Thanks for your interest in our Ph.D. program in Computer Science. Harvard is growing rapidly in the area of Computer Science and we certainly welcome your application to the program. Unfortunately, due to the volume of requests I get about our Ph.D. program, I cannot reply to everyone that emails me. Instead, I offer this Web page as a somewhat impersonal but more complete answer to your questions about the program and my research.

Please note that e-mailing me personally will not increase your chances of getting into the program. I basically ignore these emails anyway! I'd appreciate it if you would read the information on this web page instead.

To find out more about my research interests, please visit my Web page and check out some of my recent publications. I also encourage you to take a look at my colleagues in the Systems Research at Harvard (SYRAH) group, specifically Prof. Margo Seltzer, Prof. Mema Roussopoulos, and Prof. Radhika Nagpal.

For more information on our Ph.D. program and for instructions on applying, please see this web page:

http://www.deas.harvard.edu/admissions/grad/index.html

Answers to some commonly asked questions follow.

Can I be your Ph.D. student?

Individual faculty do not decide who is accepted into the program. The graduate admissions committee convenes in the early spring to review all applicants when these decisions are made.

Do you have openings in your group this coming year?

I always have openings for talented students in my group. The exact number of students I admit will vary from year to year, depending on the strength of the applicant pool, and whether I am starting up new projects or not. Some years I may admit several students; in other years I may admit none.

What are my chances of being admitted to your Ph.D. program?

Unfortunately, I can't comment specifically on your chances of acceptance. Harvard is very competitive and we generally expect a combination of excellent grades and GRE scores as well as prior research or industrial experience in our applicants. There are always exceptions, however. Your best option is to simply apply to the program and let the admissions committee decide.

Why should I apply to Harvard? Is Harvard really serious about Computer Science? I thought you were a liberal arts school.

Harvard is famous in many academic fields -- medicine, biology, business, mathematics, literature, law -- to name a few. It isn't as famous in Computer Science, but we're working to change that. Keep in mind that some of the world's most famous technology leaders hail from Harvard, including Bill Gates (Microsoft) and Bob Metcalfe (who invented Ethernet). It almost goes without saying that Harvard is a great university and a very exciting place to do research, and by being here you have an opportunity to get involved with many things happening throughout the university.

While the EECS faculty is on the small side (about 27 faculty members, and growing), we are very connected to other areas of engineering, applied sciences, and other parts of the university. For example, my group collaborates with researchers at the Medical School and School of Public Health. It's a very collaborative environment. Of course, Boston is also a great place to live and is host to a vibrant academic community, with a number colleges and universities all within spitting distance, including MIT, Boston University, Boston College, Tufts, and Northeastern. This also means there's an active student community and lots of restaurants, bars, and nightlife both in Cambridge and Boston.

Harvard is not all about tweed jackets and patches on the elbows. The students here don't all talk like JFK. Sure, there's some of that, and that adds to the color of the place. But overall it's a very friendly, fun environment. There are lots of activities, seminars, and interesting things going on all the time. Where else could you look out your office window one day and see the Dalai Lama coming out of the building across the quad?

I have another question about your program and your research...

Unfortunately, my inbox is overflowing and I generally can't reply to every message I receive. You should be able to learn all you need to know from the information above. If you are accepted into the program, we have a great visit day in the spring where all admitted students get a chance to visit and learn more about Harvard and the Computer Science program here.

Good luck!

Matt Welsh