Graduate Student Spotlight - Jinwei Xing
Hello fellow CSA members,
We are excited to present our Graduate Student Spotlight and introduce you to the Cognitive Sciences graduate students here at UCI! This month, our newsletter features Jinwei Xing, a 5th-year student working in the Cognitive Anteaters Robotics Lab with Professor Krichmar. During our interview with Jinwei, we asked him about his research and graduate school.
What is your research focus, and what inspired you to research this topic?
Jinwei’s current research focuses on the intersection between machine learning and neuroscience. More specifically, he is interested in investigating how we use neuroscience to inspire the development of machine learning technology and to understand the brain. Jinwei is motivated by the rapid progress achieved in AI and tech in the past few years.
What is the most rewarding aspect of graduate school? The most challenging?
For Jinwei, these aspects are related. He finds it very rewarding to complete a project–for example, when a paper is accepted–after committing a lot of time and diligence. On the other hand, dedicating time to a project and producing few results at first can lead to confusion about whether the research topic is worthwhile.
When facing challenges, do you have any tips on how to overcome them?
Jinwei offers two tips. First, keep working hard, but talk to your collaborators and advisors to ask for help and feedback. Second, prepare a backup plan and do not only rely on academia. Develop skills that would also be useful in industry, such as programming, understanding machine learning, and more.
How was the graduate student application process for you?
Through general graduate program applications, Jinwei suggests searching for professors with similar research interests that you believe you can collaborate with. After compiling a list, contact them to see if they have space for new graduate students. Consider which schools you have a good chance of getting into, and apply for a few dream schools as well. Letters of recommendation are crucial for a good application, so find professors you have worked with who can write strong letters. Take courses and leave a good impression!
What are some things you wished you knew before graduate school?
Jinwei wishes he had been aware about the uncertainty involved in research. As an undergraduate or high schooler, he believed that with enough effort, he could always obtain results. In his research journey, he realized there is much more unpredictability involved. You could start a project, try hard, and get unexpected results. And that’s OK!
What do you want to pursue after graduate school?
Jinwei hopes to enter the industry sector and pursue a career in research, possibly as a machine learning engineer. Searching for jobs on LinkedIn and having internal referrals were useful for him. Connections are especially valuable when the job market is not as favorable.
Any advice for undergraduates who may be on the fence about applying for graduate school?
Jinwei believes this depends on the type of program you plan to attend.
His biggest advice: you should have a clear idea of the research direction you wish to pursue to find the right professors to work with. If you are unsure of your research interests at the moment, a Master’s degree could be a viable option as it is only a two-year program and offers courses to explore various topics. On the other hand, if you have a general idea of the research direction you want to pursue, you can consider a Ph.D. degree. The type of Ph.D. program available will be mainly dependent on the department. Once you receive an offer, you will work with a primary professor, but may also have the option to collaborate with a secondary professor. Some programs offer opportunities for students to do rotations, which is also helpful for students to find their real interests.
Any final words of wisdom to undergraduates?
In general, everyone has different difficulties in life. Regardless, live in a meaningful way to address these challenges and feel better. If you can feel like you are moving forward regardless of the obstacles, you can live your life without any regrets.
** Check out the article below if you are interested in learning more about Jinwei’s research!
Linking global top-down views to first-person views in the brain
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