If you are interested in applying to do PhD research under my guidance, there are some important things for you to know.
- My primary appointment is in the Department of Informatics, but I have joint appointments in Medicine (pediatrics), Computer Science, and Education and can advise students in those programs. In all cases, faculty in those departments will likely be on a committee to screen applicants well before I have access to the documents. Due to this, it’s helpful to flag me as a potential advisor in your application. While I currently work in upper administration, I typically co-advise students rather than act as a primary advisor. Consider this as you apply and look for additional people who could co-advise with me.
- If you have interest in things that I normally work on, just a reminder that there are a lot of great HCI, Assistive Tech, CSCW, and Ubicomp researchers in the department of informatics and elsewhere on campus. You may want to consider Stacy Branham, Daniel Epstein, Elena Agappie, Madhu Reddy, Yunan Chen, or Anne Marie Piper.
- I have found that it is the rare PhD student who can be highly successful without previous work experience. By work experience, I mean working somewhere (ANYWHERE) full-time for an extended period of time. Sometimes, internships will meet this requirement, but I am increasingly interested in people who have worked somewhere full time for at least a year. That work can be in or out of the US, in a knowledge-worker desk job kind of place, or more hands-on in a school or retail or a restaurant. The specific type of work is less important than the experience of holding a full-time job. I find that students who have had to show up to a job multiple days per week for weeks and months on end have a far better chance of success and generally come with a better understanding of what it takes to get up every day and make progress on your dissertation. It’s even better if you also learned basic professional skills during that time, like how to run a meeting, stay on schedule, and answer emails professionally.
- I have a history of doing work that interests my students and letting them lead the way. If you are a self-starter who likes to blaze your own path, this will work for you. If you are a person who likes to be guided more hands-on, or who wants step-by-step instruction, you may find another advisor to be a better match.
- Right now, the vast majority of my funding is coming from research focused on youth, education, and accessibility. Most people in my group are doing research that is relevant to CERES . If you aren’t doing work in this space, you are more likely to need to find fellowship funding or to work as a TA if you are advised by me.
- You should read my lab manual: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1MqmKA301Uf6AEd_FXzZk0E4IUUyobXi-atKBQ8k6aBE/edit?tab=t.0
- I am unable to pre-interview students or take informational meetings before you have officially applied. If you have questions, feel free to email me, but I appreciate you not sending meeting requests. If you have read this, please note that by commenting in the email you send me that anteaters are awesome and also send me your CV and/or a short research statement as part of that email.