Thank you for your interest in working with me and sharing the joy of doing research. :) I am committed to building a research group that provides an inclusive environment for everyone. I strongly encourage students from underrepresented groups in Computer Science research to apply. This includes, but is not limited to, Dalits, Adivasis, women, Indigenous Peoples, persons with disabilities, members of racialized groups, and members of sexual and gender minority groups.
I am looking for multiple Undergraduate, Master's, and PhD students to work with me on Deep Reinforcement Learning at the Faculty of Computer Science, Dalhousie University, located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Mi’kma’ki, Canada.
Things I Look For in a Student
Intellectual curiosity.
Solid foundation in Machine Learning, Deep Learning, and Reinforcement Learning.
Strong programming skills with hands-on experience in Deep Reinforcement Learning.
Good communication (both written and verbal) and interpersonal skills.
Relevant research contributions/experience.
Commitment to fostering a happy, supportive, and inclusive environment within the research group.
Research Opportunities and Application Processes
I) Current Dalhousie Undergraduate Students
If you are currently an undergraduate student at the FCS in Dalhousie University, you have at least three avenues for doing research with me.
Research over the summer term under the Undergraduate Summer Research Awards (USRA) program.
A Directed Studies course (I have openings for the January 2024 Winter term).
BCS Honours (often preceded by a Directed Studies course).
I strongly encourage undergraduate students who are potentially interested in pursuing a Master's or PhD with me after completing their undergrad to apply and explore these opportunities during their undergrad.
To apply,
Email janarthanan.rajendran@dal.ca with:
Subject line "[USRA / Undergraduate Directed Studies / BCS Honours] Application - [Your Name]".
Curriculum vitae (CV).
Statement of purpose/research interests (250 - 500 words), covering your academic background, research interests, and reasons for your interest in working with me.
(Unofficial) Transcript.
If you are potentially interested in pursuing a Master's/PhD with me after completing your undergraduate studies, feel free to mention it in the body of your email. There are options to jump-start your Master's requirements during your undergraduate studies and thereby finish your Master's faster.
I will review your application and if there is a good fit, I will contact you for a discussion/interview. Due to the high volume of emails I receive, I am able to respond to only those who are selected for an interview. I appreciate your understanding in this regard.
I welcome applications any time of the year.
II) Current Dalhousie Master's Students
If you are currently a Master's student at the FCS in Dalhousie University, you have the following avenues for doing research with me.
A Directed Studies course (I have openings for the January 2024 Winter term).
MCS Thesis (often preceded by a Directed Studies course).
MACS Research Project Course.
I strongly encourage Master's students (both MCS and MACS students) who are potentially interested in pursuing a PhD with me after completing their Master's to apply and explore these opportunities during their Master's.
To apply,
Email janarthanan.rajendran@dal.ca with:
Subject line "[Master's Directed Studies / MCS Thesis / MACS Research Project Course] Application - [Your Name]".
Curriculum vitae (CV).
Statement of purpose/research interests (500 - 1000 words), covering your academic background, research interests, reasons for pursuing a Master's, and reasons for your interest in working with me.
(Optional, but highly recommended) Research proposal (500 - 1000 words), a sample project proposal for the type of research you wish to undertake during your Master's. The sample proposal does not have to align with the group's research direction described above. You can refer to Dalhousie's guidelines for writing an effective research proposal.
(Unofficial) Transcript(s)
EDI statement (250 - 500 words), covering your views and your past and potential future efforts surrounding equity, diversity, and inclusion. You can refer to UPenn's guidelines for crafting your EDI statement.
(Optional) Name and email address of two reference letter writers.
If you are potentially interested in fast-tracking to a Ph.D. during your Master's or pursuing a PhD with me after completing your Master's, feel free to mention it in the body of your email.
I will review your application and if there is a good fit, I will contact you for an interview. Due to the high volume of emails I receive, I am able to respond to only those who are selected for an interview. I appreciate your understanding in this regard.
I welcome applications any time of the year.
III) Other Prospective Students Applying to the Master's / PhD Program at Dalhousie
To apply,
Email janarthanan.rajendran@dal.ca with:
Subject line "[MCS / PhD] Application - [Your Name]".
Curriculum vitae (CV).
Statement of purpose/research interests (500 - 1000 words), covering your academic background, research interests, reasons for pursuing a Master's/PhD, and reasons for your interest in working with me.
(Optional, but highly recommended) Research proposal (500 - 1000 words), a sample project proposal for the type of research you wish to undertake during your Master's/PhD. The sample proposal does not have to align with the research direction described above. You can refer to Dalhousie's guidelines for writing an effective research proposal.
(Unofficial) Transcript(s)
EDI statement (250 - 500 words), covering your views and your past and potential future efforts surrounding equity, diversity, and inclusion. You can refer to UPenn's guidelines for crafting your EDI statement.
Name and email address of two reference letter writers.
If you are applying for a Master's and are potentially interested in fast-tracking to a PhD during your Master's, feel free to mention it in the body of your email.
I will review your application and if there is a good fit, I will contact you for an interview. Due to the high volume of applications I receive, I am able to respond to only those who are selected for an interview. I appreciate your understanding in this regard.
If there is a good match, I will request you to submit your application for the Graduate Program at the Faculty of Computer Science (FCS) at Dalhousie University. Your reference letter writers will submit their recommendation letters as a part of this application.
FCS and I will perform a final review of your submitted application and make a recommendation to the Faculty of Graduate Studies (FGS), who will then make the final decision/offer.
I welcome applications (step 1) any time of the year.
Here are some videos to give you a feel for what Dalhousie University, Halifax, and Nova Scotia have to offer!