I have been anticipating this day for weeks since receiving my invitation to the Computer Science 2008 conference held at Homerton College, Cambridge.
Securing UK research funding as an international student has become increasingly difficult, especially given the current economic downturn. I am currently navigating this challenging landscape, so I am heading there for three days with high hopes of finding answers, inspiration, and potentially some guidance.
The conference focused on providing an insider’s view of computer science research. For those of us considering a career in academia or industrial research, it offered invaluable advice. Several of the seminars were absolutely fabulous.
The Power of Procrastination
The seminar I enjoyed most was titled “The Power of Procrastination,” given by Jorge Cham. Interestingly, Cham earned his PhD in mechanical engineering from Stanford University but found fame as a comic strip creator.
He is the mind behind Piled Higher & Deeper (PHD Comics), a series documenting the often hilarious and painful realities of graduate and PhD student life. The comics resonate deeply because they capture the specific anxieties and absurdities of the academic world. I highly recommend checking out the archives on the PhD comics website.
Microsoft Research
Since one of Microsoft’s major research branches is located right here in Cambridge, they had a strong presence. They presented their latest work and demonstrated some impressive high-tech implementations, such as advanced facial detection. You can find more about their ongoing projects on the Microsoft Research website.
Google Research
The Google session was particularly insightful. Unlike traditional corporate labs, the presenter—an Engineering Manager at Google—explained that they don’t necessarily segregate “research” into a standalone silo.
At Google, engineers often perform research and engineering simultaneously. For example, their production server disk formats and customized operating systems are developed by engineers specifically to handle massive search request volumes and caching loads. There is a vast array of unresolved scalability issues that require constant research.
It is remarkable that even during this season of layoffs in the tech industry (see Yahoo’s recent cuts), Google still has the capacity to hire. Of course, the bar remains incredibly high—they are looking for top-notch talent to solve these unique engineering challenges.
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