“The Illustrated Guide to a Ph.D.”

January 21, 2012

This was created by Matt Might, a computer science professor at the University of Utah. We contacted him, and he gave us permission to post it here.

As an intro, Matt writes:

Every fall, I explain to a fresh batch of Ph.D. students what a Ph.D. is.

It’s hard to describe it in words.

So, I use pictures.

Here is “The Illustrated Guide to a Ph.D.”

Imagine a circle that contains all of human knowledge:

By the time you finish elementary school, you know a little:

By the time you finish high school, you know a bit more:

With a bachelor’s degree, you gain a specialty:

A master’s degree deepens that specialty:

Reading research papers takes you to the edge of human knowledge:

Once you’re at the boundary, you focus:

You push at the boundary for a few years:

Until one day, the boundary gives way:

And, that dent you’ve made is called a Ph.D.:

Of course, the world looks different to you now:

So, don’t forget the bigger picture:

Keep pushing.

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Matt includes a note, informing readers that they can purchase printed copies of this guide for just $5.70.

Any and all proceeds will fund graduate students whose work may impact the discovery, diagnosis or treatment of genetic disorders…

Why genetics research?

My wife and I chose to start funding these graduate students after we learned that our son has a rare, fatal genetic disorder.

It may be too late for my son, but it’s not too late for other children.

Just $5.70 - for a heck of a good thing.

Our thanks to Matt Might. The very best to you and yours from all of us.

* This guide was found on StumbleUpon.