- #1
- 2,960
- 4
...defended my thesis. Hope to get the papers out in the coming months and spend a bit more time at PF. Did I miss anything?
Congratulations on the thesis defense!SpaceTiger said:...defended my thesis. Hope to get the papers out in the coming months and spend a bit more time at PF. Did I miss anything?
Now I have it!I always have this funny mental image when someone talks about defending their thesis. I imagine a wild-eyed student clutching a large document to his/her chest and waving a flaming torch at a crowd of people wearing robes and octagonal hats who are trying to snatch at it
Mk said:Now I have it!
Math Is Hard said:I watched too much MP Flying Circus growing up. The damage was permanent.
Math Is Hard said:I always have this funny mental image when someone talks about defending their thesis. I imagine a wild-eyed student clutching a large document to his/her chest and waving a flaming torch at a crowd of people wearing robes and octagonal hats who are trying to snatch at it.
Is it anything like that?
jimmysnyder said:I had intended to show up for your defense, but I had to pick up my wife at the airport yesterday.
In Peyton Hall?SpaceTiger said:I'm giving a public colloquium on Tuesday at 4:30, so feel free to stop by if you're in the area. The defense itself is fairy impenetrable to non-specialists anyhow.
Newark? That's practically in the neighborhood.SpaceTiger said:Thanks everyone. I do hope to have a little more free time, but honestly, I don't think it will be a lot more. I just started a job at Rutgers and have been kept pretty busy even since I submitted the thesis three weeks ago. Also, my internet access will be limited until the end of the month. :P
SpaceTiger said:I just started a job at Rutgers ...
What's the title/subject of the dissertation?
I had the pleasure of attending this colloquium and I will give my account of it, not so much to inform you as to enrage the speaker to the extent that he is forced to correct the errors in it.SpaceTiger said:The colloquium will be held Tuesday at 4:30 PM in the Peyton Hall auditorium. My thesis is titled, "Crawling the Cosmic Network: An Exploration of Filamentary Structure". I talk about ways of finding and quantifying large-scale structures in the distribution of galaxies.
jimmysnyder said:One guy asked if the filaments formed a kind of mesh like a tennis racket. This raised a question in my own mind, but having somewhat below the average knowledge of this matter, I decided to keep my trap shut. However, I will ask the question here. Is it like a tennis racket with a lot of snot on it?. I mean like a wall but with dense strands running through it?
My description of her was unwarranted and without a grain of truth in it. Indeed, there was a twinkle in her eye as she asked her question. Your response did not contain as much strong language as I had indicated. However, I stand by my description of her question. She brought up that 'Sloan Great Filament' thing like she was sticking a fork in your thesis to see if it was done. I thought I saw the buttons on your shirt strain as your muscles bulged to contain the fury. I nearly wept as I plumbed the depth of the anguish you must have been feeling. But now that I think back on it, there was a twinkle in your eye too. Perhaps it was a more beautiful emotion inflicting a sweeter torture than I had imagined.SpaceTiger said:The professor was Neta Bahcall, who is actually a very nice lady and I don't think she was trying to be as combative as you say.
A thesis defense is a presentation and discussion of your research, which is typically the final requirement for earning a graduate degree. It allows you to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise in your field of study and defend the original contribution you have made through your research.
To prepare for your thesis defense, it is important to thoroughly review your research and familiarize yourself with the key findings and arguments. You should also practice your presentation and anticipate potential questions from your committee. It can also be helpful to attend other thesis defenses to get a sense of the format and expectations.
Your thesis defense will typically be attended by your thesis committee, which consists of your advisor and other faculty members who have expertise in your field of study. It may also be open to other members of the academic community and the public.
During a thesis defense, you will give a presentation on your research, followed by a question and answer session with your committee. The committee may ask you to clarify or elaborate on certain points, and they may also provide feedback and suggestions for further research.
The possible outcomes of a thesis defense include passing with distinction, passing with revisions, or failing. Passing with distinction means that your committee has deemed your research to be of exceptional quality. Passing with revisions means that your committee has identified areas for improvement in your research, and you will need to make revisions before your thesis can be accepted. Failing means that your committee has determined that your research is not sufficient for earning your degree, and you may need to make significant changes or start over with a new topic.