Joining a research group for graduate studies is a major commitment. So please take a moment to read through the following:

1. Think hard about what you want to accomplish as a graduate student researcher. If research is not your end goal, please drop the idea of applying to our research group. You can pick up an MS degree based on courses, and a PhD solely as an entry to a non-research job market is likely not worth it.

2. Explore ongoing projects and papers. Given the realities of funding, chances are that you will not be working on any of these projects. However, explore these with a keen eye to understand the nature of our work and the kind of skills that it may entail and your enthusiasm for learning such material. Of course, with each new student I am looking forward to learning new things and pushing the limits of what we already know.

3. If you don't need financial support for your graduate studies, it makes it easier financially but does not reduce the time commitment to making you successful. Still go back to points #1 and #2 to make sure there is a match.

4. If you are comfortable with your decision to pursue a research project in my group, to be eligible for GSR appointments, you must be admitted to a graduate degree program in either CSE or ECE departments. This is an independent process over which I have no influence or control.

5. Please apply to the graduate program first before contacting me. When you do apply to the CSE program, please seek specializations related to "Embedded Systems and Software". This allows your application to be sorted from a large list of applicants. I personally go through all applications in this category, so if you have applied and there is a match, I will contact you directly.

6. There is no use in sending me your resume and asking me to comment on it, particularly in regards to availability of financial support. I realize this issue may be an important one for you at this time in choosing a place to apply or even considering whether to go to graduate school or not. Yet, the selection process to the CSE department is highly competitive.  Applicants are first looked at for their academic performance (schools, scores), standardized test scores, recommendations, and their initiatives in research projects (these things are listed in no particular order of importance); rather than whether or not they need financial support. Only after you have been admitted the questions regarding financial support are looked at.

7. You have a better chance of "firming" financial support once the admission decision has been made. For the applicants who truly meet the excellence criteria in admissions, financial support has never been an issue. We will do everything to beat any other admission/financial support offer you may have; if that is the only criterion that you are stuck at in choosing among schools.

8. You are always welcome to contact me if you have any question about an ongoing project or a research project that you would like to pursue. Such a contact is often most useful (that is, it results in a direct follow up action) if you contact me after you have sent in your application.

9. Please do not contact me with questions regarding the application process. The chances of my misleading you are very high. You are better off sending a note to the graduate counsellors in the admissions office.

10. If you are already a student at UCSD, please make an appointment to see me.

* Please do not send any request regarding summer interships, especially from overseas. This is simply not viable for the kind of work we do, unless you are responding to any specific call for interns on our research webpage.