Doctoral Consortia

What is a Doctoral Consortium?

A Doctoral Consortium (DC), also sometimes referred to as a Doctoral Symposium or PhD Workshop, is a forum designed for PhD students in the field of recommender systems to present their research, receive feedback from experienced researchers, and engage in networking opportunities with their peers. It typically takes place as part of larger conferences, such as the ACM Conference on Recommender Systems (RecSys), and serves as an interactive session where doctoral students can refine their research through discussions with senior mentors in the field.

Objectives of a Doctoral Consortium

The primary goals of a DC are to:

  1. Provide constructive feedback: PhD students present their research ideas, methodologies, or results, and receive detailed feedback from experienced researchers who are often experts in the field of recommender systems.
  2. Foster mentorship: Students are paired with mentors who can offer guidance, suggest improvements, and share advice on challenges in academic and research careers.
  3. Facilitate networking: The consortium allows participants to connect with other students, researchers, and industry professionals, forming lasting relationships that could lead to future collaborations.
  4. Develop presentation skills: Presenting research at a DC helps students improve their communication skills, allowing them to effectively convey their ideas to both specialized and general audiences.

Structure of a Doctoral Consortium

A typical DC in recommender systems includes:

  • Paper submissions: PhD students submit a summary of their dissertation work, including research objectives, methodologies, and preliminary findings. The paper is reviewed by a panel of experts who provide feedback.
  • Presentations: Accepted students present their research during the consortium. Each presentation is followed by a Q&A session, where mentors and peers provide feedback and ask questions.
  • Mentorship: Students are paired with mentors who offer in-depth advice. This may include suggestions on improving the scope of the research, addressing potential challenges, or refining experimental setups.

Acceptance Rates

Acceptance rates for doctoral consortia are typically quite high, around 80-90%. This means that if the research topic aligns with the event’s focus and the proposal is well-written, there is a strong chance of acceptance. This contrasts with normal conferences, where acceptance rates may be only 20% – 30% or lower.

How a Doctoral Consortium Differs from a Summer School

While a Doctoral Consortium is often focused on discussing ongoing PhD research and receiving feedback from experts, a Summer School typically provides more structured courses and tutorials on specific topics. In a Summer School, students attend lectures, participate in hands-on workshops, and learn new skills related to their field. A DC is more about presenting and refining individual research, whereas a Summer School is a learning-focused event designed to teach participants advanced topics and techniques in their discipline.

Why Doctoral Symposiums are Essential for PhD Students

While feedback from a PhD supervisor is invaluable, it can sometimes be limited to their specific expertise and perspective. Participating in a Doctoral Consortium offers several additional benefits that are essential for a PhD student’s growth:

  • Diverse Perspectives: At a DC, feedback comes from multiple mentors, each bringing their own experience and expertise. This diversity in perspectives can highlight different aspects of the research that may not have been considered by the PhD supervisor. This helps students avoid potential blind spots and opens new directions for research.
  • Validation Beyond the Supervisor: Presenting at a DC allows students to validate their research in front of a broader community. While the PhD supervisor is deeply involved in the project, gaining feedback from others in the field adds credibility and ensures the research resonates with the wider community.
  • Broad Network: Building a network in academia is crucial for career development. By attending a DC, students interact with senior researchers and peers, creating connections that could lead to future collaborations, postdoc opportunities, or even career advancements. Relying solely on a supervisor’s connections may limit these opportunities.
  • Refinement of Research: The DC allows students to refine their research proposals or methodologies. Suggestions from mentors might help solve complex problems or introduce innovative methodologies, which could significantly improve the quality of the dissertation.
  • Exposure to Trends: By participating in a DC, students become more aware of current trends and challenges in the broader field of recommender systems. Feedback from experienced mentors can ensure that the student’s research stays relevant and aligns with the direction in which the field is moving.

In contrast, relying solely on feedback from a PhD supervisor can limit the development of the research to the scope of one expert’s experience. A DC, by involving multiple experts and peers, offers a more rounded and comprehensive critique of the work.

Doctoral Consortia for PhD students in Recommender-Systems

The premier conference for recommender-systems research, i.e. the annual ACM Recommender Systems Conference, typically has a doctoral symposium on its first day.

2024 Doctoral Symposium at the ACM RecSys Conference in Bari

2023 Doctoral Symposium at the ACM RecSys Conference in Singapore

2022 Doctoral Symposium at the ACM RecSys Conference in Seattle

… For more years, visit https://recsys.acm.org

Also, most other major conferences related to recommender systems offer doctoral symposiums, including SIGIR and UMAP.

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