Thank you for your interest in my research program! I'm actively recruiting self-motivated PhD students, UCSD students, postdocs, interns, and visiting scholars.

I am happy to receive emails from prospective collaborators.
Should you email professors?

I will read all these emails carefully, though I may not be able to respond to them all. This does not say anything about your strengths and merits, it just means I receive way more emails than I can attend to. I especially encourage students from groups historically underrepresented in computer/data science to apply.

• You may apply to UCSD HDSI or CSE department and select my name on your application. Please note your interest in working with me in your personal statement.
• While prior experience working with me is not required, it's preferred if we can start with a small project before the Ph.D. admission. It helps us get to know each other and decide whether we want to keep working together in the long run. So, I encourage you to contact me at least six months before your application.

• I am generally happy to advise research/project work with topics ranging from human-computer interaction, mobile computing, security & privacy, programming language, database, and software engineering.
• Students are expected to be highly self-motivated, have strong programming or user research skills, and be able to devote significant time on the projects.
• If you think you might be a good match, please send me an email, in which please describe clearly your interests and your expectations of working with me.

• We usually have openings for visiting scholars (graduate/undergrad students, etc) with external funding. Visitors are expected to stay for at least 3 months and preferably 6-12 months. Please make sure you indicate the time range in your email.

• Please title your email as “Prospective [Ph.D. Student|Visitor|UCSD Student]: YourName - YourAffliation”.
• Briefly introduce what research problem that you are interested in.
• Briefly introduce yourself, including education background, research experiences, and programming skills. Connect your strengths and interests to mine.
• Briefly explain your motivations and expectations of working with me.
• Include your CV and transcript.

• Show me you know what research involves. This means describing prior research projects, including how you came up with a novel idea, what you did to solve it, and how you communicated the outcome. The best candidates are ones who are familiar with all phases of the research process, even if they weren’t the ones leading the project themselves.
• In describing your research, tell me what challenges you faced and how you adapted to those challenges. Research is not a linear process, and I am looking for students who show perseverance and creativity in the face of setbacks. Ph.D. is not easy for anyone. You need to have Grit.
• Give me evidence that you are able to work independently, seek out new avenues for growth, and take responsibility for your learning. Strong candidates show this through activities outside the classroom, for example by doing research internships, joining clubs that allow for hands-on projects, or participating reading groups to discuss current research.