1 reply to this topic

[barttoo]

Hi guys,
planning to do my masters in computer science. I'm very R&D oriented and interested in scientific software. Currently i'm a C# developer in multi-threading environment. I'm pretty comfortable in c/c++ as well. Looking forward to master a subject. Stuff that i'm interested are computer architecture, image processing and distributed systems. Any comments are welcomed and will be considered a help on decision making. Event if the subject not mentioned on the above list, please consider any and i'm still willing to consider. Please breakdown your suggestions and justification in this format if can. Thank you.

i) area of knowledge(e.g image processing)
ii) industry that requires and applies this area of knowledge.
iii) future and demand for this area of knowledge.
iv) Your personal view and advise.

[fayyazlodhi]

Though i would argue you should find a problem / domain that attracts you enough to write a good thesis AND some practical application. Then take subjects that are required for that. But from the way you have put it, i understand that it is a pre-determined area selection prior to entering an MS program.

For that my take is

i. Distributed systems.
ii. Current industry trend of moving towards cloud based computing. Plus it has a lot of breadth and has very immediate concentration from employment perspective.
iii. I see every decent job popping up from Windows Azure to Amazon and even to smaller setups asking for skill / experience in the area.
iv. I am an embedded systems / TCP/IP protocols guy who loves data structures and algorithms so my personal inclination is also towards the same area. I am allergic to "theory only - analysis of xyz" with no close impact on real world kind of research and i think there are far more practical options in this area.

Personally, CA is very engineering oriented and advanced research in that area requires a good depth of Electrical Engg. back ground. At least people from that back ground are more suitable.

Image processing is also a good option but at least in my opinion falls no where near Distributed systems in terms of breadth, relevance to area currently IT is moving towards etc. Also it is a more focused domain. So only go for it if you already have a spark / flavor experience of it.

One final advice, try to read about all current research being done in the areas you are interested in. A good way to do that is to look at websites and projects of MIT, Stanford, Berkeley etc. Forget the Institute attraction and read about projects that are currently being worked upon.

That would give a feel for how would it be for you while working near the end of your MS thesis / project. Your opinion might change significantly based upon that.

Edited by fayyazlodhi, 05 July 2011 - 12:11 PM.
grammar