How To Select The Right Topic For Your PhD In Computer Science?

PhD is the pinnacle of one’s academic journey. In Computer Science, it is one of the two doctoral degrees. Although the popular view is that the field of computer science developed into what it is now outside of the academia, owing to the popularized stories behind computer giants like Microsoft and Apple and their founders, one must understand that it was academia that laid the foundation and groundwork for computer science. The later technological leap that happened stemmed from this initial academic impetus and continuous utilization of academic products.

Computer Science, as a field, is as vast as it can be. Its science, firmly established in mathematics and logic, is ever expanding. It encompasses a wide range of domains which are interconnected but are improved almost independently. Thus finding a topic for research needs to be concentrated to a domain within the vast areas of scope that exists. Add to this the entrepreneurial-driven nature of the field that comprises many corporate giants, it is necessary to be updated if you are not to fall in to the trap of finding something that has already been found. Thus, a considerate attention to several factors before beginning your research will aid in its success. The following tips may serve that purpose.

Try to choose a topic that is currently studied by fellow researchers; this will help establish a bond and be mutually beneficial via the sharing of secondary data, technological updates, etc.

Find a topic that interests you while also adds value to the field. This means having a clear idea of what you want to do and when proposed will enable getting funds easy. Necessity is the mother of inventions, and it’s important you find a problem that exists and read extensively on the developments, processes, research concerning your area of interest. A literature review is the most important aspect of research and is updated on what you going to research will ensure your success. With the literature review, you can also find gaps in the knowledge which you can exploit for your research.

Computer science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes.

– Michael Fellows

Broadly, the following are some of the important branches within the grand field of Computer Science where newer innovations will lead to greater things for the world:

Theoretical Foundations

The basics of the computational field can still be explored to identify groundbreaking paths that can significantly improve the computational experience. Research in this vast area includes basic computational theories, the relation between systems and the processes, programming languages, etc.

Architectures, Compiler Optimization, and Embedded Systems

Computational throughput and efficiency depend on the computer architecture; research on the area exploring the design, development, and use of machine architecture, and the static and dynamic compilation of high-level languages, with the use of analysis, modelling techniques, and experimentation to evaluate codes.

Data Mining, Databases, and Geographical Information Systems

Research in this field is concerned with exploring and finding ways to improve the processes of data storage, retrieval, analysis, and visualization to aid various fields like bio-informatics, cybersecurity, sensor networks, etc.

Graphics and Visualization

Graphics and visualization research involves work in algorithm development to enhance art, animation, and image processing of systems; this would improve the processes of modelling, rendering, and the methods of graphic aided drafting, etc.

High Performance Computing

Computational capacity and speed are ever-improving. What we have right now is a dream for the bygone eras but will be antiquity to the future. Research dealing with the efficiency of computer performance includes a wide range of areas from the development and analysis of parallel algorithms to the development of quantum computing.

Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)

Human and computer interaction is in a nascent stage but is being widely developed and adopted worldwide. Considerable improvement will be made to the field with more and more research being done in the field.

Networks, Distributed Systems, and Security

Research work in this domain involves developing newer theories and techniques that can improve the quality of the internet experience.

Robotics and Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence and robotics have been a source of fascination for humanity for a while now. The field has gained considerable momentum in the past few years with the development of machine learning techniques and the emergence of big data. The field is broad and a specific focus on a particular process to base the research will be fruitful when a right approach is adopted.

Software Engineering and Programming Languages

This area comprises one of the core components of computer science. Research on the basics and formulation of newer programming languages and processes to improve the quality of software can lead to a computational revolution that has been the case every decade.

Bioinformatics and Computational Biology

The advancement in computation revolutionized every field, forming a plethora of hybrid fields that dealt with computational processes in a core science field. The computational methods to store, categorize, analyze and model from biological datasets is a rich place to look for potential knowledge gaps to enhance the field. Research in this field deals with the development of enhanced methods in data management, machine learning, data mining, etc. to provide a better computational experience.