Turing prize winner: what should I pay attention to if I want to succeed in my academic career?

Richard · Han Ming （Richard Hamming,1915--1998） He is a famous American computer scientist , Turing award winner , The inventor of Hamming code .

Richard · Hanming has his own unique views on scientific research , This is very enlightening for researchers . We sorted out one of his articles -A stroke of genius: striving for greatness in all you do（ Genius : Strive for excellence in everything you do ）, I believe it will help you ~

 

（ Longer text , The content is abridged , See the link at the end of the article ）

 

As most people know , Published papers are generally accepted by the author 、 Reviewers and others read , And classic papers will be read by thousands of people .

 

We should be concerned about research that is important in the long run , Not just a footnote in history .

 

If you want to do important work , Then you have to solve the right problems at the right time and in the right way . There is no one of these three , You may do well , But you're likely to miss out on a really great career .

 

Choice problem

 

Many scientists spend all their time solving problems （ and Not a choice Alternative question topic ）. They themselves admit that these problems are not great , It is impossible to produce great work . therefore , Almost certainly , They don't do important work .

 

An important aspect of the research problem is , You have a suitable starting point , A good starting point , Some reasonable ideas about how to start . There are many right questions in science , But few people look for them carefully . contrary , Many people just drift with the tide , Do what you want to do , Follow the easiest path to the future .

 

Great scientists spend a lot of time and energy thinking about important problems in their field . Many people have one 10 To 20 A list of questions , When they notice something new , Will pay close attention to relevant issues soon , To solve it , And reach this field first .

 

Hard work is the quality of most great scientists . But hard work alone is not enough . Many hard-working people at the wrong time , Solved the wrong problem in the wrong way , But got nothing in return .

 

such as , In the field of special relativity , Except Einstein , Many people are engaged in this work , Including Poincare . However , Einstein studied the idea in the right way .

 

If you insist on a wrong question , Is destined to waste the rest of your life . It is not easy to know whether to insist —— If you're wrong , You are stubborn ; But if you're right , Then you will become a man of perseverance in people's eyes .

 

in addition , People always claim that success is a matter of luck , however ,“ Luck favors a prepared mind .” Based on a lot of direct experience , And asking others about indirect experiences gained through extensive reading , Believe the truth of this statement .

 

If you talk to someone who has just completed a major task , They often describe how they achieved this result step by step . Their results are usually based on what they did or thought about years ago .

 

in other words , The reason why you are successful , It's because you made the necessary preparations for yourself a long time ago . Of course , At that time, you may not know how important these things you do are .

 

Personal characteristics

 

The following characteristics often exist in most people who are engaged in great scientific undertakings ：

 

First , Successful people have more energy and energy than most people . Compared with less successful people , They observe more , Work harder , Think longer . Knowledge and ability are like compound interest —— The more you do , The more you can do , The more opportunities .

 

This trait must be combined with emotional engagement . Emotional input will drive you to think about a problem from morning till night , This is often easier to succeed than a person with a single ability .

 

Courage is another important trait . No courage , You can't persist in solving important problems , Therefore, it is impossible to do important things . Courage brings confidence , And this is the basic condition for completing difficult tasks . Of course , Sometimes overconfidence can be an obstacle rather than a help .

 

There's another trait that took me years to notice , That is to seek common ground while reserving differences . Most people are willing to believe that what they have learned is the truth , A few people doubt everything . If you believe everything , Then you can't find new ideas that change the nature of a field , If you doubt everything , Then there's nothing you can do . Believe what you have learned , At the same time, he has the spirit of questioning , It's a delicate balance . Great progress usually includes changing views or going beyond the standard views in the field .

 

There's a lot of evidence , The steps to change a field often come from outsiders . If you listen too much , Then you will not be able to complete any of your own work , But if you ignore them , Then you may miss your great opportunity . I have no simple answer to this , It's only suggested that you don't do what insiders usually do , Too hasty to refuse outsiders . Different brains may collide with you to create new sparks .

 

vision

 

You need a vision of who you are and where your field will go .

 

such as , There was a drunken sailor , He staggered up and down , In the end, it didn't go far ; But if there is a beautiful lady at the end , Then his pace is different .

 

therefore , The wise thing to do is to know what kind of person you might be 、 You have a vision of where you want to go and how to get there . With this , You can have a lot of opportunities .

 

Another topic I have to discuss is age . In the history of , Mathematician 、 Theoretical physicist 、 Astrophysicists' greatest contributions were made when they were very young . And in music creation 、 The opposite is true in fields such as politics and literature . Other fields seem to lie between these two extremes , You need to be aware of , in some fields , You'd better act at once .

 

People often complain about their working conditions , But it's easy to see , Some of the greatest work is done under adverse conditions . Generally speaking , Too ideal working environment seems to make people lose their vitality .

 

Another distinguishing feature of a great man is , They work in such a way —— Others can develop on the basis of their own research . Newton's Theory :“ If I see further than others , That's because I stand on the shoulders of giants .” Too many people don't seem to want others to make a difference in their work , But I want to keep it for myself （ Similar work can only be done by yourself ）. Better not , look forward , Instead of standing still .

 

Extension

 

I need to discuss now “ Promote ideas ” This unpleasant topic .

 

Most scientists would think it was beneath their dignity . in fact , You must actively present your results , So that others will stop their busy work , Listen to you .

 

There are three forms of presenting ideas ： publish one’s thesis 、 Prepared speeches and impromptu speeches . You must master these three forms .

 

Many excellent works are neglected because of their poor presentation , It was later rediscovered by others . I know many scholars are too lazy to make things clear , This may cause his work to have no impact on the society .

 

Last , I must answer such a question ： Is it worth making great efforts to pursue a great cause .

 

I consult people who have made outstanding contributions , They think that , In pursuit of important goals , I will become a better person . As people often say , The real gain lies in the process of struggle . I tend to believe in this theory .

 

I hope my advice can help you , Let you do greater work in your field ！

 

Interested authors can check the original ：https://www.cs.utexas.edu/~dahlin/bookshelf/hamming.html