by Diane P. O'Leary

Richard Hamming's observations and research on the question ``Why do so few scientists make significant contributions and so many are forgotten in the long run?'' From his more than forty years of experience, thirty of which were at Bell Laboratories, he has made a number of direct observations, asked very pointed questions of scientists about what, how, and why they did things, studied the lives of great scientists and great contributions, and has done introspection and studied theories of creativity. The talk is about what he has learned in terms of the properties of the individual scientists, their abilities, traits, working habits, attitudes, and philosophy.

Words of advice from the members of the IU Computer Science department. Lots of useful information here, and it isn't CS-specific.

Tips compiled from three graduate students on time management, the application process, where to go for money, writing papers and more, all from a biomedical engineering perspective. Aimed at those who alread have a degree of some sort, and are thinking about biomedical engineering. Outlines courses and basic program choices.

by Ivan Sutherland, a CS pioneer. Some personal perspectives on success in technology research. Well written, thoughtful, and thought-provoking.

by Philip Agre. "In a knowledge-intensive world of ceaseless innovation and change, I assert, every professional must be a leader.... But how? It is well-known that simply declaring yourself a leader will not cause anyone to follow you. The process of becoming a leader doesn't happen overnight, but it is perfectly methodical. Here is a six-step recipe."

"Choosing to go to graduate school is a major life decision. Whether you have already made that decision or are about to, now it is time to consider how best to be a successful graduate student. Here are some thoughts from someone who holds these memories fresh in her mind (JG) and from someone who has had a whole career to reflect back on the decisions made in graduate school, both good and bad (PEB). These thoughts taken together, from former student and mentor, represent experiences spanning some 25 or more years."

by Amy Fluet, HMS Beagle, January 21, 2000. A collection of useful resources on surviving and thriving in grad school. "If you have only one bookmark to spare on a grad-student-related site, place it at PhDs.Org." (Requires a free HMS Beagle membership)

A guide from the University of Texas

Courtesy of Paul Selwyn, a California speaker who specializes in creativity for businesses.

Adapted from N. J. Halas. "The following is a list of essential skills that all successful researchers have developed. Without these skills, you cannot expect to succeed in research. If you fully develop your abilities in each of these areas, you will lay a strong foundation for the rest of your research career that will lead directly to success in research. The responsibility for the development of these skills is entirely your own. Your research advisor can provide guidance and assistance, but your graduate education is your personal responsibility."