最近準備博士開題，對于博士階段要完成的研究，有些焦慮，有些困惑。每每看到別人的研究方向、研究成果總是心生羨慕，對自己的研究倒是不怎么自信。是興趣不足？是了解不夠？還是眼界太窄？

在剛讀博的時候就知道這本書了，但由于種種原因沒有讀。最近在迷茫時期，重新找到這本書，向前輩取取經，尋找些繼續堅持下去的力量。先梳理一些閱讀心得：

1.科研中學會與他人合作、交流，在合作中學習 / Ally with insiders

I had an easy time publishing papers whenallied with expert insiders such as Scott and Joel during my secondyear, Tom during my MSR internship, and Je? during my fifthyear.

I didn’t have time to present all five projects during my oral defensetalk, so I chose to present three projects, one that I did with each memberof my thesis committee: IncPy with Dawson, ProWrangler withJe?, and Burrito with Margo. Most Ph.D. students publish paperswith only their advisor, so it was a rare honor to get to talk aboutresearch that I did with all three of my committee members.

Guo的很多研究是跟本學院或者其他學校、研究院的老師、學生、研究員合作完成的。因此，合作交流對象不要局限于自己的博士生導師。

2.帶著目標做事更容易有產出 / Outputs trump inputs

In contrast, related work literature searches for my dissertationprojects were much more effective because my reading was tightlydirected towards clear goals: identifying competitors and adaptinggood ideas into my own projects.

My Ph.D. training has taught mehow to effectively find the most relevant information for what Ineed to accomplish at each moment.

在博一的時候，Guo有一段自己隨意閱讀大量文獻的經歷。后期他對于這個階段的反思，認為閱讀的內容并沒有轉化為生產力，產出成果。相反：其他時候有目標的輸入，更能夠帶來有效的輸出。

3.要學會推銷自己，多認識些領域的大牛

This final grad school adventure would not have been possible withoutme actively seizing opportunities that I was fortunate enough tohave been given. If Robert hadn’t told me about the San Jose workshoptwo years ago, if I hadn’t submitted and presented my IncPypaper there, if Margo hadn’t liked my paper and introduced me to Elaine, if I hadn’t kept in touch with Elaine, if I hadn’t spontaneously?said hello to Margo again at last summer’s conference where I presentedCDE, if she didn’t send me a gracious follow-up email, andif I didn’t take a risk with my unusual counterproposal to her, thenI would have still been back at Stanford struggling to find one lastproject and thesis committee member.

Guo后期的一些機遇，正是由于前期積極與領域的前輩交流而獲得的。要學會推銷自己，多認識些領域內的大牛，在之后自己的學術生涯中會有意外的收獲。

4.尋找自己的研究興趣和導師研究興趣重合的部分

I took a pragmaticapproach to my brainstorming since I wanted her to be excited aboutmy project and to strongly support its inclusion in my dissertation.?Thus, I read some of her recent papers and grant applications to get a?sense of her research philosophy so that I could cater my ideas towards?her tastes. By now, I understood the importance of aligning with thesubjective preferences of senior collaborators (and paper reviewers),even when doing research in supposedly objective technical fields.

作為一名博士生，課題方向總是受限于導師的研究方向。如果自己對導師布置的課題不感興趣，很難持續保持熱情，投入精力。因此，在選擇課題方面，要選擇自己的興趣和導師興趣相重合的方向。這樣，在提出自己的對課題想法時，更容易得到導師的支持。

5.知道何時該放棄 / Know when to quit

Quitting Klee at the end of my third yearwas my most pivotal decision of grad school. If I hadn’t quit Klee,then there would be no IncPy, no SlopPy, no CDE, no ProWrangler,and no Burrito; there would just be three or more years of painfulincremental progress followed by a possible “pity graduation.”

在博士前三年，Guo深陷于一個較難的項目，在這個項目上的遲遲沒有突破。Guo由于有自己的基金資助，不受導師的資助，可以選擇不再跟進該項目。這一選擇，后期來看，是很明智的。因此，對于導師布置的課題，要融入自己的思考，是否適合自己？

6.迷茫的時候要更加努力，更加聰明的努力 /?Grind hard and smart

Every time Ireflected back on the inefficiencies, failures, and frustrations that I hadendured during my first three years of grad school, I would grow moreenraged and push myself to grind even harder; I was motivated by anobsessive urge to make up for supposedly lost time. Of course, thoseearly years weren’t actually lost; without those struggles, I wouldn’thave gained the inspiration or abilities to create the five projects thatcomprised my dissertation.

Guo在前三年沒有做出能夠納入畢業論文的成果。在博士第四年開始的壓力之大，可想而知。我最敬佩Guo的正是他不放棄的勇氣和持續付出的決心。正是如此，在博士第四年、第五年有大量的收獲，在博士第六年順利的畢業。

7.（科研/實習/論文等方面）有想法或需求，多和導師交流

I talked to Dawson about my conflicting feelings, and he was quite supportive, soI accepted the internship offer.

Guo在想向Workshop投論文以及糾結接受Google實習邀請與否時，與導師進行了有效的溝通，說出了自己的想法與困惑，同時導師對Guo表示了很大的支持。很多時候，我們在做抉擇的時候，會糾結導師怎么看，導師是不是不會支持。其實，大多數情況下，導師是很支持的。關鍵是需要勇敢地、主動地提出相關的請求。

8.論文的寫作要盡量考慮審稿人的偏好

In theory, technicalpapers should be judged on their merit alone, but in reality, reviewerseach have their own unique subjective tastes and philosophical biases.So I drastically rewrote my introductory pitch with the aim of gettingmore amicable reviewers and then resubmitted to a second-tier conferenceto further improve its chances of acceptance. My plan worked,and the IncPy conference paper was accepted—albeit with lukewarmreviews—on my second submission attempt in early 2011.

9.科研中的成就感很重要

After the initialsuccess of CDE, I no longer cared if my graduation was delayed bya year or more due to lack of additional publications; I got so muchsatisfaction from knowing that a piece of software I had invented couldimprove many people’s computing experiences.

It was fun at times, but moreimportantly, it was fulfilling. Fun is often frivolous, ephemeral, andeasy to obtain, but true fulfillment comes only after overcoming significantand meaningful challenges. Pursuing a Ph.D. has been one ofthe most fulfilling experiences of my life, and I feel extremely lucky tohave been given the opportunity to be creative during this time.

大概就總結這些，很佩服Guo的勇氣和堅定意志。最后，希望自己也能不被挫折和失敗打倒，愈挫愈勇，在自己的研究領域有些收獲和成就。