To Prospective Graduate Students
If you are interested in working with me, some things you should know are listed below. Beginning Fall 2011, I am treating the list as a demanding but friendly filter. That is, I will expect that you are, by nature and disposition, eager to cooperate with the program the list contains. Here is the list:
Personal Contact: You should take a course from me, spend a summer doing research with me, or both, before deciding to work with me.
Inspiration: What I do is hard enough that you should not do this unless you find it inspiring. Then it becomes more like a fun but strenuous mountain climb: the effort is at times considerable, but the rewards are commensurate with the effort.
Curriculum: you are expected to get through the curriculum outlined here: Link to my analysis curriculum. Actually, as mentioned in the notes, there are minimalist routes through the material, some of which are suggested as possible paths through critical material.
Education: I am a firm believer in combining teaching with research. Students of mine are expected to participate in integrated teaching/research projects. For example, my team always has high-school and undergraduate student members and graduate students are expected to help me mentor these students.
Computation: students working with me are expected to learn or know, as well as use, scripting languages like Matlab, Octave, Python, etc. We work together on data analysis projects, in intensive collaborative settings, and the use of these languages (right now we are using Matlab) is critical to the success of the workshops.
Collaborative/Solo Efforts: Successful students will work in both the solo mode -- think hard with tight focus for extended periods of time, and the team mode -- work closely with others on joint projects, courses, and data analysis collaborations. While the solo mode will consume more of your time, the collaboration mode will be critical for your success as a student on my team.
Fun: While I advocate a sustainable approach to teaching and research -- time to think, generosity towards students and family, healthy living and exercise -- students who join the team will need to see the research and teaching as fun, not something that you have to take a break from to have fun. That distinction is important. (This will be obvious to students who fit with my team.)
How to begin
Think about what I have written above, poke around the website and contact me if you still have an interest.