How To Achieve a Successful Career Path for New Researchers

How To Achieve a Successful Career Path for New Researchers

21 Jun 2007

presented by

King-Jet TsengDeputy Director, Centre for Smart Energy SystemsSchool of Electrical & Electronic Engineering

Presenter’s Research Milestones

• 1988, 1990, 1993: Obtained B.Eng, M.Eng and PhD• 1988: Research life began• 1988-2007: published over 40 top journal papers and 70 conference

papers• 1996: Awarded best journal paper prize by IET (UK)• 2000: Promoted to Associate Professor with tenure• 2000: Awarded IEEE Millennium Award • 1994-2007: Supervised 19 research postgraduates (M.Eng, PhD, RF)• 1994- 2007: Obtained over S$1 million research grants• 2005: Chair of IEEE Singapore Section• 2007: Appointed to Editorial Board of EPSR journal• 2007: Awarded IEEE Region 10 Outstanding Volunteer Award • 2007: Chair of Energy Task Force to re-structure research centre

Contents of Talk

1. What constitutes a successful research career

2. What is expertise profile of a researcher

3. What is research profile of a research organization

4. Career path and development for researchers

5. How is research output measured

6. How to obtain research funding

7. How to achieve good publication record

8. The role of professional societies in research

9. Service to public organizations

10. Tips on good research techniques

1. What constitutes a successful research career?

1) Research career– Term implies research work over long span of time; at least 10

years, or even 30 or 40 years– A research project typically lasts up to 3 years; so a research

career would involve the execution of several projects– A research career is more just a collection of research projects– There has to be long-term, higher-level goals, be it monetary,

fame and recognition, or simply self-actualization– Like any other career, one can switch out of, switch into, or

permanently terminated in favor of other careers


2) So how does one judge whether a research career is successful or not?

– Monetary goals: straightforward– Fame and recognition: various measures, to be discussed

later– Self-actualization: very personal, e.g. seeing one’s idea being

implemented successfully– Part of a successful research team, e.g. satisfaction of seeing

one’s country launching its own satellite

3) Nature of goal and therefore measures of success will also depend on the organization you work for

– Private companies: monetary e.g. profit sharing– Technical colleges: satisfaction of working with industries– Universities: social status of full professor


2. Expertise profile of a researcher

Depth

PhD level

Master level

Bachelor level

Breadth

Pro

tect

ion

Mon

itorin

g

Pow

er

syst

emR

elia

bilit

y

Pow

er

elec

tron

ics

1) Breadth and depth of research expertise profile of a good PhD graduate

Depth

Postdoctoral x

Postdoctoral 2

Postdoctoral 1

PhD level

Master level

Bachelor level

Breadth

Profile of PhD graduate

Senior Research Scientist

Full Professor

2. Expertise profile of a researcher2) Development of breadth and depth of research

expertise profile of different research careers

3. Research Profile of Organizations

1) Research can be classified into two broad categories:

2) Basic or fundamental research; theoretical research– Research outputs are usually publications; – Ideas and concepts quite far from practical applications;– Only large and long-term organizations may want to fund such

research, e.g. defense organizations, GE, HP, Toyota, etc

3) Applied research; Development (r & D); translational research;

– Results in products that are commercializable or very close to commercialization;

– Of much importance and demand to small and medium companies

4) Which type of research should you work on ? Which type of research is “better”?

Answers:– Depends on the research institute or university you

are working for– Depends on the nature of economy in your region– Depends on your own strength and interest– A country needs all types of research– Should not think that certain type of research is

always more prestigious or glamorous or rewarding


Degree of applied-nessIn research

More fundamental More applied

Amount ofresearch

A famous top university in USA




Amount ofresearch

An average state university in USA,with mandate to produce large number of basic degree graduates

Easy to publish papers in this range




Amount ofresearch

A typical technical college




Amount ofresearch

A policy ‘think tank’ research institute



1) Research Track:– For those like research but do not wish to teach or handle

administration work.– Post-doctoral fellow, research fellow, senior research fellow or

scientist, principal research fellow or scientist. Permanent positions not so common.

– Eventually need to consider administration work for further advancement and stability: program director, centre director, chief scientific officer, etc.

– Those who do not wish to handle administration work have to rely on research outputs for further motivation.

– Some move in business to exploit patents granted or set up spin-off companies.

2) Professorial Track:– Have to handle the three pillars: teaching, research and

administration.– Singapore has adopted the US professorial and tenure system:

assistant professor, associate professor and (full) professor. – Assistant Professor: usually new PhD graduates; two 3-year

contracts, then rigorously evaluated for promotion to Associate Professor and tenure to 65 years of age; those who failed must leave the university.

– Associate Professor: usually promoted from assistant professor and therefore already tenured; those who join direct are given one 3-year contract and then tenure or have to leave the university.


5. Measuring Research Outputs

1) List of more common indices:– Number of journal papers (refereed)– Number of conference papers– Citations per paper / total citations / average citations per

paper– Average impact factor per journal paper– Hirsh’s h-index– Number of patents filed / granted / commercialized– Amount of research grant obtained; total / per year / last three

years– Best paper awards (journal or conference)– Professional societies’ fellowship (IEEE Fellow, etc)

2) Hirsh’s h-index– The h-index is an index that quantifies scientific productivity of

a scientist based on the number of papers published by the scientist and on how often these papers are cited in papers written by other scientists. It can also apply to the productivity of a group of scientists, such as a department or university or country.

– A scientist has index h if h of his Np papers have at least h citations each, and the other (Np - h) papers have at most h citations each.

– Use commercial search engine to compute h-index; e.g. Google Scholar, ISI Web of Science, Scopus, etc

5. Measuring Research Outputs

6. Obtaining Research Grants

1) Start-up grants for new assistant professors or lecturers

– A university system to ensure new staff has guaranteed access to research funds

– Ranged from USD 2,000 for all ordinary appointments to USD 600,000 for special appointment, e.g. Nanyang Assistant Professorship to attract and groom the brightest from over the world to serve in NTU

2) Academic Research Funds– In many countries, the education ministries provide basic

research funds to the universities. The universities hold a once-yearly or twice-yearly exercise to call for proposals from its academic staff to compete competitively for the funds. Usually around USD 100,000 for a 3-year project.

3) Competitive Research Programs– Instead of funding individual projects, CRP will fund program or

groups of related projects through a competitive process. Common in many countries including US, EU countries and Singapore.

– Program funding will allow a more coordinated, integrated and sustained way of supporting high-impact interdisciplinary research because a larger budget can be allocated to fund a number of related projects that address a given problem.

– The tight linkages amongst the projects in a program will also make commercialization of the research results easier. This scheme is a useful mechanism to identify potential strategic areas in the future.

6. Obtaining Research Grants

7. Achieving good publication record

1) Publications is important for researchers– Brings you prestige and status in professional community– In many universities, a PhD candidate has to publish at least

one refereed journal paper in order to pass– For assistant professors, good publication record is needed for

promotion and tenure– For full professors, good publication record brings fame,

fellowships and awards– For industrial researcher, good publication record helps career

switch to academia– Above all, publication brings satisfaction that your research

achievement is documented for future generations

According to a retired IEEE Journal Editor


2) Writing a good journal paper

3) Usefulness of Conference Presentations– Rapid publication of new work and results;

• From submission to paper acceptance only takes 3 to 6 months

– Easier than journals in obtaining acceptance• Review process less rigorous• Journals have limited issues and papers per issue

– The value of networking with peers• External examiners for your graduate students• Exchange of knowledge• Source of referees for grant applications, promotion, etc

– Exhibitions• Source of contacts of industry partners, suppliers,

sponsors, etc


4) Submitting a conference digest– Check whether you have the funds

• Attending a conference does not come cheap!

• Factor in airfare, registration fees and accommodation

• Conferences in Asia tend to have lower registration fees

• European conferences are very expensive

– Check the quality/track record of the conferences


1) Professional societies in areas of engineering, construction, accountancy, etc can play important roles in research and development.

– For example, in Singapore, the Institute of Engineers Singapore (IES) started as a body to promote engineering interest.

– In 2007, it has taken on the university accreditation role as part of Singapore’s obligation to the Washington Accord.

– It will increasingly play a greater role in promoting research as a result of its academic accreditation portfolio.

– Therefore being an active volunteer in IES will enhance a Singaporean researcher’s career.

– This is in general true also for other countries

8. Role of professional societies


2) In some advanced countries, their professional societies have evolved to become international professional societies.

– E.g. the IEEE of USA, the ASME, the IET of UK.– Their journal publications and conferences have become

important vehicles for research benchmarking.– Attaining the senior category of membership in these societies

is now seen as recognition of one’s research achievement, e.g. IEEE Fellow, or IET Fellow.

– Becoming an active volunteer in these societies allows one to have some influence in the promotion of research.

– Being a member usually also entitles one to enjoy discounts in conference registration fees


3) Personal advice:– Do join one national society and one international society.– Instead of being a passive member, do try to be an active

volunteer.– Attend conferences– Submit journal papers– Help to organize conferences– Participate as paper reviewer– You may get to be an Associate Editor one day

9. Service to public organizations

1) Doing service to public and governmental organizations can also help in research careers.

– For example, you become a member of engineering standards committee for a ministry.

– In time to come, other governmental departments may also approach you to help in some committee work.

– When you apply for research grants, such credentials help in securing these grants

10. Tips on good research techniques

1) Literature search is very important

2) Be cautious when selecting research students to supervise

3) Identify problems to solve according to your expertise and organization’s strength

4) Use methods according to resources available

5) Form research teams instead of working alone

6) Go for research collaboration with other universities

7) Finally, a career in research is a very long-term commitment. You need to be very patient!

Documents

How To Achieve a Successful Career Path for New Researchers