MAP-i Doctoral Program in Computer Science

2010-2011 edition

 

COURSE: Seminar

 

1. Summary of objectives

This course aims at introducing the base concepts and methods of scientific research. The students will be guided on issues such as preparation of technical papers, preparation of the thesis, and research roadmapping and management. It also includes visits to MAP Research Centers and Laboratories.

 

2. Responsible professor: Ricardo J. Machado (rmac@dsi.uminho.pt), who will coordinate the course, lecture some classes, attend the remaining classes, and assess the students.

 

3. Sessions

All tutorial sessions at Univ. Minho will take place at Departamento de Inform‡tica (Campus de Gualtar, Braga) in the auditorium A1-DI. Exceptionally, if specified explicitly, tutorial sessions may take place at other locations.

Session 01: 29-Sep-2010; 6h (10h-11h, 14h30-17h30)

 

INTRODUCTION [class]

Objectives for a PhD, base concepts, relationship with supervisor

Ricardo J. Machado (UM)

Session 02: 06-Oct-2010; 6h (10h-13h, 14h30-17h30)

UM R&D CENTERS AND LABS [visit]

10h: Visit CAlg, Henrique Santos (CAlg/UM)

Audit—rio, Dept. Sistemas de InformaŤ‹o, Guimar‹es

[CAlg presentation] [KISS presentation] [MNBA presentation]

14h: Visit CCTC, Rui Oliveira (CCTC/UM)

A1-DI, Dept. Inform‡tica, Braga

Session 03: 13-Oct-2010; 6h (10h-13h)

UA R&D CENTERS AND LABS [visit]

10h: Visit IEETA, Jo‹o Paulo Cunha (IEETA/UA)

Edif’cio 20, IEETA, Aveiro

12h: Visit IT, Susana Sargento (IT/UA)

Edif’cio 19, IT, Aveiro

[IT presentation] [IEETA presentation]

13h: Lunch

14h45m: 4th Portuguese Conference on Human-Computer – Interaction
Invited speaker: ŇMaking Computers More Natural to UseÓ
                        Shahram Izadi, Microsoft Research Cambridge

Anfiteatro, Dep. de Ambiente (Edif’cio 7), Aveiro

Session 04: 20-Oct-2010; 6h (10h-13h, 14h30-17h30)

UP R&D CENTERS AND LABS [visit]

10h: Visit FCUP, Fernando Silva (FCUP/UP)

Edif’cio do DCC/FCUP, sala 2, P—lo do Campo Alegre, Porto

[CRACS presentation]

14h30: Visit FEUP, Gabriel David (FEUP/UP)

Edif’cio da FEUP, sala B034, P—lo da Asprela, Porto

Session 05: 27-Oct-2010; 3h (14h30-17h30)

SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATION [class]

            Writing scientific papers, publication channels, evaluation procedures, citations

 

Paulo A. Cortez (UM)

A5, CP1, Braga

[slides]

Session 06: 03-Nov-2010; 3h (14h30-17h30)

DOCUMENTAL RESOURCES AND TOOLS [class]

Information sources, information search, special sources, synthesis and critics

JosŽ J. Almeida (UM)

[link] [link]

Session 07: 10-Nov-2010; 3h (10h-13h)

RESEARCH METHODS [class]

Overview of research methods, steps of the scientific method, research design

Jo‹o ç. Carvalho (UM)

Session 08: 17-Nov-2010; 6h (9h30-12h15)

 

FEUP R&D CENTERS AND LABS [visit]

09h30: Visit FEUP, Gabriel David (FEUP/UP)

Edif’cio da FEUP, sala I125 (edif’cio de Electrotecnia e Inform‡tica), P—lo da Asprela, Porto

Session 09: 15-Dec-2010; 3h (10h-13h)

 

THESIS ORGANIZATION AND VALIDATION [class]

Structure, research question, thesis contribution, validation of results

JosŽ N. Oliveira (UM)

[slides]

Session 10: 05-Jan-2011; 3h (10h-13h)

THESIS ORGANIZATION AND VALIDATION [class]

Structure, research question, thesis contribution, validation of results

Ricardo J. Machado (UM)

Session 11: 12-Jan-2011; 6h (10h-17h)

 

THEMATIC SEMINAR [class]

Winter Advanced Computer Seminar

Alberto J. ProenŤa (UM)

10h-13h: GPU programming, Martin Burtscher (UTA)

14h-15h30: PGAS languages, Calvin Lin (UTA)

15h30-17h: Towards a science of parallel programming, Keshav Pingali (UTA)

[link]

Session 12: 19-Jan-2011; 3h (10h-13h)

 

THESIS ORGANIZATION AND VALIDATION [class]

Structure, research question, thesis contribution, validation of results

Paulo J. Novais (UM)

Session 13: 26-Jan-2011; 3h (10h-13h)

 

ALUMNI MAP-i [talks]

            Informal talks with students of previous MAP-i editions

            Ricardo J. Machado (UM)

 

4. Teaching Methods and Student Assessment

The class meetings are meant to be conversational, and we encourage students to ask questions and make comments. Consequently, the discussion may follow tangents to the prepared lecture, but they should be fruitful, informative, and thought provoking.

Talks and panels will be organized to complement the topics covered by the formal classes. These talks (or panels) will involve both the lecturing team and faculty members that are not formally associated with this course.

The course includes visits to MAP Research Centers and Laboratories, so that students can contact with all the diversity of research topics and contexts promoted by MAP faculty members.

It is mandatory to attend all sessions of this course and get involved in the discussions and exercises proposed by the lecturers. Each student must write one 15-page report about one of the topics covered by the sessions dedicated to research methodologies. All submitted reports must follow the LNCS template style exactly [link]. The reports must be send to rmac@dsi.uminho.pt in pdf format until 28-Jan-2011 23h59 GMT.

 

5. Basic Bibliographic Reference

 

Mikael Berndtsson, Jšrgen Hansson, Bjšrn Olsson, Bjšrn Lundell

Thesis Projects: A Guide for Students in Computer Science and Information Systems

2nd Edition, Springer, 2008

ISBN: 978-1-84800-008-7

 

http://www.springer.com/computer/book/978-1-84800-008-7