Major ingredients of successful and timely completion of PhD? Few, but important!

1. Major ingredients of successful and
timely completion of PhD?
Few, but important!
Dr. Sebastiano Panichella
2) Curiosity is powerful;
3) The determination is crucial;
4) Having a bigger vision
can help to connect the dots;
5) Trust.
1) Willingness to dealing with
the initial obstacles
Home page: https://spanichella.github.io/

2. Since I’m working in Switzerland,
I have searched the person that
met the most difficult obstacles
to get the Ph.D. in my
current country…

3. Let’s Start from
the beginning…
Since I’m working in Switzerland,
I have searched the person that
met the most difficult obstacles
to get the Ph.D. in my
current country…

4. Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

5. Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

6. Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

7. German 5;
French 3;
Italian 5;
Art and Technical Drawing 4;
History 6;
Geography 4;
Algebra 6;
Geometry 6;
Physics 6;
Chemistry 5;
Natural History 5;
…
In 1896 He completes
his secondary schooling
in Aarau
4.9
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

8. In 1896 He completes
his secondary schooling
in Aarau
German 5;
French 3;
Italian 5;
Art and Technical Drawing 4;
History 6;
Geography 4;
Algebra 6;
Geometry 6;
Physics 6;
Chemistry 5;
Natural History 5;
…
4.9
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

9. In 1896 He completes
his secondary schooling
in Aarau
4.9
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

10. - Then he tried to be admitted to the
ETH, but he could not even pass
the entrance examination
In 1896 He completes
his secondary schooling
in Aarau
4.9
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

11. In 1896 He completes
his secondary schooling
in Aarau
- Then he tried to be admitted to the
ETH, but he could not even pass
the entrance examination
4.9
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

12. - Then he was admitted to the ETH,
one year later, after some studies.
- Then he tried to be admitted to the
ETH, but he could not even pass
the entrance examination
In 1896 He completes
his secondary schooling
in Aarau
4.9
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

13. In 1900, He passed the
exams and was awarded with
the ETH diploma
4.9
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

14. In 1900, He passed the
exams and was awarded with
the ETH diploma
4.9
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

15. In 1900, He passed the
exams and was awarded with
the ETH diploma
4.9
overall vote of 4.9 / 6
He was ranked in the
fourth position (out of five)
He was the only graduate
student that did not find a
job as an assistant at the ETH
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

16. In 1900, He passed the
exams and was awarded with
the ETH diploma
4.9
overall vote of 4.9 / 6
He was ranked in the
fourth position (out of five)
He was the only graduate
student that did not find a
job as an assistant
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

17. Main reasons?
4.9
He was judged as a:
- Too curious and unfocused person:
working/focusing on too many ideas in
the same time.
- Undisciplined students: focusing on too
visionary ideas to
- get them published;
- get them accepted in the
department.
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

18. Main recommendations?
4.9
"Focus on quality and not quantity…”
“Provide some evidence that
your ideas can be published…”
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

19. After the graduation…
4.9
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

20. After the graduation…
4.9
In 1900 he received a teacher's
diploma from the Federal
“Technische Hochschule”
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

21. After the graduation…
4.9
In 1900 he received a teacher's
diploma from the Federal
“Technische Hochschule”
He found a job at the
Federal Office for Intellectual
Property in BernProf. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

22. 4.9
He focused on his
research…
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

23. 4.9
He sent his first scientific
work to his uncle
“The Investigation of the State
of Aether in Magnetic Fields”
The work was
never published
He focused on his
research…
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

24. 4.9
He got published
(without any affiliation)
“Conclusions from the
Capillarity Phenomena”
journal
Annalen der Physik
He focused on his
research…
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

25. 4.9
He got published
(without any affiliation and funding)
“Conclusions from the
Capillarity Phenomena”
journal
Annalen der Physik
He focused on his
research…
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

26. 4.9
He finally was enrolled
as PhD student at the UZH…
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

27. 4.9
He finally was enrolled
as PhD student at the UZH…
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

28. 4.9
He finally was enrolled
as PhD student at the UZH…
However, he had to change
his advisors, judging him:
1) as a too curious and unfocused
person;
2) that should "focus on quality and
not quantity…”
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

29. 4.9
He finally was enrolled
as PhD student at the UZH…
However, he had to change
his advisors, judging him:
1) as a too unfocused person;
2) that should "focus on quality and
not quantity…”Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

30. 4.9
Following his intuition…
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914

31. 4.9
Following his intuition…
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914
Published 5 works:

32. 4.9
Following his intuition…
Prof. at UZH and ETH
1909–1911 and 1912-1914
Published 5 works:
Nobel Prize in Physics (1921)
Max Planck Medal (1929)

33. 4.9
Following his intuition…
Prof. Einstein
1909–1911 and 1912-1914
Published 5 works:
Nobel Prize in Physics (1921)
Max Planck Medal (1929)

34. Following his intuition…
Prof. Einstein
1909–1911 and 1912-1914
Published 5 works:
Nobel Prize in Physics (1921)
Max Planck Medal (1929)
Many brilliant researchers are hidden
somewhere and many of them have
to fight more than us to have
the possibility to do the P.h.D
…

35. Marie Curie
“No matter how tough it may
be, […] , you have to
keep pushing. And you have to
understand that nothing comes
easy. Keeping your eyes on the
prize, you can succeed.”
Nobel Prize in Physics (1903), Nobel Prize in Chemistry (1911)
Ingredients for a PhD:
1) Curiosity is powerful;
2) The determination is crucial;
3) Having a bigger vision can
help to connect the dots;
4) Trust.
Major ingredients of successful and timely completion of PhD?

36. Alan Turing
1) Curiosity is powerful;
2) The determination is crucial;
3) Having a bigger vision can
help to connect the dots;
4) Trust.
“Sometimes are the people no one
can imagine anything of who do
the things no one can imagine.”
― Alan Turing
The father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence.
Ingredients for a PhD:
Major ingredients of successful and timely completion of PhD?