Associate Professor Chung Tran
Research School of Economics
How do you identify a promising research topic and stay motivated during your candidature?
To identify a promising research topic, you will need to:
- take coursework and bring your research tools and skills close to frontiers of your research fields (i.e., theoretical/empirical/computing)
- read recent publications in top journals and recent working papers from leading academics in your research areas. Identify the gaps where you could potentially provide a contribution.
To stay motivated during your candidature, you should:
- set up a regular meeting schedule with your supervisors and get feedback on your research
- attend at least one of your School’s weekly seminars or reading groups per week. Force yourself to ask at least one question per seminar
- meet with external seminar speakers and visitors and talk to them about your work-in-progress papers
- actively seek opportunities to present your research at internal and external seminars, at least two times per year from your second year
- make a wish list of top national and international conferences in your research areas. Make a plan and submit your papers by their submission deadlines. If your paper is accepted, it’s great. If not, just attend these conferences as a spectator.
