Researcher | Technologist | Startup Advisor | Investor | Founder

My Philosophy on Academic Advisory

Thank you for considering me as your academic advisor.

My role is to help researchers think strategically, publish effectively, innovate meaningfully, and most importantly—conduct research that matters. If we focus on real problems, pursue rigorous inquiry, and deliver tangible results, we should be able to create academic success connected to societal value.

I guide researchers in pursuing work that is meaningful, measurable, and high-impact. The foundation of this approach is simple but powerful: find a problem that matters—both to the world and to you.

Starting Strong

Every impactful research journey begins with identifying a problem that is not only intellectually challenging but also personally resonant.

Once you’ve found that problem, the next steps are:

• Define a strong, guiding Research Question
• Build your argument:
  • Why does this problem exist?
  • What is currently missing in solving it?
  • Why have these gaps remained unaddressed?
  • How will your proposed research contribute toward a solution?
  • Why does your contribution matter?

I encourage students to think deeply about the significance and relevance of their work—not just in academic terms, but in how it can influence the world.

Delivering Results

A successful research program should aim to deliver tangible, scholarly outcomes such as:

• Peer-reviewed publications.
• A robust and reusable research framework.
• Prototypes or technical demonstrations.
• Intellectual Property (patents, disclosures).
• Competitive grant proposals.

Publications should be targeted toward reputable, high-visibility venues, ideally those that contribute to departmental metrics such as CSRankings

The research framework can take many forms: research tools, experimental setups, documented methodologies, or guidelines for applying your research to real-world use cases. Well-structured and documented, this framework should support the Ph.D. journey, foster collaboration, enable demonstrations, and help integrate contributions from master’s and undergraduate projects. It should also serve as a launchpad for future research efforts. These deliverables serve as milestones, helping to validate your research, guide your progress, and ensure that your efforts lead to measurable, impactful results.

Postdoctoral Research Program

For postdocs, the bar is higher in terms of originality and leadership. A robust postdoc research agenda should include:

• 1 vision paper that frames research challenges and opportunities in a focused domain.
• A structured and reusable research framework, capable of supporting collaboration and future extensions.
• 1 results paper, presenting high-quality, peer-reviewed findings.
• 1–2 well-crafted grant applications, opening pathways for independent research and funding.

PhD Advisory

For PhD candidates, I advocate a structured research plan that includes:

• 1 comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art.
• 1 positioning paper outlining the novel direction or research gap.
• A well-defined research framework, with tools, methodologies, and experimental setups.
• 1–2 results papers, showcasing key technical or conceptual advancements.
• 1–2 contributions to intellectual property.
• 1–2 strong leads to competitive grant proposals.

Master’s Research

For Master’s students, the goal is to develop solid research skills while contributing to a focused and meaningful project. By the end of the program, the student should be able to:

• Clearly articulate a research problem and its context
• Apply relevant techniques to investigate or address it
• Communicate findings effectively through writing and presentations

Hence, the emphasis is on learning how to do research well – and not covering a broad scope! Key Steps in this program include:

1. Define a Clear Problem: start by identifying a problem that is well-scoped, relevant, and technically interesting. The problem should be challenging but achievable within the timeframe of the program.
2. Learn the Right Technique: build a learning path to master the tools, methods, or frameworks necessary to explore the problem. This may include algorithms, experimental methods, domain-specific platforms, or technical frameworks.
3. Contribute to Scholarly Output: Students should aim to contribute to at least one of the following:
   • A positioning paper outlining the research context, open questions, and proposed direction
   • A results paper presenting experimental findings, validation, or a proof-of-concept