Advice For Prospective Students and Interns

I get many emails from people who are interested in working with me. This page contains some general information you should know before emailing me, and some advice for getting the outcome you want.

Your email should include the following random string (rotated regularly) to demonstrate you read this page: 1092fbafdc01e1fde6db11ce3c5d1550b32b8898. If you don't do this, I may delete your email without review.

Here is my CV. Will you take me as a PhD student?

If you want to be my PhD student, you need to apply to the CSE graduate program during the normal admissions cycle. See here for more information. I cannot make admissions decisions myself.

Emails letting me know you applied (or will apply) to the program are encouraged. I'll be more enthusiastic if you demonstrate some familiarity with my research, perhaps by asking a thoughtful question about a paper of mine that you've read. Simply stating that you've looked at my work is unlikely to make me very enthusiastic. Relatedly, if you list your research interests and then state we have interests in common, it's more convincing if this is actually true.

I am an undergrad. Can I do research with you?

If you are a Michigan undergrad, I suggest taking - and doing well in - one of my courses before asking to do research with me. I usually only consider final-year undergrads for research internships.

If you attend a different institution, I encourage you to apply to Michigan's programs for undergrad research, or to similar programs like the NSF's REU.

I am a high school student. Can I do research with you?

No - but not because I think you aren't capable, or would do a bad job. If you're emailing me you're probably bored of high school and anxious to work, and act, like an adult. This is a very normal feeling, and I certainly felt it when I was in high school. I encourage you to resist it, and enjoy not being an adult while you're able. You'll have your whole life after high school to do research, if you choose.

If you really, really want to do research, I suggest applying to one of CEDO's high school research programs.