Prospective Graduate Students

  • Thank you for your interest in studying with me. You should check out the list of possible thesis topics on my webpage to see if your and my research interests overlap.
  • I'm saving up some money this year (2011) to take on a new Ph.D. or Master's Student, preferably to start in 2012. I'm applying for a couple of grants; if more money becomes available for financial support, I'll revise this page. Sometimes special opportunities arise too that allow me to commit to more supervision, like co-supervision with a colleague.

Applying to SFU

  • Interested external students should start with the Simon Fraser University website. Details of admission can be found at the Student Services site. Information about applying for graduate study in the School of Computing Science is posted here.
  • Please understand that students are admitted by a School-level competition and not directly by any faculty member.
  • Funding Sources. One question that students often ask is about the availability of financial support. If you apply and are admitted, you will receive a letter detailing the minimum amount of financial support you can expect. In addition to research assistantships from research grants, there are several other funding sources, such as teaching assistantships, scholarships and internships. I have collected information about some common programs here.
  • Communication and Appplication Materials. I have very little time to look at email attachments with C.V.s and other information because I get too many. Many of the emails do not look like they are tailored to working with me. The usual SFU application process is fine, if you put me down as a potential supervisor, I will definitely review your application. If you want to go with a personal communication, here are suggestions for how you can help me evaluate your application.
    1. Send me a hardcopy rather than an email. Think about it: how many emails do you get each day? And how many actual letters? So which is more likely to get attention? I understand however that from some countries it's difficult or expensive to mail hardcopy.
    2. If you do send email, put the words "extra information" in the subject header.
    3. I list extra information that would help me evaluate your application. The easiest way to evaluate an application is just to look at the grade point average. I prefer to go beyond that and consider what you do when you are inspired by a subject or a project. After all, you may not have been excited about all the courses that are included in your GPA.