Position

We are always looking for passionate, talented, and self-motivated people with good heart. If you think you are the one, please contact us via email or phone.  

My philosophical perspectives toward students

Unlike sciences, arts, and human subjects, which are matters of finding the "truth" and "interpretation" of phenomena by researchers, Engineering subjects tightly related to markets and practical applications are supposed to be practical, hands-on, and somehow related to economic impact and profits.

Many professors are not experts, and they claim that they are experts. Their students do most of the work, and professors claim those credits.

Finding professors who can do practical work and implement new inventions is hard and almost impossible.

Most technical papers, such as journals and conference proceedings, are written by students. 

The best things professors can do better than others are "talking" and "planning.” 

The "planning" could be easily formed into some proposal writing. 

But they can't do anything without "workers" or "students.” 

Students are supposed to be assistants of professors' work and learners. 

But most professors hire students as employees who will do work for them. 

Many professors have a mindset of running a research laboratory as a company.

That's why professors always look for student workers who will work for them. 

And that's also why professors are looking for "excellent" students (workers), which is crooked against the truthful meaning of academics.

Students are supposed to spend their time learning, exploring new things, and building up their unique expertise under the guidance of professors. 

This means students learn the research methodologies, teaching skills, team play mindset, proposal writing, and many other things they need to know to become a better and independent "researcher" or "teacher.” 

But they work as employees of the company that a professor runs. 

In this sense, topics for Ph.D. work are insignificant. A more critical aspect is to have a sincere heart of dedication to a particular topic that students want to pursue to become an "expert" in 4~5 years.

To reach a goal of achievement, students may need guidance (but only sometimes necessary) to reach the goal more efficiently and rigorously. This is why students need an advisor. 

The stipend for students is not a salary. 

The salary is for employees who work for the company. The stipend for students is supposed to be a supporting fund to help them focus on their work without worrying about financial issues. 

If professors hire students for a funded project, this indicates that professors want to use students as "workers" but not as "assistants.” Otherwise, this also proves that the project level is something that anybody can do easily without prior experience or knowledge. 

If the project is highly respected and promising, and professors want to use students for the work, this proves that it is already low-quality work since students are learners, not experts. Why are learners expected to do innovative and hard work that professors need help solving?

If the work is complicated and the task is hard to get, it should be done by so-called "experts,” the proposer or the professor. 

These days, it is hard to see professors do their technical work in a laboratory, code programs, set up an experiment, or develop innovative machines or inventions.”

They claim that they are just busy doing many things and teaching. 

But the truth is that they barely know how to do it. 

It is sad that they have almost nothing that they can do alone without someone's help.  

However, it is important that someone manages multiple projects and advises quite a few students simultaneously. 

But at least the professor should be humble enough to say he/she manages the work but shouldn't say that he/she is an expert. 

Prospective MS/Ph.D. students needing my guidance are always welcome. 

We provide the necessary space, equipment, and devices for students. 

Your thesis topics can be determined, preferably by your choice. Again, topics are not that important. 

The most important thing is your energy and enthusiasm to devote yourself to being an "expert."

As an advisor, I will be on your side to help you go through those steps by sharing "research methodologies.” 

If your interests and my expertise overlap, there are more things that I can offer you in terms of knowledge and experience. 

Otherwise, MS/Ph.D. is on your own. 

You are not working for me; you are working for yourself to make yourself an "expert.”

Again, 1) you can pick your own topic for your interests through the discussion with me (advisor), 2) devote yourself to being a technical expert in the topic while I am guiding you for better success, and 3) be an independent, open-minded, energetic, humble, and humane researcher for the future generation.

Undergraduate Researcher

We are looking for highly motivated undergraduate students who are interested, please send us an email: bjo@tntech.edu or call +1-931-372-6403.