This means that you should start thinking about it during the Fall semester via your participation in CPS 300. This gives everyone an opportunity to learn what other people are doing, and to voice any objections and suggestions before a lot of effort is expended. Encourage students to invest more effort in defining and justifying project goals and methodology from the start. We hope that this will improve the quality of the projects and lead to more satisfying outcomes for everyone. Safeguard against overloading of faculty.
Faculty members are capable of successfully supervising only a small number of students.
Too many students and students procrastinating until the last minute leads to poor advising and more frustration for everyone. Regular attendance in one or more research area weekly seminar is also strongly recommended, for the same purpose. Begin discussing your interests with one or more faculty members before the end of the fall semester. An opportune time to accomplish this is after classes end in December. Faculty members can assist you in identifying possible project topics.