The document provides advice on how to successfully complete a PhD at the TU/e. It discusses the requirements for a PhD degree, including completing an approved dissertation based on independent research that applies existing knowledge and contributes to the field. While publications are not required, it is recommended that each chapter be supported by 1 or more publications. Supervisors are expected to guide and support PhD students, while students are expected to conduct independent research and prepare for supervision meetings. Overall, the document emphasizes the importance of passion, preparation, hard work, and integrity in achieving a successful PhD.

1. How to
do
PhD at TU/e
Jun Hu

2. What is PhD
• Philosophiae Doctor (Doctor of Philosophy)
• In Dutch, AIO (Assistent in Opleiding)
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3. What is PhD
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http://www.slideshare.net/jucaitis/the-illustrated-guide-to-a-phd

4. What is PhD
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5. What is PhD
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6. What is PhD
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7. What is PhD
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8. What is PhD
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9. What is PhD
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10. What is PhD
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11. What is PhD
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12. What is PhD
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13. What is PhD
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14. What is PhD
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15. What is PhD
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16. Purpose of PhD Training
• To prepare graduates for
• being an independent researcher
• a life dedicated to science and research
− preferably within a university or
− in a research-intensive industrial lab
• … and beyond.
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 1607-02-19
Gibbons, Michael et al. (1994) The New Production of Knowledge. Sage Publications.
Hill, Stephen C. (1995) The Formation of Identity as a Scientist, Science Studies, 8, 53-72. Nowotny, Helga, Peter Scott and Michael Gibbons (2001) Re-Thinking
Science. Knowledge in an Age of Uncertainty. Oxford: Polity.
Soensen, Knut H. (1992) Towards a Feminized Technology? Gendered Values in the Construction of Technology, Social Studies of Science, 22, 5-31.

17. Purpose of Research
• To generate knowledge.
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 1707-02-19
Gibbons, Michael et al. (1994) The New Production of Knowledge. Sage Publications.
Hill, Stephen C. (1995) The Formation of Identity as a Scientist, Science Studies, 8, 53-72. Nowotny, Helga, Peter Scott and Michael Gibbons (2001) Re-Thinking
Science. Knowledge in an Age of Uncertainty. Oxford: Polity.
Soensen, Knut H. (1992) Towards a Feminized Technology? Gendered Values in the Construction of Technology, Social Studies of Science, 22, 5-31.

18. Requirement for a PhD degree at TU/e
• A dissertation
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 1807-02-19
TU/e, Regulations governing the conferral of doctor’s degrees, version September 2013.

19. Requirement for a PhD degree at TU/e
• A dissertation that demonstrates the capability of
• Independently conducting a solid research
− that applies existing body of knowledge
− that generates knowledge
− that contributes to the field
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 1907-02-19
TU/e, Regulations governing the conferral of doctor’s degrees, version September 2013.

20. Requirement for a PhD degree at TU/e
• A dissertation that demonstrates the capability of
• Independently conducting a solid research
− that applies existing body of knowledge
− that generates knowledge
− that contributes to the field
• Approved by the PhD committee.
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 2007-02-19
TU/e, Regulations governing the conferral of doctor’s degrees, version September 2013.

21. Requirements for publications?
• None.
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 2107-02-19
TU/e, Regulations governing the conferral of doctor’s degrees, version September 2013.

22. Requirements for publications?
• None. But,
• It would be easier for a dissertation to be approved if
the content is well supported by publications.
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 2207-02-19
TU/e, Regulations governing the conferral of doctor’s degrees, version September 2013.

23. Requirements for publications?
• None. But,
• It would be easier for a dissertation to be approved if
the content is well supported by publications.
• How many?
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 2307-02-19
TU/e, Regulations governing the conferral of doctor’s degrees, version September 2013.

24. Requirements for publications?
• None. But,
• It would be easier for a dissertation to be approved if
the content is well supported by publications.
• How many?
• There are no rules.
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 2407-02-19
TU/e, Regulations governing the conferral of doctor’s degrees, version September 2013.

25. Requirements for publications?
• None. But,
• It would be easier for a dissertation to be approved if
the content is well supported by publications.
• How many?
• There are no rules, but each main chapter is expected
to be supported by 1 or more publications.
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 2507-02-19
TU/e, Regulations governing the conferral of doctor’s degrees, version September 2013.

26. Requirements for publications?
• None. But,
• It would be easier for a dissertation to be approved if
the content is well supported by publications.
• How many?
• There are no rules, but each main chapter is expected
to be supported by 1 or more publications.
• A good research guarantees a good amount of
publications. Don’t worry about publications, worry
about research.
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 2607-02-19
TU/e, Regulations governing the conferral of doctor’s degrees, version September 2013.

27. Requirements for publications?
• None. But,
• It would be easier for a dissertation to be approved if
the content is well supported by publications.
• How many?
• There are no rules, but each main chapter is expected
to be supported by 1 or more publications.
• A good research guarantees a good amount of
publications. Don’t worry about publications, worry
about research.
• Start writing now (notes, summaries, thoughts… )
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 2707-02-19
TU/e, Regulations governing the conferral of doctor’s degrees, version September 2013.

28. Requirements for publications?
• None. But,
• It would be easier for a dissertation to be approved if
the content is well supported by publications.
• How many?
• There are no rules, but each main chapter is expected
to be supported by 1 or more publications.
• A good research guarantees a good amount of
publications. Don’t worry about publications, worry
about research.
• Start writing now. Keep writing.
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 2807-02-19
TU/e, Regulations governing the conferral of doctor’s degrees, version September 2013.

29. Conduct a research
• Research plan
• Research question;
• Methodology;
• Expected results;
• Time and risk management;
• Carry out the plan
• Implementations, prototypes, simulations …
• Experiments
• Analysis
• Iterations if necessary
• Report the findings (thesis)
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 2907-02-19

30. Conduct a research
• Research plan (1 year)
• Research question;
• Methodology;
• Expected results;
• Time and risk management;
• Carry out the plan (2 years)
• Implementations, prototypes, simulations …
• Experiments
• Analysis
• Iterations if necessary
• Report the findings (thesis) (1 year)
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31. What is good about doing a PhD in NL?
• Freedom
• Independence
• Support
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32. What is bad about doing a PhD in NL?
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33. What is bad about doing a PhD in NL?
• Freedom
• Independence
• Support
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34. Supervision
• 1 Supervisor, or
• 1 Supervisor + 1 co-supervisor, or
• 1 Supervisor + 2 co-supervisors, or
• 2 Supervisors + 1 co-supervisor
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 3407-02-19
TU/e, Regulations governing the conferral of doctor’s degrees, version September 2013.

35. Supervision
• Supervisors are not bosses.
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36. Supervision
• Supervisors are colleagues.
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37. Supervision
• Supervisors are colleagues, to
• guide
• support
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38. Supervision
• Supervisors are colleagues, to
• guide
• support
• Supervisors have their own research too.
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 3807-02-19

39. Supervision
• Supervisors are colleagues, to
• guide
• support
• Supervisors have their own research too.
• Supervisors expect the PhDs to conduct their own
research themselves.
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 3907-02-19

40. Expectations
Supervisors expect you You can expect supervisors
To be independent
• Not to ask “what to do next”
• To have ideas and proposals
• To show original thought and
incentive
To supervise
• To supervise regularly on your
progress
• To make (written) comments
on your work and your
progress
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 4007-02-19
Academic Association of Scientific Staff at ETH Zurich, Survival Guide (Handbook for Ph.D. Students at ETH Zurich. 2013

41. Expectations
Supervisors expect you You can expect supervisors
To produce written work To read your work (in advance of a
meeting)
To schedule regular meetings To be available when needed
To be honest when reporting your
progress
Not only to praise or condemn you
for your progress made, but also to
ask right questions and make useful
suggestions.
To follow her/his advice when you
ask for it
To be constructively critical
To surprise her/him and to become
an expert in your field.
To have a good knowledge of the
research area
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 4107-02-19
Academic Association of Scientific Staff at ETH Zurich, Survival Guide (Handbook for Ph.D. Students at ETH Zurich. 2013

42. How to do it successfully
• Passion!
• Open minded, curious, and critical
• Cooperation
• Networking in academic life
• Research planning
• Time management
• Activity logging (book keeping)
• Doing, instead of just studying
• Literature research (Reading)
• Reporting (Writing)
• Meetings and conferences
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43. Supervision Meetings
• The supervisors would expect you to prepare the
meetings:
• Schedule the meetings.
− Schedule the meetings one year or half-year ahead;
− Once one or two weeks with the supervisors;
− One per month or per six weeks with the promotors;
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 4307-02-19

44. Supervision Meetings
• The supervisors would expect you to prepare the
meetings:
• Schedule the meetings.
• Prepare the agenda and distribute it before the meeting.
− Date, place, participants;
− Action points from last meeting;
− Topics for discussion for this meeting;
− How much time is needed in total and for each point;
− Allow time for the topics that the others might bring
onto the table.
− Attach the minutes from the previous meeting.
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 4407-02-19

45. Supervision Meetings
• The supervisors would expect you to prepare the
meetings:
• Schedule the meetings.
• Prepare the agenda and distribute it before the meeting.
• Take notes during the meeting, and keep meeting
minutes after the meeting. Distribute the minutes to the
participants of the meeting.
− Date, place, participants;
− Topics discussed;
− Decisions made;
− Actions to be taken (by who, and the deadline)
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 4507-02-19

46. Supervision Meetings
• The supervisors would expect you to prepare the
meetings:
• Schedule the meetings.
• Prepare the agenda and distribute it before the meeting.
• Take notes during the meeting, and keep meeting
minutes after the meeting. Distribute the minutes to the
participants of the meeting.
• Do not expect the supervisors to “remember” what has
been discussed last time. It is your responsibility to
“remind” them by means of agenda and minutes.
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 4607-02-19

47. Book keeping
• A shared storage (blog, wiki, dropbox etc.) for
• Meeting minutes
• Agenda for the meetings
• Project log (at least once a week)
− What has been done;
− Actions to be done;
− Questions and doubts;
− Progress …
• Fragments of thoughts, mind maps, sketches, photos …
• Summaries of literature study
• Literature, papers, e-books etc (categorized)
• Published papers
• Papers in progress
• …
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48. Other advices
• To be successful, you must be at least four of the
following:
• Smart
• Motivated
• Creative
• Hardworking
• Lucky
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49. Other advices
• To be successful, you must be at least four of the
following:
• Smart
• Motivated
• Creative
• Hardworking
• Lucky
• You can’t depend on luck, so you’d better focus on
the others.
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 4907-02-19

50. Other advices
• You have the freedom; you are expect to be
independent. Take responsibility for your project;
• Work hard, but do take some weekends off, and
decent holidays.
• Try speak less about “I think”, try to ground your
arguments with literature and experiments.
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 5007-02-19

51. Other advices
• Your English is good enough.
• Read, read, read.
• Speak it
− Forget about grammar;
− Do not think in Chinese then translate;
− You have a good vocabulary. If got stuck, work
around it.
• Write it
− Pay attention to grammar;
− Do not think in Chinese then translate;
− Follow English conventions;
− Notes in English;
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52. Other advices
• The best way of improving your English is to USE it.
• You may start learning Dutch, if you feel comfortable
and confident with your English.
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53. Other advices
• Scientific integrity
• Follow the rules of citations and references!
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54. Other advices
• Scientific integrity
• Follow the rules of citations and references!
• Really, I mean it.
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55. Other advices
• You are NOT a student.
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56. Other advices
• You are a researcher.
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57. Other advices
• You are a researcher (in training).
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58. Other advices
• You are an employee with a special working contract.
• You are expected to follow the regulations and to act
professionally.
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59. Other advices
• ENJOY YOUR PHD.
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60. One more thing
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 6007-02-19

61. One more thing
• 切忌
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62. One more thing
• 切忌
• 违反学术规范
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63. One more thing
• 切忌
• 违反学术规范
• 扎堆
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64. One more thing
• 切忌
• 违反学术规范
• 扎堆
• 眼高手低
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 6407-02-19

65. One more thing
• 切忌
• 违反学术规范
• 扎堆
• 眼高手低
• 拖延
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 6507-02-19

66. One more thing
• 切忌
• 违反学术规范
• 扎堆
• 眼高手低
• 拖延
• 攀比
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 6607-02-19

67. One more thing
• 切忌
• 违反学术规范
• 扎堆
• 眼高手低
• 拖延
• 攀比
• 缺乏团队意识
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 6707-02-19

68. One more thing
• 切忌
• 违反学术规范
• 扎堆
• 眼高手低
• 拖延
• 攀比
• 缺乏团队意识
• 违反劳动规章
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 6807-02-19

69. One more thing
• 切忌
• 违反学术规范
• 扎堆
• 眼高手低
• 拖延
• 攀比
• 缺乏团队意识
• 违反劳动规章
• 不入乡随俗
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 6907-02-19

70. • j.hu@tue.nl
• www.drhu.eu
Department of Industrial Design PAGE 7007-02-19