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PhD Memes About Research Life | High Impact PhD memes

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Explore the world of “High Impact PhD Memes,” where humor meets academia. This collection of memes delves into the unique challenges and relatable moments of the PhD journey. From battling writer’s block to celebrating small victories, these memes capture the essence of research life. Join fellow doctoral candidates in sharing a laugh and finding solace in shared experiences. Get ready to dive into the comical side of academia!

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This is how I Run my PhD Life with Research Problems and Life Problems

Research Gap Identified

A Night Before Thesis Defense

When My Supervisor Shouts At Me

Position to Read Article in PDF

References and Review Paper

I heard he’s doing PhD in stress management

ILovePhD’s Meme Presented in the Final Thesis Defense

How deadlines chsing me

Motivation During First and Final year of the PhD

Can you Proof Read my Article

Cofee with First Publication Motivate a lot

Ph.D. Couple Goals | We Love PhD

Forget Princess I Want to be a Scientist – PhD Memes

Difference between First and Fifth year in LAB

PhD Scholar after Thesis Defence

Graphical Abstract vs. Abstract – PhD Memes

Welcome to PhD – Memes

When you notice people reading your research work but no one citing it.

Where is the novelty

PhD advisor before and after PhD admission

What if someone had published your idea

Eat and Innovate

Difference between Theory and Practice

Procrastination to write a research paper

Advisor with new project ideas

What I am doing in Life | Why I joined PhD

Show the difference between existing vs proposed work

Before deadline vs after deadline

When your experiment gives outstanding result but you don’t know how

The idea of graduating and having to write my thesis

When scholar says he/she will submit manuscript draft tomorrow, but it’s been 6 months now

When everything is going wring in your life but you’re used to it

Study vs Stress Meme

Lab on Sunday

When you start thinking about your research during dinner

“High Impact PhD Memes” offers a humorous and relatable glimpse into the world of research and academia. These memes resonate with the experiences of doctoral candidates, highlighting the challenges, victories, and moments of camaraderie that define the PhD journey. As we explore this collection, it becomes evident that humor can be a powerful tool for coping with the rigors of research life. So, whether you’re in the midst of your own PhD adventure or simply curious about the world of academia, these memes provide a lighthearted and insightful perspective that brings a smile to your face and a sense of connection to the scholarly community.

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If You've Ever Struggled With A PhD, You're Going To Find These 41 Memes Hilarious

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• 12 May 2021

The 100 memes that immortalize my PhD defence

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Sophie Dufour-Beauséjour works as a policy analyst for the Government of Canada’s Climate Change Preparedness in the North Program.

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I finished my PhD on sea-ice dynamics in Nunavik, an Inuit territory in the Canadian Arctic, during the pandemic. My defence took place on 30 October 2020, over Zoom.

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220 Phd Puns: A Hilarious Break from Academic Stress

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the pressures of academia? Don’t worry, we have just what you need to tickle your funny bone and give your brain a much-needed break. Introducing our collection of over 200 PhD puns that are guaranteed to put a smile on your face and lighten the load of your academic stress. From hilarious wordplay to clever jokes, we’ve got it all. So sit back, relax, and prepare to have your intellect amused. Whether you’re a student, researcher, or professor, these puns are sure to resonate with your scholarly side and provide a much-needed dose of laughter. Let’s dive into the world of PhD humor and relieve some of that academic tension.

The Top PhD Puns That Will Make You “Doctor” With Laughter (Editors Pick)

1. Why did the PhD student bring a ladder to class? To reach new heights in their studies! 2. What did one PhD student say to the other? “Let’s make this research project a deep dive!” 3. Why did the PhD student become a meteorologist? They wanted to specialize in the study of high degrees. 4. Why did the PhD student become a chef? They wanted to earn a degree in culinary arts. 5. What do you call a PhD student wandering around aimlessly? A “dissertation on wheels.” 6. How did the PhD student feel after successfully defending their thesis? Re-“search”-ed! 7. Why did the PhD student bring a compass to the library? They were looking for a “dissertation-north.” 8. How did the PhD student make their research more visually appealing? They added “graphs-ics.” 9. Why did the PhD student become a gardener? They wanted to specialize in “growth and plant data analysis.” 10. Why did the PhD student always carry a calculator ? To “sum” up the data quickly. 11. What’s a PhD student’s favorite type of pet? A “lab”rador. 12. What’s a PhD student’s favorite type of music? “Bach”-ground music for concentration. 13. What did the PhD student do when they couldn’t find relevant research articles? They went to the “library-hay.” 14. Why did the PhD student go to the therapist? They had a case of “data-aggravation.” 15. What’s a PhD student’s favorite type of drink? A specialty “brew”-sing. 16. How does a PhD student like their pizza? “Well-documented” with extra toppings. 17. Why did the PhD student always carry a notebook? To take “note-verifiable” observations. 18. What did the PhD student say to their friend who started a Master’s program? “Welcome to the ‘research’-tangle!” 19. Where do PhD students go for inspiration? The “cite-seum” of knowledge. 20. Why did the PhD student become a detective? They had a knack for “uncovering” new discoveries.

Punnily Polished PhD Puns

1. My PhD research on the effects of caffeine just keeps percolating. 2. I’m getting a PhD in geography because I’m really good at finding my way around. 3. My thesis on the history of stairs is really taking me step by step. 4. Studying cognitive psychology for my PhD is really a no-brainer. 5. I’m writing my dissertation on puns because it’s a play on words. 6. My PhD in chemistry is really fusing all my passions together. 7. I’m getting a PhD in music theory so I can finally hit all the right notes. 8. Researching marine biology for my PhD is definitely making some waves. 9. I’m getting a PhD in astronomy because the sky’s the limit. 10. My PhD in art history is really painting a bright future for me. 11. I’m studying linguistics for my PhD because I have a way with words. 12. My thesis on the psychology of humor is really a joke that keeps on giving. 13. I’m getting a PhD in genetics because I’m naturally inclined. 14. Studying environmental science for my PhD is really planting seeds for a better future. 15. I’m writing my dissertation on the history of clocks because time flies when you’re having fun. 16. My PhD in economics is really paying dividends. 17. I’m getting a PhD in biology because I like to branch out. 18. Studying literature for my PhD is really a novel idea. 19. I’m writing my dissertation on the effects of laughter because it’s contagious. 20. My PhD in physics is really attracting a lot of positive energy.

Pun-tastic PhD Q&A (Question-and-Answer Puns)

1. Why did the PhD student become a chef? Because they wanted to earn a degree in culinary science! 2. What did the PhD student say when they won a research grant? “I’ve finally cracked the code!” 3. How did the PhD student organize their research notes? They used pi-cards! 4. Why was the PhD student always calm in stressful situations? Because they had a doctorate in chill-ology! 5. What subject did the PhD student study when they were feeling sour? Lemon-strating! 6. Why did the PhD student always carry a pencil and paper? They were always ready for a docu-mentary! 7. How did the PhD student know they were getting close to a breakthrough? They could finally sniff out some thesis-scent! 8. What did the PhD student say when they found a solution to a complex problem? “Eureka, I’ve dis-covered it!” 9. How did the PhD student communicate? They were fluent in academi-languages! 10. Why did the PhD student prefer to work in the library? It had the best study peer-review! 11. How did the PhD student feel after successfully defending their thesis? They were on top of the world – doctorate Everest! 12. Why did the PhD student always carry a ruler? They were always measuring up to expectations! 13. How did the PhD student ensure their experiments were accurate? They used science-sational precision! 14. What did the PhD student say when they found a research gap? It was like finding a hole in one’s knowledge! 15. Why was the PhD student so good at multitasking? They had an advanced degree in juggling responsibilities! 16. What did the PhD student say when their research was published? “My name is in-print-tastic!” 17. How did the PhD student make mathematical calculations? They were the master of numeri-calculations! 18. Why did the PhD student love hiking? It was a great way to explore new heights of knowledge! 19. What did the PhD student say when they solved a complex equation? “Now that’s what I call math-terpiece!” 20. How did the PhD student navigate through academic challenges? They had a compass of knowledge and perseverance!

PhDoodles: The Witty World of PhD Puns

1. I’m pursuing a PhD in philosophy, or as I like to call it, a “Pondering How Deeply” degree. 2. Did you hear about the PhD candidate who believed that the key to good dental health lies in flossophy? 3. My friend’s PhD research in music theory is really striking a chord with the academic community. 4. I recently completed my PhD in geography, but let’s just say I really enjoyed exploring more than just maps. 5. As a PhD student studying astronomy, I’m always reaching for the stars… and for funding. 6. They say getting a PhD in psychology is a mind-boggling experience. I couldn’t agree more! 7. My friend’s PhD research in linguistics is all about the language of love. Talk about a bilingual heartthrob! 8. My PhD thesis in mathematics is quite the equation: long, complex, and can make your head spin if you’re not careful. 9. They told me my PhD in chemistry would require a lot of testing, and boy, were they right! There’s never a shortage of experiments to try. 10. I thought getting a PhD in archaeology would be a bit of a drag, but it turns out it’s quite the excavation! 11. I’m studying marine biology for my PhD, a field where every day feels like a tidal wave of excitement! 12. My friend’s PhD in literature is like a never-ending novel—full of analysis, suspense, and plot twists. 13. Sometimes I feel like a mad scientist in my PhD lab, dissecting data and brewing up some intriguing results. 14. I’m studying social work for my PhD, turning empathy into a science and kindness into a career. 15. Getting a PhD in physics is like diving into the unknown; you never know what mind-blowing discoveries you’ll make. 16. My friend’s PhD research in neuroscience requires a lot of brainpower… and maybe a few brain cells too! 17. I always have a “theory” that getting a PhD in economics will make me rich, but I think I might need to rethink that. 18. My PhD research in environmental science involves a lot of digging for the truth, quite literally! 19. My friend’s PhD in political science is all about finding the right balance between power and diplomacy. Quite the politician! 20. I’m studying animal behavior for my PhD, and boy, studying those cheeky monkeys can be quite an amusing experience!

PHD Puns: Doctorate Doodles

1. My friend’s dissertation on tree growth really branches out. 2. I gave up on my PhD in math because I couldn’t count on it. 3. The professor’s jokes during lectures are always a real scholarly “page-turner.” 4. My friend’s PhD research on aquatic life really made a splash in the scientific community. 5. He wrote his thesis on gravity but never really fell for it. 6. Getting a PhD in art history can really frame your career. 7. Studying psychology for a PhD can really mess with your mind. 8. Our friend’s PhD in linguistics is a real “wordsmith.” 9. My friend’s thesis on solar energy is truly enlightening. 10. The physicist’s groundbreaking research left everyone in a state of quantum “awe.” 11. My friend with a PhD in archeology is always digging up new information. 12. Applying for a PhD program in literature was a novel idea. 13. My friend’s PhD in astronomy literally reached for the stars. 14. Studying marine biology for a PhD can leave you feeling a little “crabby.” 15. After completing her PhD in history, she really made her mark on academia. 16. Our friend’s research on renewable energy really sparked a lot of interest. 17. Getting a PhD in psychology can really mess with your head. 18. My friend’s PhD in computer science really programmed him for success. 19. The biologist’s research on insects really caused a “buzz” in the scientific community. 20. My friend’s research on climate change is really a breath of fresh air.

Ph.D. Fun (Pun Juxtaposition)

1. He became a doctorate in philosophy, but could never figure out the meaning of life. 2. The physicist was a genius but struggled to tie his own shoelaces. 3. The mathematician loved numbers but couldn’t count on his fingers. 4. The archaeologist had a PhD but couldn’t find his own car keys. 5. He studied psychology, but couldn’t understand why people kept calling him crazy. 6. The biologist had a PhD but couldn’t keep a houseplant alive. 7. The linguist got a doctorate but couldn’t speak a second language fluently. 8. The historian was an expert on ancient civilizations but couldn’t remember their names. 9. The geologist studied rocks but couldn’t find his way around town. 10. He had a PhD in literature but struggled to write a simple email. 11. The computer scientist had a doctorate but couldn’t fix his own printer. 12. The economist was well-versed in financial markets but couldn’t balance his own checkbook. 13. The chemist had a PhD but always forgot to put on deodorant. 14. He studied physics but couldn’t figure out how to open a jar. 15. The art historian knew all about famous paintings but couldn’t draw a stick figure. 16. The sociologist had a PhD but rarely left the house to interact with people. 17. She specialized in genetics but couldn’t solve a simple crossword puzzle. 18. The political scientist studied governments but couldn’t navigate a voting booth. 19. The neurologist had a doctorate but couldn’t remember where he parked his car. 20. The engineer had a PhD but struggled to assemble basic Ikea furniture.

The Doctorate Discourse (Ph-Delightful Puns)

1. The Write Doctor 2. The Research ProFESSOR 3. The Thesis Whisperer 4. The Data Genie 5. The Lab Rat 6. The DigiTutor 7. The Scholarly Scribe 8. The Knowledge EnGEEk 9. The Intellectual ThinkTank 10. The Dissertation Dynamo 11. The Science Nerd 12. The Wise WordMaster 13. The Academic Guru 14. The Education Sage 15. The Intellectual Sage 16. The Study Sage 17. The Academic Artist 18. The Degree Wizard 19. The Brainy Bookworm 20. The Lecture Lover

“PhD Puns Flipping Words for Fun”

1. Quad of the Ph.D. – God of the Qh.D. 2. Philosophical Sh.D. – Sophie’s Physical Ph.D. 3. Thesis supervision – Sisisth supervision. 4. Academic research – Academic researth. 5. Peer-reviewed articles – Ear-peeved pureticles. 6. Doctoral dissertation – Doctoreal dissertation. 7. Ph.D. defense – D.PH defence. 8. Tutoring sessions – Suturing tosions. 9. Thesis committee – Seesis thommittee. 10. Research methodology – Methology researcody. 11. Doctoral program – Pectoral drogram. 12. Academic conferences – Comicademic conferemes. 13. Educational psychology – Psydicational educology. 14. Doctoral studies – St. Ductopathic dudies. 15. Graduate students – State growdent sutements. 16. Dissertation proposal – Positation dissero

PhD-larious Puns (Tom Swifties)

1. “I just defended my PhD thesis today,” Tom said confidently. 2. “Writing my dissertation was a real struggle,” Tom said painstakingly. 3. “I’m finally done with my PhD coursework,” Tom said academically. 4. “I need to edit my research paper,” Tom said studiously. 5. “I don’t know if I’m ready for my oral defense,” Tom said nervously. 6. “I have to present my findings at the conference,” Tom said confidently. 7. “I got a scholarship to pursue my PhD,” Tom said thankfully. 8. “I have so many deadlines to meet for my dissertation,” Tom said urgently. 9. “I need more references for my literature review,” Tom said extensively. 10. “I spend most of my days in the lab,” Tom said experimentally. 11. “My research methodology is quite unique,” Tom said innovatively. 12. “My advisor gave me some valuable feedback,” Tom said constructively. 13. “I’m presenting my research at an international symposium,” Tom said globally. 14. “I’m passionate about my field of study,” Tom said enthusiastically. 15. “I’m considering pursuing a PhD in a different discipline,” Tom said thoughtfully. 16. I landed a teaching assistantship to support my studies,” Tom said gratefully. 17. “My research topic is quite complex,” Tom said intellectually. 18. “I’m writing a book based on my PhD research,” Tom said creatively. 19. “I need to attend more academic conferences,” Tom said actively. 20. “I want to make a significant contribution to my field,” Tom said ambitiously.

Contradictory Doctorate Jokes (PhD Punny Paradoxes)

1. A PhD dropout, seeking higher education. 2. A PhD candidate, conducting a study on procrastination. 3. A PhD in relaxation therapy, always stressed out. 4. A PhD in time management, never enough hours in the day. 5. A PhD in decision-making, unable to choose what to have for breakfast. 6. A PhD in organization, constantly misplacing things. 7. A PhD in silence, always speaking their mind. 8. A PhD in financial planning, broke as a joke. 9. A PhD in linguistics, struggling to find the right words. 10. A PhD in patience, constantly running out of it. 11. A PhD in creativity, always experiencing writer’s block. 12. A PhD in motivation, feeling unmotivated. 13. A PhD in happiness, constantly fighting off the blues. 14. A PhD in multitasking, preferring to do one thing at a time. 15. A PhD in humility, always showing off their achievements. 16. A PhD in sleep studies, constantly awake. 17. A PhD in problem-solving, always encountering new challenges. 18. A PhD in comedy, never telling a good joke. 19. A PhD in time travel, always late for appointments. 20. A PhD in nutrition, indulging in unhealthy food choices.

Recursive Riddles (PhD Puns)

1. Did you hear about the mathematician who got his PhD in doughnuts? He made great pi rings! 2. My friend was awarded his PhD in dentistry. Now he’s always in a cavity! 3. My friend just completed his PhD in botany. Now he’s branching out! 4. My friend got his PhD in marine biology. Now he’s always making waves! 5. My friend received his PhD in music theory. Now he’s always hitting the right notes! 6. Did you hear about the chef who got his PhD in cooking? He’s really taking the spice to the next level! 7. My friend just got his PhD in astronomy, and now he’s over the moon! 8. Did you hear about the doctor who completed his PhD in medicine? He’s always prescribing a healthy dose of laughter! 9. My friend just obtained his PhD in psychology. Now he’s analyzing my dreams! 10. Did you hear about the scientist who earned his PhD in genetics? He’s always making new discoveries in his genes! 11. My friend received his PhD in history. Now he’s always turning the page! 12. Did you hear about the engineer who achieved his PhD in civil engineering? He’s always building a solid foundation! 13. My friend just completed his PhD in literature. Now he’s a real bookworm! 14. Did you hear about the mathematician who got his PhD in Geometry? He’s always getting his angles right! 15. My friend just earned his PhD in physics, and now he’s all charged up! 16. Did you hear about the artist who received his PhD in painting? He’s really making masterpieces brush by brush! 17. My friend just obtained his PhD in linguistics. Now he’s always speaking in tongues! 18. Did you hear about the economist who completed his PhD? He’s always calculating the value of a good pun! 19. My friend just earned his PhD in computer science. Now he’s coding his way to success! 20. Did you hear about the biologist who got his PhD? He’s always exploring new species and branching out!

“PhD’s Guide: Pundamentals for Academic Wits”

1. I got my PhD in philosophy, but it didn’t bring me any enlightenment. It just left me with a lot of student loans. 2. The best piece of advice I received during my PhD was to always take notes, because some day they might fetch a pretty penny at a research garage sale. 3. They say a PhD is just a fancy piece of paper, but I prefer to think of it as a passport to endless job applications. 4. A PhD is like a marathon – it’s an exhausting journey that goes on for years, and the finish line seems to always be just out of reach. 5. They say it takes a village to raise a child, but it takes a committee to approve a PhD dissertation. 6. My PhD was like a rollercoaster ride – filled with ups and downs, and at some point, I just wanted to scream. 7. They say a PhD is like being married to your research – you dedicate your life to it, and there’s no escape until the day you defend. 8. Getting a PhD is like climbing Mount Everest – it’s a long and treacherous journey, and you might lose a few brain cells along the way. 9. They say a PhD is just a piece of paper, but it’s the most expensive piece of paper I’ve ever owned. 10. My PhD was like a puzzle with missing pieces – I spent years trying to find them, and in the end, some are still lost. 11. They say a PhD is the ultimate achievement, but sometimes it feels like you’ve just unlocked a higher level of unemployment. 12. My PhD was like a never-ending maze – just when I thought I found the way out, I stumbled upon another dead end. 13. They say a PhD is like a badge of honor, but it’s more like a permanent scar on your psyche. 14. My PhD was like a complex math problem – it had multiple solutions, but my professor only accepted one. 15. They say a PhD is like a piece of art – it’s a masterpiece you create with your mind, but it’s not guaranteed to sell. 16. My PhD journey was like a never-ending dark tunnel – I kept moving forward, hoping to find the light at the end, but it was always just out of reach. 17. They say a PhD is like a marathon – you may hit a wall at some point, but the key is to keep pushing through. 18. My PhD was like a game of chess – I had to strategically plan each move, and if I made the wrong one, it could lead to checkmate. 19. They say a PhD is like a rite of passage – you endure trials and tribulations, and in the end, you come out stronger (and with an immeasurable amount of stress). 20. My PhD was like a never-ending puzzle – just when I thought I had all the pieces, I realized I was missing a whole section.

In conclusion, if you’ve been drowning in academic stress, these 200+ PhD puns are just the ticket to lighten the mood and tickle your funny bone! But don’t stop here, there are even more puns waiting to bring a smile to your face on our website. We hope you’ve had a great time with us and thank you for taking the time to visit!

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Thirty PhD Memes For The Grad Student Who's Checked The Eff Out

Grad school is no joke; you're stressed out all the damn time and you can't catch any sort of break ever. But if you do in fact find yourself with a fleeting moment to take a break, we think you'll like scrolling through these relatable memes for anyone in the thick of finishing up their PhD.

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PhD Jokes And Puns

These funny PhD jokes and puns are a real lesson in humor! In fact, they’re in a class of their own! No need to doctor them, they get top marks just as they are!

Funny PhD Jokes

Flight attendant: one passenger is having a heart attack and one passenger is having an asthma attack.

Dad: “My first son has a PhD in arts, my daughter has two degrees in communication and journalism and my youngest son is a burglar.”

The man, shocked, replies, “Then why are you celebrating?”

What’s the difference between a jungle cat who wrote his PhD thesis on the economic effects of taxation, and the order of insects that includes butterflies and moths?

So, I have this friend who studied to become an Egyptologist.

As far as I’m concerned, it is a pyramid scheme.

“Come on, you know that’s impossible! No one will publish such rubbish.” says the fox.

They both go into the rabbit’s dwelling and after a while, the rabbit emerges with a satisfied expression on his face.

“Hello, what are we doing these days?”

“I’m writing the second chapter of my thesis, on how rabbits devour wolves.”

“Are you crazy? Where is your academic honesty?”

The moral: It’s not the contents of your thesis that are important – it’s your PhD advisor that really counts.

What do you call someone who does a BA in Arts, a MA in English and a PhD in Gender Studies?

Luckily I’m a statistician.

What’s the difference between a PhD in mathematics and a large pizza?

A large pizza can feed a family of four.

An illiterate dad and his son who has a PhD in astronomy went camping.

After dinner they went to sleep.

He woke his son up and asked him, “What do you see?”

His father interrupted, “No you idiot, someone stole the tent.”

A brain sturgeon.

Jokes About PhDs

If you liked these hilarious pun and jokes about PhDs, be sure to check out the rest of LaffGaff for lots more funny jokes, such as these:

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20 Gift Ideas for a PhD Defense

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in this post may be "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase an item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Disclosure in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's  16 CFR, Part 255 . This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon .

Gift ideas for a PhD defense are meaningful and thoughtful sentiments that the recipient will love. If someone you know is about to go through a PhD defense process, then getting them a gift to celebrate that step in their education is a great way to show you care. There are many ideas for this occasion, and lots of them are listed here. Imagine the look on their face when they see the gift you got them and how much you support them in their achievements.

Gift Ideas For A PhD Defense To Celebrate!

Celebrate such a great time in your loved one’s life! These presents are impressive. 

“I just became a PhD. What have you done lately?” Mug

After they have finished their PhD defense and have become a PhD, this is the mug for them to celebrate with.

Funny PhD Checklist Shirt

Sometimes a little humor goes a long way, and if they are nervous, they will appreciate a laugh.

Personalized Graduation Christmas Ornament

When they are done, this ornament is something that will continuously remind them of how far they have come and all they have accomplished.

“The Dr.” Wine Glass

“The Dr.” wants a glass of wine!

“You are braver than you believe…” Burlap Quote Print

Remind them that they are braver than they believe, stronger than they seem, and smarter than they think, with this burlap quote print. Not only that, but they are loved more than they could possibly know.

“Congrats Doc” Wine Gift Bag

Congratulate them for a job well done with wine in this awesome “Congrats Doc” wine bag.

“Miss. Mrs. Ms. Dr.” Tote Bag

Not a Miss, Mrs., or a Ms., but a Dr.!

“So koalified” Mug

After completing their PhD defense, they are “so koalified” and ready to take on the world.

“Things NOT to ask a PhD student” Shirt

These are the things that everyone should know not to ask a PhD student, or someone who has recently finished their education.

“Remember who you are” Candle

They always need to remember who they are, even as their life evolves.

“Just be you” Aluminum Circle

A PhD defense seems overwhelming, so remind them to just be themselves. They are valuable and wise just as they are.

“Confidence booster” Wine Glass

Wine is a confidence booster, after all.

“Pursue the dream that sets your soul on fire” Mug

Make sure they know that you fully support them in every step they take because you want them to pursue the dreams that set their soul on fire.

“Go-getter” Shirt

They are definitely a go-getter if they are facing their PhD defense.

“Always believe in you” Compact Mirror

They must always believe in themselves, but sometimes they need to know that someone else believes in them too. This compact mirror with the quote, “always believe in you,” will help them see that.

Custom Bracelet Cuff

Have their name, preceded by “Dr.” put on this custom bracelet cuff, or a special quote, whatever you think they will like.

“Determined women get things done” Mug

Determined women power through life’s challenges and get things done.

Peace-N-Harmony Rollerball

The Peace-N-Harmony rollerball will help them ease their nerves and face the PhD defense with a clearer head.

“Dr.” Personalized Stainless Steel Water Bottle

Make sure they stay hydrated with their brand new “Dr.” personalized stainless steel water bottle at hand.

“Living the dream” Shirt

They are surely living the dream. Don’t ever let them forget that!

This terrific list of gift ideas for a PhD defense is sure to be loved! As they face their PhD defense, they may be nervous, worried, stressed, you name it! However, with a gift and a kind word from you, they will have more confidence and be ready to tackle the defense with determination.

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Swath and Dive: A pattern for PhD defense presentations

In recent times I’m having the fortune of seeing several of my own doctoral students approach the end of the doctoral journey (yes, it does end!). As they submit the dissertation and prepare for their defense, there is one piece of advice I find myself giving again and again, about how to tackle the impossible task of presenting multiple years of research work in less than one hour. In this post, I describe a “presentation design pattern” for thesis defenses, which builds upon classic conceptualization exercises advocated in the blog. I also illustrate it with an example from my own thesis defense presentation, more than ten years ago (gasp!).

I still vividly remember when I had to prepare my defense presentation, how I tried to shoehorn tons of concepts into an impossibly small number of slides… which still were too many for the 45-minute talk I was supposed to give at the defense. After several rehearsals (with an audience!) and lots of feedback from my colleagues and advisors, I finally stumbled upon a solution. Later on, I have found that a similar structure was also helpful to other doctoral students preparing their defenses.

The rest of the post takes the form of a presentation design pattern , i.e., a description of “a problem that occurs over and over again in our environment, and […] the core of the solution to that problem, in such a way that you can use this solution a million times over, without ever doing it the same way twice." 1 (a concept originally proposed in architecture, and later used in software engineering, pedagogy and many other fields). I have called this pattern Swath and Dive (for reasons that will become obvious in a minute).

The context: when is this pattern applicable?

When you have to prepare an oral presentation for a doctoral dissertation defense. This pattern is especially helpful if the research is a bit complicated (e.g., composed of multiple contributions , multiple studies, or using multiple research methods) and it is not obvious what contents to include/exclude from the presentation.

What is the problem? What forces are at play?

The main problem this pattern tries to solve is the seeming impossibility of showing 3+ years of research work in less than one hour. While time restrictions and structure for the defense are different in different countries, typically 25-60 minutes are allocated for the presentation. This limited time is a key force at play, but there are others as well:

• The sheer volume of a thesis dissertation’s contents (typically, a 100-500 pages document), which itself is a condensation of years of hard research work.
• Defending PhD students need to prove to the jury that they are now competent, independent researchers (i.e., they master the literature of their topic, are able to apply a research methodology and think critically about the results ).
• The varying levels of expertise and familiarity of the jury members with the concrete thesis topic.
• The varying levels of knowledge that jury members have of the dissertation materials (i.e., did they read the dissertation document in full? with what level of attention?). While all members are supposed to have read the document, in practice there is a lot of heterogeneity in compliance.

The typical end product of these forces is what I call the “skimming” approach to the defense presentation (see picture below): The presentation provides only a very high level overview of the main elements of the dissertation document (sort of like a table of contents). More often than not, too much time is spent in the introductory and related literature parts of the presentation (which are somehow “safe”, less likely to be criticized – another instance of avoidance at work in the PhD ), and time runs out when the student is getting to the really interesting part for the jury (the student’s own work). This approach of course has the critical flaw of not showcasing enough of the student’s own abilities and research outcomes.

Skimming: A typical approach to selecting thesis defense content

How to avoid “skimming” your dissertation? Enter Swath and Dive .

The solution: Swath and Dive

What I propose in this pattern is to structure the presentation in a different way, a way that tries to balance the need for an overview of the dissertation and (at least some of) the richness of the investigation and the hard work the student has put behind it. The proposed structure goes like this:

A swath is “a long broad strip or belt” of grass, often left by a scythe or a lawnmower. In the context of a dissertation defense presentation, this is where the student gives the overview of the main elements of the thesis: key related scientific literature , main research questions , contributions to knowledge the dissertation makes, etc. Long-time readers of the blog will recognize these key elements as the components of the CQOCE diagram , one of the key reflection exercises in the “Happy PhD Toolkit” to (iteratively) understand and discuss with supervisors the overall view of the thesis. Aside from those key elements, probably some notes about the research methodology followed (which are not part of the canonical CQOCE diagram exercise) will also be needed.

In a sense, the Swath is not so different from the typical “skimming” mentioned above. There are several crucial differences, however: 1) when developing the Swath , we need to keep in mind that this is only a part (say, 50%) of the presentation time/length/slides; 2) the Swath should give equal importance to all its key elements (e.g., avoiding too much time on the literature context of the thesis, and making the necessary time for the student’s own research questions, contributions and studies); and 3) the Swath does not need to follow the chapter structure of the dissertation manuscript, rather focusing on the aforementioned key elements (although scattering pointers to the relevant chapters will help orient the jury members who read the dissertation).

Then, within this high-level Swath describing the dissertation, when we mention a particular contribution or study, it is time to do…

This part of the presentation is where the student selects one study or finding of the thesis and zooms in to describe the nitty-gritty details of the evidence the student gathered and analyzed (if it is empirical research), how that was done, and what findings came out of such analysis. The goal here is to help the audience trace at least one of those high-level, abstract elements, all the way down to (some) particular pieces of the raw data, the evidence used to form them.

How to select which part to Dive into? That is a bit up to the student and the particular dissertation. The student can select the main contribution of the dissertation, the most surprising finding, the largest or most impressive study within the work, or the coolest, most novel, or most difficult research method that was used during the dissertation process (e.g., to showcase how skillfully and systematically it was used). The student should give all the steps of the logic leading from low-level evidence to high-level elements – or as much as possible within the time constraints of the presentation (say, 30% of the total length/time/slides).

An essential coda: Limitations and Future Work

Although this didn’t make it to the title of the pattern, I believe it is crucially important to keep in mind another element in any good defense presentation: the limitations of the student’s research work, and the new avenues for research that the dissertation opens. These two areas are often neglected in crafting the defense presentation, maybe with a single slide just copy-pasting a few ideas from the dissertation manuscript (which were themselves hastily written when the student was exhausted and rushing to finish the whole thing). Yet, if the student convinced the jury of her basic research competence and knowledge during the Swath and Dive part, a big part of the jury questions and discussion will focus on these apparently trivial sections.

When doing the limitations, the student should gloss over the obvious (e.g., sample could have been bigger, there are questions about the generalizability of results) and think a bit deeper about alternative explanations that cannot be entirely ruled out, debatable aspects of the methodology followed… squeeze your brain (and ask your supervisors/colleagues) to brainstorm as many ideas as possible, and select the most juicy ones. For future work, also go beyond the obvious and think big : if someone gave you one million dollars (or 10 million!), what cool new studies could continue the path you opened? what new methods could be applied? what experts would you bring from other disciplines to understand the phenomenon from a different perspective? what other phenomena could be studied in the same way as you did this one? Try to close the presentation with a vision of the brighter future that this research might unleash upon the world.

Swath and Dive: a different way of structuring your defense presentation

To understand how this pattern could look like, I can point you to my own thesis defense presentation, which is still available online . This is not because the presentation is perfect in any way, or even a good example (viewing it today I find it overcomplicated, and people complained of motion sickness due to its fast pace and Prezi’s presentation metaphor of moving along an infinite canvas)… but at least it will give you a concrete idea of what I described in abstract terms above.

If you play the presentation , you will notice that the first few slides (frames 1-6) just lay out the main construct the dissertation focuses on (“orchestration”), the structure of the presentation and its mapping to dissertation chapters. Then, the bulk of the presentation (frames 7-117) goes over the main elements of the dissertation according to the CQOCE diagram , i.e., the Swath part of the pattern. Within this high-level view of the dissertation, I inserted a short detour on the research methodology followed (frames 25-28) and, more importantly, several Dives into specific findings and the evidence behind them (frames 43-48, 66-72, and 99-112). Then, frames 118-136 provide the conclusive coda that includes the future work (but not the limitations, which were peppered through the Swath part of the presentation – a dubious choice, if you ask me today).

Variations and related patterns

As you can see from the example above, one does not need to follow the canonical version of Swath and Dive (mine is rather Swath and Three Dives ). Yet, paraphrasing Alexander, that is the point of the pattern: to have the core of the idea, which you can use to produce a million different solutions, tailored to your particular context and subject matter.

It is also important to realize that this structuring pattern for thesis defense presentations does not invalidate (rather, complements) other advice on preparing scientific presentations 2 , 3 , 4 and thesis defenses more specifically 5 . It is all very sound advice! For instance, once you have the structure of your Swath and Dive defense presentation, you could use the NABC technique to ensure that the Need, Approach, Benefits and Competition of each of your knowledge contributions are adequately emphasized. And you can rehearse intensively, and with an audience able to come up with nasty questions. And so on…

May you defend your thesis broadly and deeply!

Do you know other defense presentation structures that work really well in your discipline? Have you used Swath and Dive in your own defense successfully? Let us know (and share your examples) in the comments area below! (or leave a voice message)

Header image by DALL-E

Alexander, C., Ishikawa, S., & Silverstein, M. (1977). A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction (Vol. 2). Oxford University Press. ↩︎

Carter, M. (2013). Designing science presentations: A visual guide to figures, papers, slides, posters, and more (First edition). Elsevier/Academic Press. ↩︎

Anholt, R. R. H. (2009). Dazzle ’Em with Style: The Art of Oral Scientific Presentation (2nd ed). Elsevier, Ebsco Publishing [distributor]. ↩︎

Alley, M. (2013). The craft of scientific presentations: Critical steps to succeed and critical errors to avoid (Second edition). Springer. ↩︎

Davis, M., Davis, K. J., & Dunagan, M. M. (2012). Scientific papers and presentations (Third edition). Elsevier/Academic Press. ↩︎

• Dissertation
• Communication

Luis P. Prieto

Luis P. is a Ramón y Cajal research fellow at the University of Valladolid (Spain), investigating learning technologies, especially learning analytics. He is also an avid learner about doctoral education and supervision, and he's the main author at the A Happy PhD blog.

Google Scholar profile

PhD Defence Lu Liu | Anatomy-Aided Deep Learning for Medical Image Segmentation with Application to Epicardial Adipose Tissue

Anatomy-Aided Deep Learning for Medical Image Segmentation with Application to Epicardial Adipose Tissue

Lu Liu is a PhD student in the Department Datamanagement & Biometrics. Promotors are prof.dr.ir. R.N.J. Veldhuis and prof.dr. C. Brune from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science and prof.dr.ir. P.M.A. van Ooijen from University Medical Center Groningen.

However, segmenting EAT in LDCT scans presents significant challenges. The irregular shape and non-uniform distribution of EAT around the heart make it difficult to distinguish from surrounding tissues. Additionally, LDCT imaging is prone to noise and artifacts, which obscure image clarity and complicate the accurate delineation of EAT boundaries. The lack of specialized annotated datasets further hampers the development of reliable segmentation algorithms. Although advanced deep learning approaches have been applied to EAT segmentation, they often require large annotated datasets, are sensitive to noise, and struggle with interpreting features without explicit anatomical priors. To address these challenges, this thesis emphasizes the integration of anatomical information, particularly the shape of the pericardium, into segmentation methodologies. This approach aims to improve the accuracy, efficiency, and clinical relevance of EAT segmentation, ultimately contributing to better patient care and more informed medical decision-making.

The thesis is built on a foundation of thorough literature review, examining existing anatomy-aided deep learning techniques for medical image segmentation. A significant contribution of the research is the creation of a specialized dataset consisting of 154 LDCT scans, annotated with pericardium and pixel-wise EAT labels. This dataset serves as a critical resource for training and evaluating segmentation algorithms. The thesis explores various deep learning models, such as 3D U-net and its variants, and evaluates their performance using traditional metrics like the Dice coefficient and statistical analyses like Pearson correlation and Bland-Altman analysis. A novel shape-based loss function derived from Fourier descriptors is introduced to enhance segmentation accuracy, particularly in challenging scenarios. Additionally, the thesis explores the use of Fourier neural operators to generalize shape encoding in the Fourier space, addressing the limitations of traditional methods and improving the generalization capabilities of models across different medical image segmentation tasks. Through these advancements, the thesis aims to provide state-of-the-art tools for healthcare professionals, driving progress in medical image segmentation and contributing to enhanced clinical outcomes.

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Have you ever seen anyone fail a PhD Defense?

Per the title. I defend my dissertation in a few days, and I feel like my defense is shaping up to be very... Unimpressive for a variety of reasons. My committee gave me the green light to look for jobs and write a dissertation. I turned in the document a few days ago, and I have a job lined up, but I'm growing nervous about my defense because, well, it feels like it's garbage.

I'm largely asking because I want to know just how bad I need to do in order to actually fail.

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