry related to the game. The spirit that has all but died out today.
Truth be said, cricket is a microcosm of the society we live in. Society has changed. So has the game.
The game of cricket is centuries old. For sure, the game was being played on village greens as early as 16th centuries. The game was initially popular amongst the farming and the metal working community, and slowly evolved from there on. Like most sports, in the early days, cricket was a game played honestly by hardworking men almost as a social activity. The game those days was fueled on by their passion. In the early days, cricket teams flourished in the countryside under the patronage of the dukes and earls, in general the gentry. Blacksmiths and woodcutters, peasants and the occasional gentry would assemble together during a lunch break. Lunch breaks used to be more like net sessions with a bowler being allowed to bowl a certain number of overs and the batsmen being allowed to bat out a certain number of deliveries (irrespective of whether they got out or not).
International matches started much later in 1844 and slowly, the professional cricketer came into being - ones who played for money and prize and made a career out of the game. No longer was the game just a social occasion for the players (although till 1980s when there were limited number of matches, it still was a social occasion for the paying public). A match had to be won and the approach was to damn aesthetics and win the game. mostly, win it hard and fair. The early professional cricketer still had at their core some of the gentlemanly values - they wanted to win, but win fair and square and not "at all costs". Many of the professionals during this ear (late 19th century to mid 20th century) had regular day jobs - a famous example being Don Bradman. While they played for money, the money that they earned was not solely linked to cricket. Despite being professionals they could still afford to treat it not as a guerilla war but a battle of the more honorable kind.
With more and more international matches being played out between countries who were neighbors, or countries who were at loggerheads (India - Pakistan?), the games started getting a nationalistic tinge. Ian Chappell's growling Aussies surface in 1970s. Players, who purportedly played for national pride and so thought that winning the game was the be all and end all (so what, if later on many of them defected to Kerry Packer for money, pride be damned). They defended their actions under the thought "cricket is a game for grown up men. One should be able to take a bit of lip and stay focussed on the game, etc.". (aside: when did grown up men have to resort to childish snipes at each other and make petulant remarks?). But, at least, in the defense of Chappell's Aussies, despite the gladiatorial air with which they played the game, they still went out with their opponents after the match. Chappell's Aussies represented a transitional breed of cricketers.
The modern cricketer is a much meaner version of the Aussies. True, some of the comments exchanged on the field would leave you wondering whether or laugh or to fume, but an increasingly large number of comments were becoming personal, racial and abusive. Today, the cricketer's income is totally dependent on the game. They get sponsorships for their success on the field and equally importantly, for their eye catching ability and newsworthiness. In addition, advent of cricket leagues like ICL and IPL means large salaries directly from the game itself. The game of cricket is creating moneyed individuals. In itself, that is not bad. The professional cricketer reaches where he is by sheer dint of hard work and sacrifices from an early age. But, money after all is the root of all evils. With money comes an ego, the size of which in many (but thankfully not all) cases is directly proportional to the bank balances. In such an era, can someone afford to nurture the gentlemanly values at the cost of losing a match, losing publicity for himself and forgoing a few quick bucks? Slowly, more and more players are starting to answer this with a resounding "No".
Today, the modern pro plays the game in the gladiatorial ampitheater of Eden Gardens or Melbourne cricket ground with their teams having outlandish names like "Knight Riders" and "Daredevils". Money talks, as do abuses. Players cheat, because they believe they should "give no quarters because they ask for none".
Centuries ago, in the sepia tinted days, simple minded honest folks worked hard at the nets in bright sunshine in the village greens trying to perfect a straight drive or get their leg breaks to turn a mile. An era of camradeire abounded and cheating and abusing was not called for, nor tolerated. Just as the samurai perfected his breathing and the stroke of his sword with a sense of spirituality, the early practitioners of cricket tried to perfect their art not for fame or money, but for the sake of perfection. That, in essence, described the spirit of cricket. This is the spirit that is being abused by all and sundry related to the game. The spirit that has all but died out today.
Truth be said, cricket is a microcosm of the society we live in. Society has changed. So has the game.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Grad studies - I: incoherent ponderings
The jobless grad student inside me is surfacing yet again. This Friday night was spent in two parts. Admittedly though, both turned out to be fruitful.
The first part was a dinner organized by the Brazilian-Portuguese students association. The food was sumptuous, the cultural programs were nice too (maculele, a capoeira demonstration, and you guessed it, a samba band). Goes without a saying that chicks were hot too :) Hope I get to go to Brazil for a conference some day ;)
The second part was spent on making my website. Well, here's the crucial part. I put in a link to a "resources" page, with the noble intention of collecting lots of links on the web on various topics related to materials research as well as grad studies. Well, I am yet to put up links on materials research, but I did put in a few of my favorite links pertaining to grad studies. The page is by no means complete, but it is hopefully a decent start.
In my blog, I am hoping to put up a few short essays (all opinions my own only) on graduate studies. Obviously *few* essays will relate to *few* important aspects (or at least, what I consider important) of grad studies. This post though, is basically to list these aspects, lest I forget them later.
1. Why enter a grad program?
2. Exploring academia while an undergrad
3. Where to apply (choosing universities/ grad studies in India or abroad)
4. Standardized tests, SOPs, letters of recommendations, etc.
5. Choosing an adviser/PhD guide/major professor
6. The PhD timeline
7. Soft skills
8. How to go about the literature review
9. Framing a research problem and the preliminary research proposal
10. Writing the thesis
11. Life after PhD
11 topics! huh! hope I maintain the motivation to write stuff on all these.
By the way, some of the most interesting articles on grad studies can be found in Prof Abinandanan's blog under the label higher ed-advice.
The first part was a dinner organized by the Brazilian-Portuguese students association. The food was sumptuous, the cultural programs were nice too (maculele, a capoeira demonstration, and you guessed it, a samba band). Goes without a saying that chicks were hot too :) Hope I get to go to Brazil for a conference some day ;)
The second part was spent on making my website. Well, here's the crucial part. I put in a link to a "resources" page, with the noble intention of collecting lots of links on the web on various topics related to materials research as well as grad studies. Well, I am yet to put up links on materials research, but I did put in a few of my favorite links pertaining to grad studies. The page is by no means complete, but it is hopefully a decent start.
In my blog, I am hoping to put up a few short essays (all opinions my own only) on graduate studies. Obviously *few* essays will relate to *few* important aspects (or at least, what I consider important) of grad studies. This post though, is basically to list these aspects, lest I forget them later.
1. Why enter a grad program?
2. Exploring academia while an undergrad
3. Where to apply (choosing universities/ grad studies in India or abroad)
4. Standardized tests, SOPs, letters of recommendations, etc.
5. Choosing an adviser/PhD guide/major professor
6. The PhD timeline
7. Soft skills
8. How to go about the literature review
9. Framing a research problem and the preliminary research proposal
10. Writing the thesis
11. Life after PhD
11 topics! huh! hope I maintain the motivation to write stuff on all these.
By the way, some of the most interesting articles on grad studies can be found in Prof Abinandanan's blog under the label higher ed-advice.
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