Research Journey

Almost every undergraduate considering a PhD faces uncertainty. You wonder if you're truly suited for research and whether you can commit several years to such a path. Once in a PhD program, the questions change form: How can I lower research risks? Is there a methodology that leads to impactful work? How do I find the right research topic? How can I avoid paper rejections?

It is with these questions in mind that I decided to write this book. I want to share my reflections to help new researchers take fewer detours and avoid pitfalls that make the journey unnecessarily painful. Of course, I don't claim to provide a perfect recipe for success—because in research, a "silver bullet" simply doesn't exist.

One size never fits all. Every person is different, every research direction has its own rhythm, and each field comes with its own culture and challenges. While there are methodologies and best practices that can guide you, they must always be adapted to your personal situation.

Over the years, one idea has become particularly important to me: research is less about chasing the "optimal" strategy and more about avoiding the worst mistakes. This is similar to systems design—we rarely aim for a perfect solution because such ideals often don't exist or are unstable. Instead, we focus on robustness: preventing failures, surviving unexpected conditions, and ensuring reliable performance under many scenarios.

This book is not about giving you a guaranteed roadmap to success. Rather, it's about sharing reflections, stories, and lessons that I hope will help you navigate research life with a clearer mind. If you can sidestep even a few of the big traps I'll describe, you'll already be in a much stronger position to grow into the researcher you aspire to become.

What You Can Expect

My goal is to share common traps I've seen students fall into, recurring patterns, and lessons learned through my own journey and mentoring others. Research will never be effortless—there will always be challenges, setbacks, and rejections. But by preparing yourself, recognizing patterns, and adopting the right mindset, you can make the road more manageable and turn your PhD journey into an experience that is not only survivable, but deeply rewarding.