StevenM.LaValle,DepartmentofComputerScience，UniversityofIllinoisatUrbana-Champaign(UIUC)的AssistantProfessor.
在其网页上,对ProspectiveGraduateStudents提出了一些建议,内容涉及到学生如何与未来导师联系（套磁）,以及他对申请者的素质要求等。
http://msl.cs.uiuc.edu/~lavalle/message.html
AMessageforProspectiveGraduateStudents————————————————–
Hello,
Thismessageisintendedprimarilyforstudentswhoareapplyingtograduateschool,orarestartinggraduateschool,andareconsideringworkinginmyresearchgroup.Forstudentswhoarealreadyhere,youcansignupforanadvancedcourseorreadinggroupthatIamorganizing.Otherpossibilitiesareevendroppingbyandtalkingwithme,orsendinge-mailtosetupavisit.First,however,pleasereadthismessage,especiallybeforetryingtovisit.
Thanksforyourinterest:Firstofall,Iwouldliketothankyoufortakingthetimetolookatmywebpages.Iappreciateyourinterestinmyresearchandintheactivitiesofourgroup.Duetoincreasinginternetconnectivityandalargeinterestinmyresearcharea,Ireceiveanoverwhelmingnumberofe-mailmessagesfromprospectivestudents.Unfortunately,therearetoomanymessagesformetogivearesponsetoeachone.IregretthatIcannotreplytomessagesthataresoimportanttothepeoplewhosendthem.Forthisreason,Ihavedecidedtowritethismessagetohelpgivesomeusefulinformationtoyou.
Learnaboutwhatwedo:Ifyoubelievethatmyresearchareamightpotentiallybeinterestingtoyou,pleaselookcarefullyatmywebpagestolearnaboutourresearch.Youmightevenwanttotrydownloadingsomeofourpapers(ifyouareunable,pleaseletmeknow).Ingeneral,Iammorelikelytoreplytoastudentwhohastakenthetimetogetsomeideaofwhatmyresearchinvolves,especiallyiftheycanexplainwhytheywouldbewell-suitedtomakecontributionsinourresearchgroup.
No”openings”intheusualsense:Manystudentsappeartobesendaformlettertoalargenumberoffacultywithoutamuchmentionofanyresearchactivitiesthatareparticulartoaresearchgroup.Inthiscase,Iusuallydiscardthemessage.Evenifthemessageispersonalized,manyseemtosendresume-styleinformationinhopesthatmyresearchgrouphas”openings”tofillinthesenseofatypicaljob.Forsomeresearchgroups,thismightbetrue;however,Iusallydonotoperatethisway.IusuallydonotofferfundingdirectlytostudentsbeforeIhavebeenabletogettoknowthem.Thus,itishighlyunlikely(althoughithappensonceinawhiletoanexceptionalstudent)thatIwouldofferaresearchassistantshipbeforegettingtoknowastudentwell.Ipreferthatstudentstakeacourseortwofromme,andthattheyhaveachancetospendsometimehere.Afterasemesterortwo,theycanrefinetheirinterestsanddeterminewhethermyresearchareawouldbemostexcitingtothem.Icouldalsohavetheopportunitytodeterminewhetherweareasuitablematchintermsoftechnicalbackground,motivation,personality,etc.
GREsareworthless:Withregardtosendingresume-styleinformation,itisuselesstoreportGREscorestome;theyarenotafactorinanyofmydecisions(generalmotivationforthiscanbefoundbyreadingTheMismeasureofMan,byStephenJayGould).IamlesslikelytorespondtoamessagethatcontainsGREscores.
Mygoalsforstudents:IamveryexcitedaboutthepossibiltyofworkingwithexceptionalM.S./Ph.D.students.Iintendtogivestrongpersonalguidancethatwillmaximizetheirchancesofbuildingarewardingandenjoyablecareerinresearch.ImportantgoalsthatIhaveforstudentsare:1)theidentificationoffundamentalresearchproblemsbydevelopingathoroughunderstandingofcurrentliterature;2)thedevelopmentofastrongtechnicalbackgroundthatenablestheproposalofindependentandinnovativesolutionstochallengingproblems;3)thepresentationandpublicationofresearchinthemostprestigiousjournalsandconferences;4)thedevelopmentofpersonalcommunicationandpresentationskillsthatareneededtomaximizevisibilityintheresearchcommunity,andincreasechancesoffuturesuccess.Ifyoufindthisemphasisandmyresearchareaappealing,Ibelieveourgroupcouldprovideyouwithavibrantandexcitingeducationalexperience.
Howtopossiblysqueezein:AdmissionsintheDept.ofComputerSciencearebasedonmerit,andteachingassistantshipsorfellowshipsareusuallyawardedtotheadmittedstudents.Thisisoneofthebestwaystocometograduateschool,andthenspendtimetryingtofindtherightresearchgroup.Atpresent,myresearchgroupisprettymuchfull;however,Iamsometimeswillingtomakeanexception.Theordinarypathintomygroupistobecomeagraduatestudenthereandthentakeanupper-levelcoursefromme.Ifthereisstrongmutualinterestbetweenmeandastudent,chancesaregoodsheorhecanstartworkinginmygroup.
Inanycase,goodluckwithyourprospectivegraduatestudies.
Bestwishes,
SteveLaValle
