How to Manage your Research

How to Manage
your Research
Gerard de Melo
http://gerard.demelo.org
Tsinghua University
How to Manage
your Research
Gerard de Melo
http://gerard.demelo.org
Tsinghua University

PhDPhD
You have a challenging
goal, and a limited
amount of time.
You have a challenging
goal, and a limited
amount of time.

PhDPhD
You are a manager for
this project.
(Advisors are just advisors)
You are a manager for
this project.
(Advisors are just advisors)

Part 1:
Day to Day
Management
Part 1:
Day to Day
Management

TimeTime
http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/add.png

TimeTime
http://www.skipandcal.net/comics/time

TimeTime
Image: http://www.amrgroup.co.uk/blog/2014/12/what-makes-a-successful-manager/

Step 1: Get Rid of Mental StressStep 1: Get Rid of Mental Stress
Twoodo.com

Step 1: Get Rid of Mental Stress
by Being Organized
Step 1: Get Rid of Mental Stress
by Being Organized
OrgMode for emacs
Image: http://www.thoseoptimizeguys.com/blog/Using-OrgMode-As-A-Life-Manager/
Free your Mind!
Write everything down
in one place
Free your Mind!
in one place

Manage Tasks and AppointmentsManage Tasks and Appointments
OmniFocus
Free your Mind!
in one place
Free your Mind!
in one place
Free your Mind!
in one place
Free your Mind!
in one place

Sublime Editor
Two columns:
easy comparison,
transfer, e.g.
moving to another
date
Two columns:
easy comparison,
transfer, e.g.
moving to another
date
Hierarchical Folding:
ability to close and
expand hierarchy,
get an overview, even
if a subitem is many
pages long
Hierarchical Folding:
ability to close and
expand hierarchy,
get an overview, even
if a subitem is many
pages long
AutocompletionAutocompletion
Smart “Goto Anything”: Go to
other files, methods, etc. in
less than a second
Smart “Goto Anything”: Go to
other files, methods, etc. in
less than a second

● “Snooze”: Revisit in x days
● Change priority
● Supports opening URLs,
running scripts to automate tasks
● “Snooze”: Revisit in x days
● Change priority
● Supports opening URLs,
running scripts to automate tasks

Incoming InformationIncoming Information
Also can be used to add tasks to list
● Parses any text, using NLP to find event dates
and adds to to-do list (e.g. conferences, talks)
● Imports events from VCAL
● Imports yearly events like birthdays
from external lists
Also can be used to add tasks to list
● Parses any text, using NLP to find event dates
and adds to to-do list (e.g. conferences, talks)
● Imports events from VCAL
● Imports yearly events like birthdays
from external lists

Incoming InformationIncoming Information
https://www.uhasselt.be/Documents/Doctoral-School/managing%20you%20PhD/slides%20third%20session.pdf

Incoming Information: EmailsIncoming Information: Emails
Inboxes are not
good task managers
Inboxes are not
good task managers
Should have
one place
for all tasks,
properly sorted
Should have
one place
for all tasks,
properly sorted

http://professornerdster.com/wp-content/
uploads/2014/03/five-actions-inbox-zero.png
INBOX ZERO!
Process emails quickly
by responding
or deferring (convert
to task in your
central to-do list!)
INBOX ZERO!
Process emails quickly
by responding
or deferring (convert
to task in your
central to-do list!)

Apps that can send
emails to task managers
with backlinks
Apps that can send
emails to task managers
with backlinks

Step 2: Start Working!Step 2: Start Working!

Start WorkingStart Working
Write PaperWrite Paper
Problem:
Seems non-trivial.
We may feel like
procrastinating.

Start Working:
Divide and Conquer
Start Working:
Divide and Conquer
Write PaperWrite Paper
Come up with
preliminary title
Come up with
preliminary title
Create empty file
(using right template)
Create empty file
(using right template)
Add title and
headings like
“Introduction”
Add title and
headings like
“Introduction”
···
Some of these seem
easily doable!

Start Working:
Divide and Conquer
Start Working:
Divide and Conquer
http://blog.binfire.com/2011/04/task-milestone-tutorial/

FocusFocus
http://heeris.id.au/

Focus: Avoid InterruptionsFocus: Avoid Interruptions
Disable notifications
Email
WhatsApp, WeChat,
etc.
Disable notifications
Email
WhatsApp, WeChat,
etc.
Instead:
Check during natural
break times. Alerts only
for very important people.
You should be in control,
not the sender.
Instead:
Check during natural
break times. Alerts only
for very important people.
You should be in control,
not the sender.

Focus: PomodorosFocus: PomodorosFocus: PomodorosFocus: Pomodoros
● Force yourself to spend 25 minutes with
focused work on a single to-do item
● After that 5 minutes reward/break to do other
things
● Force yourself to spend 25 minutes with
focused work on a single to-do item
● After that 5 minutes reward/break to do other
things
Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Il_pomodoro.jpg

Focus:
Have a Saved-for-after-Work List
Focus:
New idea?
Consider creating
a task in your to-do
list so that you can
focus on the important
work first.
New idea?
Consider creating
a task in your to-do
list so that you can
focus on the important
work first.

Focus:
Focus:
http://terrasdiary.com/comic/just-one/

Step 3: Scheduling and ReviewingStep 3: Scheduling and Reviewing

Scheduling:
Plan Your Day
Scheduling:
Plan Your Day
OrgMode for emacs
Image: http://www.thoseoptimizeguys.com/blog/Using-OrgMode-As-A-Life-Manager/
When everything is in
one place, it is easier
to consciously prioritize
When everything is in
one place, it is easier
to consciously prioritize
Suggestion: In the
evening, try to
prioritize tasks for
next day
Suggestion: In the
evening, try to
prioritize tasks for
next day

Scheduling:
Urgency vs. Importance
Scheduling:
Urgency vs. Importance
http://sidsavara.com/personal-development/
nerdy-productivity-coveys-time-management-matrix-illustrated-with-xkcd-comics

Scheduling:
Do Consider Priorities
Scheduling:
You are entitled to a life!
– Emily Bender
You are entitled to a life!
– Emily Bender
Image: Emily Bender

Scheduling:
Scheduling:
Source: Emily Bender
there will always be more work
than time
→ prioritize the truly important
over the seemingly urgent
there will always be more work
than time
→ prioritize the truly important
over the seemingly urgent

Scheduling:
Scheduling:
http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/add.png
Let some balloons fly.
The world won't come to an end.
But choose wisely...
Let some balloons fly.
The world won't come to an end.
But choose wisely...

Scheduling:
Scheduling:
Even after work:
Maybe enjoy time with your
partner / family instead of
just playing video games etc.
Even after work:
Maybe enjoy time with your
partner / family instead of
just playing video games etc.

Scheduling:
Have a List of Alternative Tasks
Scheduling:
Have a List of Alternative Tasks
Too exhausted to start working
on proving a theorem?
Too exhausted to start working
on proving a theorem?
Avoid:
Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, etc.
Avoid:
Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, etc.
Instead: Look at your to-do list. Inside it, there
should be alternative but less exhausting tasks.
E.g.: Take a break, talk to colleagues, exercise,
clean the house, read an interesting paper,
clean up your code, respond to emails, etc.
Instead: Look at your to-do list. Inside it, there
should be alternative but less exhausting tasks.
E.g.: Take a break, talk to colleagues, exercise,
clean the house, read an interesting paper,
clean up your code, respond to emails, etc.

Weekly Reviewing:
Reflection, Optimizing
Weekly Reviewing:
Reflection, Optimizing
What did I do last week?
Am I on track towards reaching my
long-term goals?
Did I do what I had planned to do?
Why not?
What did I do last week?
Am I on track towards reaching my
long-term goals?
Did I do what I had planned to do?
Why not?

Daily Reviewing:
Motivation and Productivity
Daily Reviewing:
Motivation and Productivity

Part 2:
Long-Term
Management
Part 2:
Long-Term
Management

Long-Term ReflectionLong-Term ReflectionLong-Term ReflectionLong-Term Reflection

Again: Reflection, Reviewing,
Optimizing
Again: Reflection, Reviewing,
Optimizing
“Suppose you spend a minute each day
packing and unpacking the adapter.
Within a year, you've lost about six
hours to just packing and unpacking
your adapter."
http://matt.might.net/articles/artificial-scarcity
“Suppose you spend a minute each day
packing and unpacking the adapter.
Within a year, you've lost about six
hours to just packing and unpacking
your adapter."
http://matt.might.net/articles/artificial-scarcity

Example of Long-TermExample of Long-Term
Advantage: NetworkingAdvantage: Networking
Example of Long-TermExample of Long-Term
Advantage: NetworkingAdvantage: Networking

PhDPhD
Sometimes research
feels competitive
Sometimes research
feels competitive

CollaborateCollaborateCollaborateCollaborate
Image: https://twitter.com/ThePracticalDev/status/631073573545902085/photo/1

Be Flexible –Be Flexible –
React to ChallengesReact to Challenges

Example: My JourneyExample: My Journey
Image: weinbrenner.single.arabzadeh. Architektenwerkgemeinschaft
http://www.wsa-nt.de
Computer Science branch
of Max Planck Society, which
has had 33 Nobel Prize winners
Computer Science branch
of Max Planck Society, which
has had 33 Nobel Prize winners

Image: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beijing_Forbidden_City_Smog
BeijingBeijing

Image: Jon Parry. https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonparry/
Tsinghua University
Now Ranked #5 in
the world
in US News Global
University Ranking
for CS 2016
Tsinghua University
Now Ranked #5 in
the world
in US News Global
University Ranking
for CS 2016

Life at Tsinghua
N. Modi
Prime Minister of
India
N. Modi
Prime Minister of
India

Life at Tsinghua
Sheryl Sandberg
– Lean In!
Sheryl Sandberg
– Lean In!

● Steve Jobs in 1984: First Macintosh
● 1985: Kicked out of Apple, the company
he had co-founded with Woz
● NeXT: also not a big success
● Steve Jobs in 1984: First Macintosh
● 1985: Kicked out of Apple, the company
he had co-founded with Woz
● NeXT: also not a big success
Steve Jobs in 1984
by Norman Seeff

Bill
Gates
● Dropped out of Harvard
without a clear plan
about his next steps
● Dropped out of Harvard
without a clear plan
about his next steps

My algorithm
sucks!
My algorithm
sucks!
But maybe:
● it works very well
on very short
documents
● With much more
training data
(Deep Learning)
● With much less
training data than
others
But maybe:
● it works very well
on very short
documents
● With much more
training data
(Deep Learning)
● With much less
training data than
others

My algorithm
sucks!
My algorithm
sucks! But maybe:
● the measure is
imperfect
(e.g. BLEU in MT)
● the reviewers
are imperfect
(“Probabilities
are not AI”)
But maybe:
● the measure is
imperfect
(e.g. BLEU in MT)
● the reviewers
are imperfect
(“Probabilities
are not AI”)

Don't Give UpDon't Give UpDon't Give UpDon't Give Up
Rejected at
WWW 2001
but now a classic paper!
Rejected at
WWW 2001
but now a classic paper!

Don't Give UpDon't Give UpDon't Give UpDon't Give Up

Listen to your AdvisorListen to your AdvisorListen to your AdvisorListen to your Advisor
Let's focus on
Wikipedia
Let's focus on
Wikipedia

Reunion
Lexical AmbiguitiesLexical Ambiguities

Reunion
Images:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Reunions_Class_of_82_2007.jpg
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Riviere_Langevin_Trou_Noir_P1440224-35.jpg
and many more...and many more...

Hipsters in London
Images:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/poisonbabyfood/4274634681
https://www.facebook.com/alexander.balabanov.82

Lexical Ambiguities
“Dry vegetables”“Dry vegetables”

Lexical Ambiguities
Image: http://cameraontheroad.com/2006/03/signs-of-bad-english-chinglish/

UWN: “Universal Wordnet”
Goal:
Universal Index
of Word/Name
Meanings
Goal:
Universal Index
of Word/Name
Meanings
Account for polysemy
and synonymy
Account for polysemy
and synonymy
Gerard de Melo
UWN (de Melo & Weikum 2009):
over 1,000,000 words in over 100 languages

Taxonomic Links:
MENTA
Finally, use region growingFinally, use region growing
algorithm in the spiritalgorithm in the spirit
of Leighton & Rao 1988of Leighton & Rao 1988
Finally, use region growingFinally, use region growing
algorithm in the spiritalgorithm in the spirit
of Leighton & Rao 1988of Leighton & Rao 1988
Linear Program RelaxationLinear Program RelaxationLinear Program RelaxationLinear Program Relaxation
Approximation Guarantee:Approximation Guarantee:
4ln(nq+1)4ln(nq+1)
for n distinctness assertions,for n distinctness assertions,
q=max |Dq=max |Di,ji,j
||
but independent of |Dbut independent of |Dii
| !| !
Approximation Guarantee:Approximation Guarantee:
4ln(nq+1)4ln(nq+1)
for n distinctness assertions,for n distinctness assertions,
q=max |Dq=max |Di,ji,j
||
but independent of |Dbut independent of |Dii
| !| !

Taxonomic Links:
MENTA
Use Identity Constraint
Algorithm to form
equivalence classes
Use Identity Constraint
Algorithm to form
equivalence classes
Markov Chain Random
Walk with Restarts
to Rank Parents
Markov Chain Random
Walk with Restarts
to Rank Parents

Taxonomic Links:
MENTA
Submitted to top
conference
Submitted to top
conference
Submitted to even
more selective
conference
Submitted to even
more selective
conference
RejectedRejected

Taxonomic Links:
MENTA
NOT FOR REUSE NOT FOR REUSE
NOT FOR REUSE NOT FOR REUSE
CIKM 2010
Acceptance Rate:
126 / 945 = 13.3%
CIKM 2010
Acceptance Rate:
126 / 945 = 13.3%

UWN/MENTA
multilingual extension of WordNet for
word senses and taxonomical information over 200 languages
Gerard de Melo
http://lexvo.org/uwn/http://lexvo.org/uwn/http://lexvo.org/uwn/http://lexvo.org/uwn/

Job OpportunitiesJob Opportunities
Image: Sainsbury
Study by Quoctrung Bui, NPR, 2015-02, based Census Bureau data, excluding the two catch-all categories
"managers not elsewhere classified" and "salespersons not elsewhere classified."
http://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/02/05/382664837/map-the-most-common-job-in-every-state

Image: Sainsbury
Truck drivers could not be
outsourced to other countries,
e.g. China.
Truck drivers could not be
outsourced to other countries,
e.g. China.

Image: Sainsbury
Which jobs do you
think are safe?
Which jobs do you
think are safe?
Other people's opinions:
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-34066941

Image: Sainsbury
Factory/Machine Operator jobs
left the US a long time ago
Factory/Machine Operator jobs
left the US a long time ago

Image: KUKA Roboter GmbH

Do you think
this is correct?
Do you think
this is correct?
Sony
Aibo PS

Sony
Aibo PS
Knightscope's Security Guard Robots

Image: Sainsbury

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-H02370,_Sekret%C3%A4rin_an_Schreibmaschine.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_183-H02370,_Sekret%C3%A4rin_an_Schreibmaschine.jpg
Images: http://www.chunkofchange.com/2012/07/siri-calendar-commands-let-me-pencil-you-in-getting-siri-on-your-calendar/

Computers are increasingly doing:
- legal analyses
- translation
- customer service
- advertizing and marketing ideas
- journalism
Computers are increasingly doing:
- legal analyses
- translation
- customer service
- advertizing and marketing ideas
- journalism

In the future, every decision
that mankind makes is going
to be informed by a cognitive
system like Watson, and our
lives will be better for it.
Ginni Rometty
CEO of IBM, 2015

PossibilitiesPossibilities
Larry Page and
Sergey Brin,
2003
Larry Page and
Sergey Brin,
2003
Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/31495566@N00/17451790

PageRank Paper:
Rejected from SIGIR 1998.
Never got published separately
PageRank Paper:
Rejected from SIGIR 1998.
Never got published separately
Image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/31495566@N00/17451790
Source: http://rakaposhi.eas.asu.edu/f08-cse494-mailarchive/msg00037.html

http://backrub.stanford.edu
1997
http://backrub.stanford.edu
1997

Sundar Pichai
as a student at
IIT Kharagpur,
India
Sundar Pichai
as a student at
IIT Kharagpur,
India

Sundar Pichai
named CEO
of Google in
2015
Sundar Pichai
named CEO
of Google in
2015
Image: http://www.indiatvnews.com/business/india/india-born-sundar-pichai-named-new-ceo-of-restructured-google-19663.html

Don't Listen to your AdvisorDon't Listen to your AdvisorDon't Listen to your AdvisorDon't Listen to your Advisor

Follow your PassionFollow your PassionFollow your PassionFollow your Passion
Image: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Websters-Third-New-International-Dictionary-Unabridged-1993-/291587582043

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Encyclopedia_Britannica_in_the_library_of_The_Kings_School,_Goa.jpg

Rob Matthews: printed small sample of Wikipedia
Actually, a printed
Wikipedia corresponds to
2000 Britannica volumes
Source:
http://www.labnol.org/internet/wikipedia-printed-book/9136/
Actually, a printed
Wikipedia corresponds to
2000 Britannica volumes
Source:
http://www.labnol.org/internet/wikipedia-printed-book/9136/

Lexvo.orgLexvo.org
2008 ISWC2008 ISWC
Poster PaperPoster Paper
2008 ISWC2008 ISWC
Poster PaperPoster Paper

Semantic WebSemantic Web
Journal 2014Journal 2014
Semantic WebSemantic Web
Journal 2014Journal 2014
InterdisciplinaryInterdisciplinary
Work, e.g. inWork, e.g. in
Digital HumanitiesDigital Humanities
InterdisciplinaryInterdisciplinary
Work, e.g. inWork, e.g. in
Digital HumanitiesDigital Humanities
Lexvo.orgLexvo.org

Think Big, DreamThink Big, Dream
http://geekcom.wordpress.com/2009/03/19/
Tim Berners-Lee

25 Years of the World Wide Web:
1989−2014
1989−2014
http://geekcom.wordpress.com/2009/03/19/
Tim Berners-Lee

1989−2014
1989−2014
Submitted a
paper to
Hypermedia 1991
but it was only
accepted as
a poster paper
Submitted a
paper to
Hypermedia 1991
but it was only
accepted as
a poster paper

Think Big, DreamThink Big, DreamThink Big, DreamThink Big, Dream
Who would've
thought you could
take on
1. Big Banks
2. Big Car Companies
Who would've
thought you could
take on
1. Big Banks
2. Big Car Companies
Elon Musk

Space Travel!?

2009/102009/102009/102009/10
received
“Boldest Dream
Award”
at our MPII D5
Fall Retreat
received
“Boldest Dream
Award”
at our MPII D5
Fall Retreat

Learning Common-SenseLearning Common-SenseLearning Common-SenseLearning Common-Sense
earring hasProperty gorgeous
concept definedAs theory
sonar partOf submarine
predator desires food
Commonsense word relationships
extracted from Google 1T n-grams
24 relations bootstrapped via ConceptNet
→ 1,158,141 triples
Tandon et al. AAAI 2011, etc.

Learning Common-SenseLearning Common-SenseLearning Common-SenseLearning Common-Sense
WebChild
AAAI 2014
WSDM 2014
AAAI 2011
WebChild
AAAI 2014
WSDM 2014
AAAI 2011

Knowlywood: Human ActivitiesKnowlywood: Human Activities
CIKM 2015CIKM 2015

Knowlywood: Human ActivitiesKnowlywood: Human Activities
CIKM 2015CIKM 2015
Tomorrow
10:30 Room 107
Tomorrow
10:30 Room 107

Why do you think Mary put on the
ring at the end of the movie?
Yes, that was powerful scene. The fact
that she put it on after reading the
letter from her mother indicates
that she may have changed
her mind about the value of ...

SummarySummary
Image: http://atlantablackstar.com/2014/06/09/artificial-intelligence-reportedly-able-convince-judges-real-person-first-time/
Think Big
Long-Term
Planning
Work Hard
but also
Efficiently

How to Manage your Research

How to Manage your Research

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