Perjumpaan ilmiah

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim

Assalamu'alaikum wbt.

International Conference in Science and Technology : Applications in Industry and Education (ICSTIE 2014) anjuran Fakulti Sains Komputer dan Matematik UiTM Pulau Pinang telah selamat berlangsung dengan jayanya pada 17-18 September 2014.    Alhamdulillah.  Tahniah kepada rakan-rakan AJK yang telah bertungkus-lumus untuk memastikan kelancaran program yang dianjurkan setiap dua tahun sekali ini.  Ini merupakan kali kelima penganjurannya sejak 2006.  

Perkongsian di persidangan akademik sebegini dapat menemukan penyelidik dari pelbagai institusi pengajian dari negeri dan negara lain dan bertukar-tukar hasil kajian di dalam bidang masing-masing. Kajian di dalam cross-disciplines sangat mengujakan.  Ternyata, ilmu Allah itu amat luas dan semakin dikaji, semakin terasa betapa kerdilnya diri ini dengan secebis ilmu yang dimiliki. 

Bacaan doa oleh SS Al-Hafiz pensyarah Matematik

perasmian oleh Prof. Dato' Dr Abu Bakar Abdul Majeed, Penolong Naib Canselor (PNC) UiTM Kampus Puncak Alam

  

Persembahan multimedia

ucaptama dari PNC

peserta conference

penceramah jemputan, Prof Dr Hamidi Abdul Aziz - USM

peserta dan penganjur bersama Rektor UiTM Pulau Pinang

Antara tips yang saya kongsikan di dalam support group untuk para ibu yang sedang menyambung pembelajaran di peringkat yang lebih tinggi adalah:

Antara tips menyediakan slide pembentangan, cuba gunakan layman terms yang mudah difahami oleh peserta dari pelbagai bidang (jika conference itu pesertanya bukan dari bidang yang fokus) dan juga slide yang tidak terlalu teknikal untuk difahami.

Be confident with yourself, it is your work and you know it better. Jika ada pertanyaan, cuba jawab setenang mungkin. Jika gelabah dan kelam-kabut, semua benda yang ingat boleh jadi lupa.

 

My PhD roller coaster ride - Part 3 (kisah teman)

bahagian akhir 

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My PhD roller coaster ride- Part 3 - Ainu Husna Suhaimi

Note # 9 The last part is the most difficult part.

Writing thesis is the most challenging part of the PhD ! I didn’t realize this at first and had allocated only 3 months after I finish my labwork for my thesis writing. My sv said – you’ll need 6 months . It finally took me 9 months ! So my advice to all students , do give plenty of time for thesis writing. I tell you why it’s hard - It’s very boring, it’s very time consuming and it’s very frustrating but it can be done! I have divided my notes about thesis writing into 2 ; (1) the thesis itself (2) the writing process.

1. The thesis itself
a) Think about what is it that we want to tell people with the thesis ..what is great about it? It
has to be one whole story

b) Everything needs to be linked – intro, objectives, lit review, discussion will answer the Q’s
asked in the introduction.

c) Have a frame of the thesis early (latest a year prior to submission) and discuss with the sv
about it to make sure that we’ve got enough data to write about.

d) Understand that the thesis or any type of writing requires a certain structure. For example;
one paragraph tells one story and the story needs intro, points and conclusion. Attend
seminars or read books on how to improve on the thesis structure.

e) Apart from content, we need to make sure that our thesis is readable. To achieve this, we
have to make sure each sentence is connected to the sentence before. Again, do find tips
on how to make our thesis readable and not confusing.

f) I would advice that people start with the literature review and do a good job about it
because a good literature background will help with the discussions.

g) Do not spend too much time on the materials and methods – that’s the easy part and be
brave to tackle the most difficult part of the thesis – the discussion – early.

h) Get the first whole draft done ASAP. Because thesis is a whole document, sv can help
more if the document is almost complete. Plus, it’s easier once the first draft is done.

2. The writing process.

i) Thesis writing is hard for everyone ! English speaking or not. So, don’t despair..you are not
the only one.

j) Discipline is very important! Ignore distractions cause everything else will seem more
interesting than thesis writing even washing the toilet ! switch off internets, e-mail..don’t
facebook !! do that during breaks..

k) If possible, write the thesis continuously .. throughout the studies . Two hours a day in the
morning – just write. I didn’t do it but had hoped that I did.

l) Write the thesis in chunks – make realistic datelines. Realistic for me was 1 or 2 or 3
subsections of lit review in 1 day. No more. It always take about twice or three times the
time allocated to finish a section.

m) Writing thesis is very time consuming. I actually took at least 1 month each for literature
review and every results chapter. – be prepared for that and give the time. I’m hoping it’ll
be faster for you but just keep it in mind..If too little time is given - , we’ll get stressed and
frustrated.

n) Almost every statement that we make in the literature review and discussion needs backup
from the literature. So this takes a long time. Be prepared to have to read more and more as
we go along.

o) There will be a lot of frustrating moments..when stuck, when getting bad feedbacks, when
we need to add more, when the thesis structure changes....but just hang in there, take a
deep breath or take a break and move on..

p) Still be in touch with the sv.. we need them to make sure that we don’t stray away.

q) Language does interfere with conveying facts – so do get help from colleague, professionals
to proofread your thesis if needed - this will require extra time.

r) Writing thesis require hard work, a lot of reading and thinking..so if the head does not hurt
from thinking.. that’s not enough thinking so fire those neurons some more !

Note #10 We are not alone

Life is hard for all PhD students.. but believe me, all Phd students do have common problems, issues and worries and most PhD students will make it ! So do discuss, mingle, ask opinion, chat and chill with fellow students..it eases unnecessary worry . Don’t be scared to expose our work to others as it might be critised.. critisicm is important for us to move forward..I like my hubby’s analogy of American football about this.. we need to step backward to move forward. If get criticized..just swallow it, accept it if it’s right, do not be defensive and move on..if we get a chance to present your work.. take the opportunity and do it. We need to open ourselves for criticism. Not only we get help, it also ensure that we take your work more seriously cause of course we don’t want to be slammed during presentations. I was fortunate to take part of a yearly postgrad conference where 20-30 postgrads working on beef and sheep projects are gathered to present their work to be criticized by experts. It also came with a workshop and for many, nights of fun and a lot of booze.. I really enjoyed those conferences ( not the booze ;)) because not only I learn lot in the confererences, but it’s also good to see that no matter what topic, what nationality , what age..PhD students do have very similar problems.. it helped to feel that I was not alone.

Note #11 Keeping motivated

It is very easy to get demotivated and as a result slack during PhD , isn’t it ? It’s hard to comment on this because everyone is motivated by different things. Motivation can come from outside and inside. My family is a big motivation for me. At the same time, doing my PhD for the Almighty ( lilla hi Taala) helps to get me motivated. PhD is definitely in –line with what the Almighty wants of us which is to obtain knowledge. So ;

1) When we do our PhD for Allah, we are sincere, we do not just work for the supervisors, we will work hard all the time, because we know Allah is always watching.

2) When we do our PhD for Allah, we want to do the best because, the Almighty Allah has given us so much - our life, our health , our family, the sun and rain, the air that we breath, the ability to breath, the chance to do PhD ( not too many people get the chance). The very least for us to do to show our appreciation to Allah is to always do our best as He deserves no less from us.

3) When we do our PhD Allah, we will not slack. Almost all of us PhD students are scholarship holders . We will realize that we are accountable for every cent of allowance that we get . Every cent of allowance that we will use to buy food for us and our family. We have to make sure that every cent that we get is ‘Halal’ and thus it is our responsibility to make full use of the paid time allocated for us to do our PhD. So because of that, we will not waste time unnecessarily.

4) When we do our PhD for Allah – we will be strong and accept challenges. We are the Khalifah (leaders) of Allah! Being the best of His creations, we can do wonders and make changes ! We are capable of doing so much more than we allow us to do, so we will strive hard and keep going.

5) When we do our PhD for Allah – we will preservere as we know that we are not alone. Allah the Most Mighty and Merciful is always with those who please Him. So , if we get frustrated, demotivated, we can always turn the Allah to share our problems and ask for His help to give us the strength.

Note #12 – It’s a choice

Like everything else in life, completing PhD is a choice. A choice that we have to make and wholeheartedly work hard for. I don’t think people are destined to finish the PhD or not..it is still a choice. That is why are we are always encouraged to keep trying (ikhtiar). It’s up to us to make the choice and of course, a choice is followed by a consequence. So, do choose to take control of our PhD , choose to work hard, choose to ignore distractions and excuses, choose to get help when needed, choose to go that extra mile so that the PhD can be completed excellently. In addition, do choose to be closer to the Almighty, choose to please the Almighty and everyone around you and choose to get extra points with good deeds. So that in the end, the consequence is- PhD will be completed. Remember the phrase “ if there is a will..there is a way” ? If we want something so bad, we will choose to work so hard for it and we will get it. So, do choose to approach Phd that way cause I’m sure, if we’ve done our part, ALLAH being the most gracious and merciful.. will grant us what we want.
Alas, if that doesn’t happen and if we’ve done everything we can..but still does not complete the PhD..don’t despair, life moves on. There is a reason to that and the Almighty does knows best.

So there you go, twelve notes on my PhD roller coaster ride. Please clarify, that I am not against people pursuing PhD. I am glad I did mine as it is a life-changing experience that will help me be a better and stronger person in the future, Insyaallah. I actually encourage everyone to pursue knowledge at any level. My only intention for my little scribble is so that it can be used as some sort of a guide so that PhD of others can be made less stressful and can be completed sooner rather than later. Before I end my notes, I do wish to apologise if anyone’s feelings got hurt with my little notes, it is never my intention and I hope everyone can take my notes positively. All the best to everyone and feel free to contact me if you want to discuss anything about PhD !

Wassalam

My Phd Roller coaster ride _PART 2 (kisah teman)

sambungan lagi....

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My Phd Roller coaster ride _PART 2 - Ainu Husna Suhaimi

Note # 4 PhD is to train us to be independent scientists /academicians .

When I started my PhD , I thought I was going to learn about new techniques. At the end of my PhD.. techniques was only a small part of what I learned. I also learned how to read and handle literature, be critical with literature, how to do good research, be accountable for every step I take in the lab, troubleshoot experiments, handling analysis and tell what is good results and what is not, statistics ! , how to give good presentations, how to write journals and thesis, how to voice out your opinions, how to defend your thoughts, how to handle difficult people, how to handle different cultures, how to work in a team, how to build networks.. everything that will help me to be a better researcher in the future. I had always ask my sv, do I have enough results ? and she always says, it’s not how much results..but what u do with it.. because all of the above is important to for us to pursue our career as scientists or academicians.

Note #5 Work hard, play hard

This is very important. Time is precious and will not wait for you. So the time that we have to work..work like a crazy person!. At the end of the day, go home, don’t think about studies, have fun with friends and families then the next day, go to work again. Try to have at least one day off in the week. We are not a robot and need a break too. DO reward ourselves after a milestone is met, or a draft is handed in.. go on a trip , or a picnic, or do something fun.. The body and mind need it. Try to have other life than just PhD, but still bear in mind that PhD is still the priority. Play a sport, relax with family and mingle with friends. All of those other activities help us to 'vent ' and be less stressful

Listen to our body to know when a break is needed. If stuck, can’t concentrate, no ideas, staring at the computer for an hour and fingers are not moving, then maybe it’s time for a break..take a walk, go to gym, munch, get a coffee , or have a SHORT chat with a friend. If that’s late in the day, just pack up and go home.. sleep on it and start again the next day. Our immune system may also indicate that it’s time for a break. I actually had monthly ‘feverish’ episodes. I will feel that I was coming down with something, but all was needed was a long rest. After sleeping on it, the next day, I would be fine!

Note #6 PhD is a job

A job which requires a set hours of time, a distraction-free area to work (I think this is especially true for moms) and the discipline that you need when the boss is watching you. The set hours of time are very critical. It doesn’t have to be 8-5 but it should be about 8 hours a day .See what suits our study mode and schedule. I was blessed because with my husband’s help, I can be at/lab/room/library from 8.30-5.30 almost every day and the last 3-4 months , I do spend from 8-8 writing. If I have to be somewhere in the day, I will try to make up for it by coming early or work late the next day. I think the long chunk of hours is especially necessary during the thesis writing phase. This is because, ideas take a long time to come.. I’m usually most productive after 3-4 hours of thinking, reading, so it helps because I have quite a long period of time to stay productive. I also had my own room at the library during my writing phase which I call a cave but very inducive towards thinking and writing (and occasional nap..opps! ) Work that I do at home is minimal, just reading a few articles at night or something like that cause I get really distracted at home. Most libraries in universities have these rooms, see if you uni has one that u can use.

Note #7 20% intelligence, 80% persistence

The only time I was first in my class was when I was in Std 1. I’m consistently in the bottom 10 in my class throughout my secondary school years ( ok..of course I was blessed to be in a good school). I had C6 and C7 in my SPM. So I am not sure if I can be categorized as intelligent . But I know I had worked very hard and tried to be very persistent during my PhD. What I mean by being persistent is setting a goal and pushing myself in every way possible to achieve the goal. This includes 1) Seeking knowledge – go to classes, read, google, talk to everyone possible. 2) Being pro-active and try to always find ways to improve my work 3) Not giving up easily - constantly thinking of the different approaches to achieve my goals 4) Accept that I make mistakes and have many weaknesses and aim to improve it 4)) Will strive to always produce my best work . Alhamdullillah..what I did worked

(have a look at http://www/. stevepavlina. com/blog/2005/06/self-discipline-persistence/ for more explanation on persistence)

Note # 8 Handling literature.

Oh My God ! Reading Literature ! what a pain !!!!!!! The reason why I drink coffee now ! And remembering what I have read was even worse !!

OK..I think everyone struggle with literature especially when it’s not in our first language. Here are some strategies that helped me.

a) Selective reading . If it’s a review, yeah..maybe we need to read the whole paper, but for some paper, we just want the methods, or results, or sometimes the reference, so select. In general my sv said read abstract, results then methods. Careful with the discussion because discussions are in a way someone else’s opinion

b) Output learning is important ( gosh! exactly what I recommended to my Std 6 son ) . After reading, write it down. maybe just a scribble on the front page of the paper, or write a paragraph. I found tables help when there’s heaps of similar papers. For example, the different genes that control reproduction. The column can be the genes and the rows can be what is known about them -function, localization, what species…etc.... I actually put these tables in my thesis to ‘show’ them..hey ! I’ve read! The other thing that works for me is mind maps. Xmind is a mindmap program that can be downloaded for free. I recommend that , it helps in getting a ‘clear picture’

c) Now ..how do we know if we’ve read enough ?… I hate to say this ..but the only way is to write ! I think that is why we are always recommended to start writing thesis early. Only when we’ve sorted our thoughts and knowledge ON PAPER and then we know what we know and what we don’t know..and what else to read.. and remember those topics that we think that we know we should read but decided not to because “ maybe I can get away with it”.. READ IT !! We can’t get away with it ! It may work in high school but not your PhD!

..stay tune for the last 4 notes :)..

 

 

MY PhD roller coaster ride - Part 1 (Kisah teman)

Saya telah mendapat keizinan dari rakan saya yang baru saja mendapat ijazah kedoktorannya pada bulan April yang lalu untuk berkongsi pengalaman dan tips ketika beliau membuat PhD.  Semoga ianya menjadi panduan kepada saya dan juga kepada rakan-rakan yang sedang bertarung dan berjuang dengan PhD.

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MY PhD roller coaster ride - Part 1 - Ainu Husna Suhaimi

AS I close the PhD chapter of my life, I thought I’d share a bit of my roller coaster ride with those who are maybe, still thinking whether to take the PhD (or MSc) ride, just getting into their roller coaster car, at the highest point or the lowest point of the ride or after a lot of laughs and cries are moving towards the end of their ride. My PhD ride was as bumpy as any other… challenging supervisors, failed experiments, daunting analysis, three kids, tired husband, seemingly endless thesis writing but I found some actions work better than others and helps make my ride less bumpier . There were also actions that I wish I had taken during my PhD. I wish to share these actions /tips/strategies..which I will call as notes with all of you hoping that it can ease someone else’s ride too . I have 11 notes but will post it in batches..
So here goes...

Note #1 Family support is of upmost important!

Husband, wife, mom, dad, sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, grandmas, grandpas… they are our source of strength. Keep them close emotionally and physically. For moms, let the children know that we need all the help we can get and make them do chores. Towards the end of my PhD, everybody in our family wash their own plates except for my little one. I rarely cook, throw garbage or hang the laundry which helped a lot. But also remember that we need their support and love as much as they need ours. The PhD ride is taxing to us and our family too.. appreciate them often and make the little time with them count. It's amazing how much a 10 minute chat or cuddles can help release stress. For families of PhD students, thank you in advance for all your sacrifices and for tolerating with moody, stressed, crying, fuming, upset and occasionally happy member of the family.

Note # 2 Get your intentions/”niat” right.

Please..please..please…do not start a PhD program just for the sake of it, or just because everyone does it…or just because the boss wants it.. Even if it is required by your boss or your institution.. find a strong reason that will motivate you to work for it..For me, I know I needed to do well in my Phd in order for me to do well in my future career. The topic that I was working for was also something that I personally have interest in so that helped. PhD is difficult and will be even more difficult if there's no passion for it.. so create the passion, have a project that you are really passionate about and find good reasons that can motivate when things get rough, as believe me things will.

Note #3 Finding and handling supervisors

Finding a good supervisor is tricky when we rely on e-mails as the only source of communication. We can’t see their character, we can’t tell how busy there are. But there is a high chance that a person can be a good sv if, he/she responds quickly, is actively writing and publishing and have many students. It’ll be good if you can somehow search for the sv’s old/current students and ask them about the sv. Because we only know so much, the Almighty’s help is especially vital for us to land with a good sv, so after all is done to get to know the sv, do pray hard for a good one.

I had two good and one challenging supervisors. Here are my opinions about how to deal with supervisors and make full use of their limited time.

a) Set to meet at least one of the sv regularly- literally chase them ! – weekly if possible . Not longer than biweekly. Even if it seems like there's nothing to say..there is.. these meetings keep us on our toes and the sv will keep us on track. Go prepared with results, problems, strategies.. When bringing in problems to the sv , think first and be prepared with a possible solution. Supervisors are not there to give us answers, that’s our job. They are there to just give us directions of where to find answers. The reading, the thinking, the trying, that’s all up to us. I was blessed because my good sv never gave me a chance and will make sure that I see her at least biweekly. I hated it! But now am thankful for it.

b) Promise them datelines – That really works for me because I am a procrastinator. I am usually late with my datelines but it’s ok, a week or two late is better than not doing it all which will happen to me if I don’t have datelines.

c) Understand how they work – Supervisors are very busy people. Although there are exceptions, most of the time, sv do not mean to neglect us. We are just not on top of their priority list. We have to work to get their attention and show them we are worth the attention. Figure out when the best time to get fast results from your supervisors is. For me, I usually get feedbacks faster if I give work to my sv on Friday evenings because he apparently work on less important matters i.e: my writing on weekends.

d) Give sv your best work. Not perfect.. but one that we’re happy with. Because their time is limited, they get annoyed if we give them dodgy work.. My sv actually told me once in my face..”don’t waste my time !” . Ouch ! she was right though.

to be continued in the next few days..insyallah...