Yann LeCun is a well-known name in the field of deep learning research, and Convolutional Neural Network (Convolutional Neural Network) is his representative work. He puts forward 14 suggestions for college students who aspire to become researchers in the field of deep learning. Among them, the number 0 is a suggestion for course selection, and the number 1-13 is a complete and operable guidance manual for becoming a researcher.
0. Take all the continuous math and physics class you can possibly take. If you have the choice between “iOS programming” and “quantum mechanics”, take “quantum mechanics”. In any case, take Calc I, Calc II, Calc III, Linear Algebra, Probability and Statistics, and as many physics courses as you can. But make sure you learn to program.
0. Continue to participate in all math and physics courses as much as possible. If you have to choose between "iOS programming" and "quantum mechanics", then choose "quantum mechanics". In any case, you must choose calculus (1), calculus (2), calculus (3), linear algebra, probability and statistics and other courses, and take as many physics courses as possible. But make sure to learn to program;
1. Take an AI-related problem you are passionate about.
1. Choose an artificial intelligence-related problem that you love;
2. Think about it on your own.
2. Think about this issue independently;
3. Once you have formed your own idea of it, start reading the literature on the problem.
3. Once you have formed your own thoughts on this issue, then start reading the literature related to it;
4. You will find that (a) your ideas were probably a bit naive but (b) your view of the problem is slightly different from what was done before.
4. You will find that your thoughts may be a bit naive, but your view of the problem has been slightly different from before;
5. Find a professor in your school that can help you make your ideas concrete. It might be difficult. Professors are busy and don’t have much time for undergrads. The ones with the most free time are the very junior, the very senior, and the ones who are not very active in research.
5. Ask the professor in your school to help you make your idea concrete. This may be difficult because the professors are very busy and don't have much time to mentor the undergraduates. Professors who have a lot of free time are either very young or very old, or some professors are not very active in research;
6. If you don’ find a professor with spare time, hook up with a postdoc or PhD student in his/her lab.
6. If you can't find a professor who has free time, then go to the laboratory and communicate with the postdoctoral or doctoral student there;
7. Ask the professor if you can attend his/her lab meetings and seminars or sit in his/her class.
7. Ask the professor whether you can participate in his/her laboratory meetings and seminars, or listen to his/her courses;
8. Before you graduate, try to write a paper about your research or release a piece of open source code.
8. Before graduation, try to write a thesis related to your research or publish a piece of open source code;
9. Now apply to PhD programs. Forget about the “ranking” of the school for now. Find a reputable professor who works on topics that you are interested in. Pick a person whose papers you like or admire.
9. Now apply to the PhD program. Don't care about the "ranking" of the school, find a prestigious professor who conducts research in the subject area you are interested in. Whose paper you like or admire, you choose that person;
10. Apply to several PhD programs in the schools of the above-mentioned professors and mention in your letter that you’d like to work with that professor but would be open to work with others.
10. Apply to the doctoral program of the school where the above-mentioned professor works, and mention in the letter that you would like to work with that professor, but you are also willing to consider cooperating with other professors;
11. Ask your undergrad professor to write a recommendation letter for you. It’s maximally efficient if your undergrad professor is known by your favorite PhD advisor.
11. Ask your undergraduate tutor to write a letter of recommendation for you. If your favorite doctoral supervisor knows your undergraduate supervisor, that is the most effective;
12. If you don’t get accepted in one of your favorite PhD programs, get a job at Facebook or Google and try to get a gig as an engineer assisting research scientists at FAIR or Google Brain.
12. If you are not selected by any of your favorite PhD programs, then join Facebook or Google and try to find a temporary job as an engineer to assist researchers working in FAIR or Google Brain;
13. Publish a papers with the research scientists in question. Then re-apply to PhD programs and ask the FAIR or Google scientists you work with to write a recommendation letter for you.
13. Co-publish a paper with the above-mentioned researchers. Then reapply to the PhD program and ask the scientists working with you at FAIR or Google Brain to write a letter of recommendation for you.
Original title:
What’s your advice for undergraduate student who aspires to be a research scientist in deep learning or related field one day?
Original link:
https://www.quora.com/What%E2%80%99s-your-advice-for-undergraduate-student-who-aspires-to-be-a-research-scientist-in-deep-learning-or-related-field-one-day/answer/Yann-LeCun