* This page is provisional and will be replaced once the
material now being prepared is finished.
From joining the laboratory to graduation
Research does not move through these steps once and in a straight line. In practice you go
back and forth between experiment and analysis, deepening the topic as you go.
1. Joining & finding a topic
Look around the equipment and the ongoing projects, and discuss the direction that interests you. Read a few related papers to see what is known and what is not.
2. Deciding the topic
Agree on the topic, the target outcome and the approach with your supervisor. Confirm the equipment, measurement conditions and computing environment you will need.
3. Pilot work & setup
Build the measurement system, get the simulation running. This is also where you learn to isolate the cause when something does not work.
4. Main measurements & calculations
Organise the conditions and acquire the real data. Compare measurement with simulation to check validity.
5. Analysis & discussion
Put the results together and articulate what is new compared with earlier work. This is the part that takes the most time.
6. Conference presentation
Present at a domestic conference, and at an international one where the work suits it. Preparing the talk is what exposes the weak points.
7. Writing the paper
Write for submission to a journal. The review process is another round of sharpening the work.
8. Graduation
Complete the bachelor's, master's or doctoral thesis and defend it.
How supervision works
One-to-one meetings
Check progress and problems directly with your supervisor.
Group seminar
Present to the whole laboratory and get comments from other members.
Journal club
Read related papers in turn and share what is happening in the field.
