This slide is presented to encourage the Ph.D. scholars to do better research. Moral support I try to give them in this presentation. My experience, my mistakes, my learnings, and my takeover in the journey, I try to present
2. My Journey From Ph.D. Scholar to Supervisor
Prof. (Dr.) Pravat Kumar Rout
EEE Department, SOA (Deemed to be) University
2
3. Why this talk? …To bring a change within you
To offer additional advice or insight into how to
succeed in a Ph.D. program
To share my experience as a Ph.D. scholar of myself
and later as a guide
To provide an open-ended evaluation of whether you
observed the mistakes among other contemporaries in
your Ph.D. program
3
To bring a change within you
5. Redefining my thought on what is Ph.D.?
PhD — technically short for Doctor of Philosophy — is a type of doctoral degree, often
considered the highest-level degree one can earn.
The word ‘philosophy’ comes from the Ancient Greek philosophia, literally translated as
‘love of wisdom’. It originally signified an individual who had achieved a
comprehensive general education in the fundamental issues of the present world.
Today, the Doctor of Philosophy still requires a love of wisdom but applies to individuals
who have pursued knowledge in a much more specialized field.
5
6. Come across many Myth in Ph.D.
The outcome of Ph.D. is paper
Ph.D. is just an degree like other degrees
Ph.D. standard related to Journal, Institute and Country
Good Ph.D. always needs good laboratory
6
Reality:
Ph.D. is a learning process to enhance self-capability to
innovate, to understand, ability to gain knowledge,
and to create knowledge through learning.
Ph.D. is to build an overall development of an intellectual
person to be able to contribute to the society.
8. Process-1: Modular concept…Reminds father’s
birthday gift
8
Lesson: Segregate your entire work into many small problem and
try to solve each individually. After that try integrate
synchronously to solve the larger problem.
9. Case study for process-1: Distribution System
Planning
9
Module-1:
Load flow
analysis
Module-2:
Optimization
Technique
Module-3:
Objective
Function,
System
Constraints,
Variables
Master Program
10. Process-2: Step by step procedure….Reminds the
staircase of the Institute
10
Step-1: Review of previous and
related work
Step-2: Modeling of your
work. One way to modify
for better of the previous
work considering their
limitations. Second to
model a new with a novel
idea
Step-3: Improvement and justification
through comparison
Step-4: Paper writing
and communicating to
related Journals
12. Process-3: Know the basic/standard process of development?
Reminds the Sunflower movement with Sun
Lesson:
Follow the basic procedure or
approach or process according to
the guide’s experience
Stick to the guide line and basics
Redefined, rethink, and innovate
after learning
12
13. Case study for process-3: Dynamic Simulation
13
Step-1: Find out
the state
variables and
the dynamic
equations
Step-2: Make
all dynamic
equations zero.
Find out a
steady state
solution.
Step-3: Main
Loop starts.
Solve all the
dynamic
equations by
classical
methodology
like: Runga
Kutta Method.
Declare the
variables to
store the data
in every
iteration
Step-4: Do the
controller
modeling
according to the
error occurred
due to fault
Step-5: Do the
load flow
Step-6: Create
the
disturbance,
and fault
Step-7:
Recalculate
other
parameters by
the newly
calculated
control action
and load flow
result
Step-8: Return
to Step-2
Step-9: Run till
the stipulated
time and
present the
final output
14. Process-4: Follow the footprints….Reminds the mothers
teaching how to walk
14
Lesson: Initially following is the
only way to learn. Later we can
add our innovation to it
Inspiration from the Wright
Brothers
15. Case study for process-4: Evolutionary
Optimization Application to Power System Control
15
• Simulink
Model
Step-1
• Evolutionary
Optimization
Step-2: • Parameter
tuning through
specific index
Step-3
• Set the
optimized
value and find
the results
Step-4
17. 1. Don't start the Ph.D. without planning…
17
My Observation: Lake of planning prior to start the Ph.D.
Lesson: Plan before you start for your goal, either it is just a wish or day dream
hope
18. 2. Dairy and planner for 3-5 years is must for a Ph.D.
student ?
My Observation: Completely depend on the supervisors the way they move,
the way they coordinate the facts, the way they plan and everything…
18
Lesson: Every Ph.D. student should have a planner or diary to
guide himself/herself rather throwing all the responsibilities
completely by his/her supervisor.
19. 3. Focus on Long Term Goal of Ph.D.
My observation: Doctoral students give up too early because of the lake of
patience and not looking to long term achievements.
19
Lesson:
Life is multidimensional. You cannot
define your success with one failure
or one factor like a paper or number
of citation or impact factor or with a
job or with a salary or with H-index.
If your goal is to get rich, then the PhD is not for you.
20. 4. Selection of study area (field of study) and
advisor in Ph.D.
My observation: Wrong decisions may
happen due to
Selection of area
Selection of problem
Selection of advisor
20
Lesson: Extensive review before you take
the decision… Take your own time
before you decide… Have an extensive
study… Extensive Reading…. Necessary
ground work to be done….
21. 5. Different ball and game of education your Ph.D. is?
My Observation: Doctoral students are
ignorant about the Ph.D. and its learning
system. Need to understand exactly what
Ph.D. is?
21
Stage-1: The dependent learner: Relies on instructor, no self direction, task
oriented, completely dependent attitude and learner (Class1-7)
Stage-2: The interested learner: Not always directed, Seek some opportunities,
Set some goals and building confidence, allowed to be independent
learner(Class 8-12)
Stage-3: The involved learner: Recognition, Ability to learn by self, learning goals,
Methods to achieve goals. Forced to be independent learner(B.Tech., M. Tech.)
Stage-4: The self directed learner: Sets goals, Assess, Self motivated, completely
Independent attitude and learner (Ph.D. , Post. Doc.)
Lesson: A Ph.D. student is a self directed learner. In
the process of Ph.D. learning the self contribution
and involvement is more important in Ph.D.. The
involvement of supervisor is till lesser during post-
doc. degree stage.
22. 6. Ph.D. Scholars sometimes not aware of standard
way of Ph.D. supervision
Guide will push into the water in the first day even you don't know swimming.
He/she will instruct and guide how to swim continuously. Watching you progress of
learning but not trying to help more than necessary.
Start to help when the student drown.
Guide to focus on extracting the inner capability of the student through self-doing and
make you learn yourself. No spoon feeding way of training.
22
23. 6. The best and first think you have to do for your
Ph.D. is to change your attitude towards it
23
My observation: Do not have proper
attitude towards Ph.D. even have
knowledge and skill
Lesson:
24. Lets start with small steps focusing on actions
ignoring all disturbances …
24
Lesson: If you feel unmotivated, Focus on
the things that your are in control of and
take the next immediate tiny step towards
your goal
25. 7. Love to learn through reading and thinking. If
not don't go for Ph.D.
My observations: Not Love to learn.
Not love reading.
Not love to bring best out of what we
have.
25
Lesson:
Lesson:
26. 8. Transformation from starting to end of Ph.D….It is a
process we have to go through it with best of our ability
26
My observation: Not having
confidence that in this environment
they can reshape their career
Lesson: With same conditions of
fire, time of boiling, and water,
egg transfer from softer to harder,
potato from harder to softer and
dal from hardest to no existence.
Believe your Teacher, believe your
Institute, it is you who can bring the
change within you.
28. 1. Responsibility, Excuses and Blame during Ph.D.
28
My observation: Ph.D. students fear to take
responsibility. Those who takes the responsibility
never try to find out the excuses and play blame
game
Lesson: Take responsibility as yours without finding
excuses and playing blame game.
29. 2. Stress Management during Ph.D.?
My observation: Ph.D. students sometimes be stressed
unnecessarily. Example: Guide always praises to other
scholars.
My Solution: Don’t forget to have a life outside your PhD!
Nothing is permanent not even our problems
29
30. 3. Balance during Ph.D.
30
My observation: Come to stress and loose balance in between work pressure
and life
Lesson:
Prioritise your
problems
31. 4. No “Failure” in research and also in Ph.D.
31
Lesson: Failure is not an opposite
word to success, it is a part of
success
My observation: Thinking failure is there in research. Example: Rejection of a
good paper.
32. 5. Freedom and self-control two important factor
for student and guide during Ph.D.
My observation: Current always try to flow more in a low
resistance path and human mind always like to live in his own
way following an easy path or freedom. That may not be a
right path.. Example: The progress in many cases is slow with
the long absence of guide….
32
Lesson: Self-control and freedom
very often inversely proportional and
need to see both as a multi-
objective problem in life
33. 6. Isolation, secrecy, and dependency during Ph.D.
33
My observation: Doctoral students do not create synergy
Lesson:
34. 7. Comparison with others during Ph.D.
34
My observation: Sad due to acceptance of paper of another Ph.D. scholar
Lesson: Don't compare yourself to anybody by any means
35. 35
8: Think about third Alternative which is always
there as a solution to our problem….
Lesson: Where Mahatma Gandhi's Satyagraha
movement was born as a third alternative. Focus on
solution, not on the problem.
My
observation:
Confusion
with the
problem and
solution
36. 9. How valuable the time during Ph.D.
36
My observation: Doctoral students do not carefully
evaluate opportunity cost by utilizing their
valuable time during Ph.D.
Lesson::
37. 10. Misunderstanding during Ph.D. dilute the
learning process
My observations: Judging the guide with behavior
not with intension…..
Lack of proper communications with their advisors.
Most students get fad up once their work is
failed. This make them losing smooth
communication with their advisors
37
Lesson: Whether it is God’s blessing, whether it
father’s love, whether it is guides feeling … many times
we not receive the way we want… Many times we fail
to understand it…
38. 11. Who is accountable for your career after
Ph.D.?
38
Lesson: Who is accountable for a bad Ph.D.: Student, Supervisor, Topic of
research, Facilities. Who may be. But you will suffer by that. Take maximum
accountability share during Ph.D.
39. 12. Dependency attitude during Ph.D...
My observation: Doctoral students do not
manage their advisor. Relaying more than
necessary on their professor. The students don't
try to be self learner, independent problem
solver, depending on even small doubts
without exploring the resources available….
39
Lesson: Try to develop your self learning, self
creativeness, self power … have an
independent attitude... Use your supervisor as
an advisor or guide not as an assistant or
helper for your Ph.D.
Your advisor is there to mentor,
not baby sit, you.
Expect to work independently.
40. 13. Satisfy with the present conditions and feel
lucky to have it
My observation:
I would have done better in IIT and NIT
I would have done better outside India
I would have done better under Prof. X
40
Lesson: Thanks God to have a Lab, my
Supervisor, and the Institute…. Love working
with it dedicatedly
41. 14. Choose your path …. Do not confuse
41
My observation: Ph.D. students generally confuse with everything to choose a right path,
right topic, right way of approach, right journal etc. Change the topic again and again.
Lesson: You have to choose your path and that will make you reach your destination.
Your life is a direct result of the
choices you have made….
You can follow the path of others or
create a path for others to follow
43. 1. Confidence
My observation: Ph.D. students
loose confidence easily
43
Lesson: You can, This is true. If you feel you cannot, that is also true.
44. 2. Hard and Smart-work?
44
My observation: Believe on hard work and forget to do smart work
Lesson:
46. 4. How you know you are educated in true
sense during and after Ph.D….
My observation: I have mark the ego, arrogance, proudness
in many students during and after Ph.D., which are the
reflection that they are not educated but qualified. The
Ph.D. is not a degree to qualify only, but to educate a
human being…
46
Lesson: Your action, your thinking, your attitude, and your
human values are the reflection of how much you are educated….
47. 5. Return obligation by your work and contribution
during Ph.D.
47
Lesson: Obliged and return with your
contribution and learning
49. 1. Think about survival after Ph.D. …give your best
effort
49
My experience with a mother after her
severe head injury in ambulance….
Lesson: All parents have one desire that
their children must able to stand on their
own leg before they close their eye for ever
Make sure you start planning early to figure
out what you want to do after Ph.D.
50. 2. Be strong during Ph.D. and make others strong
afterwards by your contribution
50
Lesson: Today you are student and tomorrow you are going to guide other. It is possible
when you will do effective Ph.D. with best learning
My observation: If you will not learn and
train properly during Ph.D., you will be a
liability for the Institute and for the society.
Truth is a weak mind cannot make big
difference in the society
51. As a supervisor my observations are
51
The greatest struggle as a teacher and
researcher in this life is how to make
believe a Ph.D. student that he/she is a
blessed child of GOD and their parents.
They can do anything once they dream
for it.
52. 1. Do not know yourself how powerful you are
for the Ph.D.?
52
My observation: Many student don't know their strength
Lesson: Believe in yourself that you are stronger than you think
53. 2. Don't degrade your belief system during Ph.D.
My observation: Ph.D. student very
often not believe to themselves
53
Lesson: Know yourself
54. 3. You have to be Good because you are lucky
not among them
54
My observation: Not recognizing the blessing of GOD and existing opportunities all around us
Lesson: Give your best effort to bring best out of you and from your surrounding
56. 1. Dr. Milan Biswal
B.Tech from Silicon Institute of
Technology
Ph.D. from SOA University
Post. Doc. New Mexico State
University
Working as Senior Research Scientist /
Assistant Professor of Research at New
Mexico State University · Full-time
56
Lesson: Knowledge is power. Focus on that
57. Message of Dr. Milan Biswal
I would just say that being inspired by a purpose is important. One should have a quest! First
step is to identify your quest and soon after you pursue, it becomes your passion. When you
develop a passion for something the quest approaches infinity and you enjoy the journey.
Related to research, I think the most important part is curiosity and being able to feel the
pleasure of finding things out. No contribution is small or large! What matters is your
thoughtfulness. PhD is not an educational degree but a reflection of your immense love for
knowledge.
No university can teach u research! The university just provides a ratification. But, you know
who you are and soon the world will know who you are, from your contributions!
57
58. 2. Dr. Kaveri Mahapatra
B.Tech. from Kalinga Institute of
Industrial Technology (KIIT)
Bhubaneswar, India
M.Tech. from ITER , SOA University
,Bhubaneswar, India
Ph.D. from Penn State University with
three American patent and five IEEE
transaction papers in Ph.D.
Working as Power System Research
Engineer, Pacific Northwest National
Laboratory - PNNL · Full-time
58
Lesson: Knowledge is power
59. 3. Dr. Buddhadeva Sahoo…….
No Idea… what to do and
where I am, What is
research, Conference and
journal?????
Unstructured, Absence of
supporter, Confusion,
Unstructured problem
formulation
After a long time started
my journey. (Relation
build up)
Motivation, Struggle,
Believe, Friends, Seniors
Stress, Patience,
Publication, Achievement,
Awards,
PhD. Journey
Recipient of SRF CSIR
Scholarship
Able to publish 22
Journals and 10
Conference papers
during Ph.D.
60. 4. Dr. Pritam Bhowmick
At first, I never thought of PhD as a
destination, I thought of it as a means to the
destination. There will be many ups and
downs along the way, but don't be
discouraged. Some implanted dreams may
seem like a mirage at times, but you have to
take the responsibility of transforming that
mirage into a freshwater reservoir.
60
Recipient of SCIR SRF Scholarship
Publish 18 Journals during Ph.D..
61. 5. Late Dr. Sheetal Chandhak
Recipient of CSIR SRF scholarship
Recipient of SERB Post Doc. Scholarship
Publish 14 Journals during her Ph.D.
61
62. 6. Priya Ranjan Satpathy
Research Associate at CBIT Hyderabad and Narjan University,
Saudi Arabia.
Ex-Senior Research Fellow at Council of Scientific and
Industrial Research (CSIR), Govt. of India.
Review Editor of Frontiers in Energy Research and Frontiers in
Built Environment journals.
Published more than 40 Research papers in high impact factor
journals such as IEEE transactions and Elsevier, IEEE
conferences and Springer book chapters during Ph.D.
Reviewed more than 200 journals of IEEE Transaction, Elsevier,
Springer and many more.
Won many best paper and presentation awards during Ph.D.
62
63. Continue…
Ph.D. is not about completely relying on your supervisor and do nothing. Supervisors are like our
mothers, they will always be with us but, all we have to do is to stand by our strength and believe that
they will support us during our failure.
Focus, patience, dedication, stress and enjoyment are some of the important parameters of the Ph.D. If you
never gone through these, your PhD is not complete. But, the happy thing is that, you are going to learn
something that will help you throughout the life.
I accept Ph.D. is not only about doing a huge publication but, its all about developing learning skills,
knowledge, behaviour, and depth analysis skill. But, publications add weightage to your career that will
help you seek good jobs, positions, funding's and yes the most important that we all badly seek for Salary.
A Ph.D. with low publication can be a Teacher but, a Ph.D. with great publications can be a Teacher and
Researcher.
63
64. 6. Dr. Manohar Mishra
Students should learn how to manage their time to achieve
several targets within a certain time (within 4-5 years). Few
targets in my viewpoints are:
Target 1: Try to understand at least 2 to 3 existing concepts
(May be algorithms or theories or methods ) and its practical
implementation followed by a complete dedication to improve
one of them. (This will help to build your Post PhD. Career)
Target 2: Achieve a good writing skill. For this, students should
have a habit of writing 100 words each day. (This will help to
increase a self confidence)
64
Comes under 2% of Scientist in
the world ranking by Stanford
University, USA
65. Continue…
Target 3: Gain improved theoretical and practical knowledge on a particular subject (This will
help to click an interview whether it is teaching or industrial job)
Target 4: Try to learn "How to formulate a research problem" and "How effectively you present
your ideas", For this, you have to observe your guides and seniors closely. You need to develop
your listening skill too. (This will help to build your personality)
Target 5: Try to publish at least 2-3 Good papers in reputable journals. (This will help to
differentiate yourself from others)
Overall my suggestion is to develop self-confidence through belief in yourself. Divide your
targets to several sub-targets with specific time. Don't compare your achievement to others
and keep yourself mentally and physically happy. The Ph.D. is not a degree only it is a
life of experiences. You will face many ups and downs, several worst days (when you fail to
achieve a goal) and only a few happy moments (when you achieve your goals). You have to
enjoy those moments and keep trying.
65
66. 7. Dr. Satya Ranjan Mishra
He did his Ph.D. from Siksha O Anusandhan in 2013 and since
then actively engaged in his research work.
He has published nearly 167 papers in the international journals
of repute and all are either SCI or Scopus indexed that can be
viewed in various databases like Scopus, Research gate, Google
scholar, etc.
With a huge citation of his work he took a position of Top 2%
World Scientists by Stanford University, USA in the last two
consecutive years i.e. 2020 and 2021.
66
67. Message from Dr. Satya Ranjan Mishra
Relationship between Ph.D. Scholar and Supervisor
Other than research work the scholar-supervisor relationship is an important part of
the doctoral process. In my point of view both should honest and humble in nature at
their end. Before starting Ph.D. work there should be strong bonding between scholar
and supervisor and afterword throughout the process the course will progress
smoothly to achieve your target.
It is not only that the degree of a student but it is the first and foremost responsibility
of a supervisor to present right direction so that the scholar can grasp knowledge
from the right sources. Just remember the quote “Learning is a gift even when pain is
your teacher.
67
68. Message from Dr. Satya Ranjan Mishra
Personal experience:
Most of the Sunday’s four to five of my scholars came to me to progress their work since we
are busy in the working hours at our University.
It is not possible that I can discuss with each at a time. But I never find my scholars are
unhappy thinking that their travel from a long distance is a waste of time.
This makes me happy and it is because of their love towards me that can’t be expressed.
68
69. “Do not lose infinite hope by
accepting finite rejections and
failures”
My PhD Mantra
8. Dr. Mrutyunjaya
Sahani
71. Message from Dr. Renu Sharma
All great things start with the decision to try. It is common for students to be
distracted and lack concentration. If you are a student who’s constantly looking
for motivation, you are not alone! Quite often, students need a push to study and
it is totally okay to feel lazy and unmotivated.
The point is to look around, get inspired, sideline the laziness, and jump right on
track. The right kind of motivation helps you to achieve your goals and it
encourages you to do more. The key is to understand that no matter how much
you look around for motivation, the true motivation comes from you and with your
decision to take the first step.
You take your first step and you will find your teachers standing next to you for
every ups and downs of your life.
71
72. 10. Prof. (Dr.) Niranjan Nayak: HOD EEE
Dear Scholars,
Being or becoming a successful person is not an overnight process. A great career is
the end product of facing continues struggle, rejections, and failures in the PhD life.
Yes, PhD is not only to publish papers or getting a degree only but it is almost a life.
This is not like other degrees, It requires extreme self-motivation, focus, enthusiasm
& love towards the research work, cool, sacrifice and peacefulness.
To be successful in a PhD life, you have to use each day as an opportunity to improve,
to be better, to get a little bit closer to your goals.
Wish You a Best Future
72
73. 11. Prof. (Dr.) Mira Das: Department of Chemistry
I can say from my long experience in teaching that:
“Every student is different; no two students respond in the
same way. They want to learn, but in their way. So, we can
never make any judgement about them. It is our task as teachers
to find out not only what motivates each student to learn but
also what demotivates them. If we can identify the reason what
demotivates them and take away that reason, we can provide
them a better learning environment.
As teachers, we have been given the opportunity to influence the
world’s greatest resources, its youth. This profession allows us to
make a difference in the lives of young people who will shape the
future.
As students we have experienced the profound impact of our
teachers on our lives, so also our students will experience in
future.”
73
74. 12. Dr. Binod Kumar Sahu: Message
Characteristics of a Good Ph. D. Scholar
1. Academic Ability: - Should understand that new information and ideas are the fundamental skill
needed to pursue Ph. D.
2. Accountability: - Should have the ability to understand and formulate new ideas with minimal
supervision.
3. Time Management: - Should know how to give time and weightage to different responsibilities
and manage time efficiently.
4. Open mindedness and Curiosity to learn something New: - Should have an inquiring mind,
always asking questions to himself, challenge the findings of his/her findings and take valuable
inputs to learn new things.
5. Passion: - Should be enthusiastic, passionate and deep interest in the research subject.
6. Thinking ability: - Should work and think logically and independently.
7. Hard Work: - Should be Hard Working with strong work ethics, disciplined and well focussed.
8. Motivation: - Should be highly ambitious and self-motivated.
74
76. Message from Prof. (Dr.) Dillip Kumar Mishra
Interdisciplinary research does not mean two or more people from multidisciplinary
branches meet each other for a specific experiment .
Interdisciplinary research means the specific theory or experiment fruitfully explains
unsolved issues of all the branches. The aspects of all the concepts meet each other to
provide a fruitful explanation unsolved issues .
Research leads to Phd Degree, Respect, wealth etc…..but to have PhD degree is not
Research.
There is no word of success or failure in Research. Every findings in a research is a result
which tells how to move further.
Research deals with a continuous thought/involvement process on a specific problem to
have a significant outcome.
76
77. 14. Prof. (Dr.) Kulamani Parida
77
Prof. Kulamani Parida is amongst World’s Top 2% Scientist 2020 with
global rank 109 in Inorganic Chemistry ( Ranking based on C-score).
Rank 1 in the area of photocatalysis in India and 131 rank in the world based
on Scopus author profile during 2016-2021.
Ex Chief Scientist & H
Distinguished Professor in Chemistry & Director,
Siksha ‘O’Anusandhan (Deemed to be University)OD CMC Department,
CSIR-IMMT Bhubaneswar
Citation: 23567
H-index: 81
H-10 index: 369
Total articles 549
78. Message from Dr. Kulamani Parida
I am extremely happy to know that Prof. Pravat Kumar Rout is delivering a talk entitled “My
journey from Ph.D. scholars to supervisors”. In this connection, my message to the research
scholars is as follows:
Ph.D. is not only an academic course that is bound by time limits, it’s a devotion,
adherence to scientific knowledge, freedom of thinking, and a continuous journey of
learning and uncovering new ideas, new renovation.
The motto of RS should not be degree oriented only it should be knowledge oriented.
Degree-oriented research can’t be beneficial for RS as well as for the scientific society.
If an RS chooses Ph.D. as her/his career, she or he should keep topmost patience for it.
Research scholars should have positive mind set and sacrificial attitude.
Selection of a supervisor is very important before joining Ph.D. programme.
The foremost thing is that RS should consider the lab as their own belongings and should
take care of up.
78
81. My Idols in the journey from Ph.D. scholar to
supervisor
81
Have an
Idol and
follow the
footprints
Prof. P K Dash Prof. K Parida Prof. R N P Choudhury
82. Final take over from this talk?
82
I am not the best… But I
will do my best ….
Can you do
a Bhisma
Pratignya
today….
83. 83
Hope you will follow my
instructions… Pray God to bless
you all always…