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The Interplay of Research and Teaching in Computer Science at IIT Delhi

Pankaj Jalote, Microsoft Chair Professor at IIT Delhi, explores the critical relationship between research and teaching in Computer Science. He defines research as the pursuit of new knowledge, leading to societal improvements and technological advancements. Jalote emphasizes the need for academic institutions to support research as a means of enhancing education and keeping faculty updated. He argues that research fuels teaching and vice versa, creating an ecosystem where innovative ideas flourish, ultimately benefiting students and the broader community.

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The Interplay of Research and Teaching in Computer Science at IIT Delhi

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  1. Research and Teaching in Computer Science Pankaj Jalote Microsoft Chair Professor Dept of Computer Sc. And Engg. I.I.T. Delhi jalote@cse.iitd.ac.in

  2. Research • What is Research?

  3. Research • Answers some general question, whose answer is useful and unknown • The question may not be known or articulated before the research/answer • Creates new knowledge which is interesting/useful

  4. Science and Engineering Research • Science research: Focuses on discovery of facts and laws of nature • Explains, predicts, defines limits,… • Engineering is a synthetic discipline; engineering research facilitates creation • Creation of new artifacts • Or improving existing artifacts • CS is engineering in that it is synthetic • Some aspects are in the science domain

  5. CS Research • Research (result) must have • A new idea (algo, data struct, process,…) • Which leads to some improvement • Newness is necessary but not sufficient! • A lot of CS research therefore is devoted to finding a better algorithm, methodology, architecture, tool, …

  6. Engineering vs. Engineering Research • A new software is written, which a lot of people use – is it research? • Is research only if the software embodies some new ideas, and the use of the idea leads to some improvement • A highly used new product could be good engineering or innovation but need not necessarily be research

  7. Evaluating Research • Two key components • The benefits or significance of the new idea • Magnitude and significance of the impact, i.e. how many and how deeply other researchers or users are impacted • Impact is time dependent • Can be estimated by measures like no of downloads, uses, readers,… • Significance is largely determined by the research community

  8. Necessity of Publication • Publication, even of research resulting in artifacts, is a way of establishing significance and newness • Is essential for research; hard to claim anything otherwise • Review and openness “guarantees” some quality • An indirect measure of significance is the place where the paper appears • Publication often necessary for impact (of course not sufficient)

  9. Why Research? • What is the role of research in academics? Why should research be done?

  10. Research and Society • Basic driving force for R from society perspective: improve the quality of life [by better products and services] • Need for research is tied to its exploitation • Scenario in India • Earlier industry did not need research, hence justification for R was limited • Many scientists got disillusioned with research • The scene is substantially different now • We can “justify” research relatively easily

  11. Research and Researcher • Why a researcher should do research? • Its his/her job ! • Self growth • Intellectual and personal satisfaction, ego boost, recognition,… • Connected with the global world through travel, conferences, …

  12. Research and Academic Institution • Why should an academic institute encourage research (particularly in India) • This is a harder question • If education is the goal, should research be supported? • If research is the main goal, is there a role of education?

  13. Research and Teaching in Engineering and CS • Q: How do you keep the curriculum and course contents up-to-date? • Q: How do you keep the faculty current and up-to-date? • Q: How do you keep faculty motivated and excited? • Q: How do you attract good faculty? • Answer to all these: Through research • That is why research is essential

  14. Teaching and Research • In engineering, hard to have a “teaching only” place • It will necessarily decline • Teaching also supports research • By communicating ideas and putting them in a framework • Interacting with students • Best research still gets done in universities

  15. Teaching and Research… • So in an academic institute both must co-exist • For some it could be teaching-research, i.e. lesser emphasis on research • For some it could be research-teaching, where teaching must be research-led

  16. In Defense of “Incremental Research” in academics • Lot of academic research is incremental • Incremental research has its purpose • Keeps research skills sharp • Hard for most to go straight to the big problems and great solutions; path to greatness lies throu incremental research • Risk: Remain forever in this mode!

  17. Research Management • Research will flourish only if individuals and groups flourish • Research is essentially an individual or small-group activity; not an industry • So, must support, recognize, incentivize,…, the individual • This is the only role of the system around the researcher (institute, govt, policies…)

  18. Summary • Research is different from engineering – is about creating new knowledge • A researcher needs different skills • Research and teaching are strongly related in engineering; teaching cannot be healthy without research

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