ViDA Lab Guideline

ViDA has three major activities: (1) Lab seminar (2) Individual meeting (3) Lab presence.

1. Lab Seminar 

   • Attendance at lab seminars is not optional

   • One presents a paper and one presents the progress each week

   • Paper Presentation: 

     • • Presenter:

         • Develops your paper reading, presentation, and Q&A skills. 

         • Choose a paper primarily from the "Full Vis Paper" in "IEEE VIS." Other conference or journal papers may be selected, but discuss them with me at least two weeks prior. [check here]

         • Seminars are not used for forcing you to read papers you need for research. You should read more than 50 papers to support your research ( you clearly do no have so many presentation chance).

       • Audience: 

         • Train your skill of asking questions. 

         • Everyone is supposed to ask the presenters a few questions.

         • Asking stupid/naive questions is better than sitting there for 2 hours. 

   • Progress Report: 

     • • Helps others understand your work and encourages research discussions. 

       • Assume your audience is hearing about your work for the first time (assume everytime is the first time). 

       • Prepare nice slides to present with a clear background, motivation, what you have tried before and what you have done recently. 

       • The progress report should be high-quality as a formal presentation (10 - 15 minutes). 

2. Individual meeting:

   • Attendance at every single individual meeting is not optional, regardless of anything to update. 

     • Even if there is nothing to report, still attend briefly, as it may spark ideas or open discussions.

   • Strongly encourage you to prepare slides or show your work directly on your computer. This keeps meetings efficient and effective.

   • Meet at least once per week. 

   • For students near graduation (for example, master's students after the first year), twice per week. 

3. Lab Presence: 

   • • While not mandatory, I encourage spending a few hours in the lab daily, such as in the afternoon. 

       • Not necessary from morning to evening

       • I know that everyone has their working style and place where they feel comfortable.  

     • Benefits: 

       • Easy in-person discussions (also with the advisor) without needing emails or scheduled meetings. 

       • Promotes friendship and easy sharing of ideas with lab mates. 

     • Although lab presence is not mandatory daily, almost every past lab alumni spent substantial lab time every day in the last six months, often meeting daily as the defense neared (1-2 months). 

Occasional exceptions for personal matters are perfectly fine. (the advisor may sometimes also cancel the seminar or individual meeting for other meetings or personal matters) Just notify the advisor in advance (e.g., by email) if you can not attend the seminar or meeting.