Q&A with Dr. Reza Curtmola, Director of the Ph.D. Program in Computer Science, and Professor in the Computer Science Department
Earning a Ph.D. from the Ying Wu College of Computing (YWCC) can put you on the fast-track for many career opportunities as well as boost your personal growth. A Ph.D. in either Computer Science and Information Systems provide the theoretical foundations and application areas in computing that are in the forefront of the computing domain.
We got the inside scoop about NJIT’s Ph.D. offerings in the YWCC from the Director and Professor of the Computer Science Ph.D. Program, Dr. Reza Curtmola. In this Q&A, he discusses everything you should know about pursuing your Ph.D. in computer science and information systems!
Q: What are the current Ph.D. offerings from YWCC?
A: The Ying Wu College of Computing currently offers two Ph.D. programs — Ph.D. in Computer Science and a Ph.D. in Information Systems.
Q: What type of research will Ph.D. candidates be involved with?
A: Ph.D. candidates will do both basic and applied research. Most of the research done is funded by federal funding agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). We also have funding from the local state agencies.
Ph.D. candidates in the computer science program focus on solving real world challenges in the field of computing. This includes areas such as databases and big data, machine learning, cybersecurity, programming languages, software engineering, mobile computing, cloud and distributed systems, medical Informatics and bioinformatics. Students will also do research covering the theory of computer science and the theory of computing including algorithms, complexity theory, and optimizations.
In the information systems program, Ph.D. candidates concentrate on research that covers social networks and the interface with human things such as human computer interaction, computer simulation, and virtual reality systems.
The type of research that’s covered and the topics are fluid — every year we hire new faculty into each department and those new faculty strengthen the existing research areas, or they will bring new expertise to cover new areas within the broad field of computing.
Q: What areas of computer science are covered in the Ph.D. program?
A: There are multiple areas of computer science covered in the program — some areas are more theoretical while others are experimental and require lab work. An area like security and privacy touches upon almost everything ranging from computer systems to networks and databases. When you browse the web, there are many security and privacy issues. The research for this involves working with computers and looking at all these issues in-depth.
Within the program, students will be doing both basic research and applied research. Basic research refers to trying to solve some of the very basic and fundamental problems that appear in computing, including some of the more theoretical problems. When you move on to the applied side, you really try to combine some of this basic research with tools or technologies that will be useful in the real world.
For example, doing research in cybersecurity often requires you to think like a hacker in some sense. You might be trying to find out new attack avenues right, research the attack surface, and examine existing systems to identify any vulnerabilities. All of this is done in order to come up with new ways of defending current systems and achieve security while preserving usability.
In terms of tools for research, Ph.D. candidates work with various tools that look at statistics of computing analytics and data to figure out trends and try to predict outcomes or modify to come up with new tools and techniques. For example, in the field of network security I may work with tools that look at network traffic and capture that network traffic in order to later analyze it for packets that are malformed or have evidence of intrusion.
Q: What sets NJIT’s research opportunities apart from other universities?
A: NJIT is a R1 doctoral research university by the Carnegie Classification. This means we are described as a university with very high research activity, and we are one of the nation's leading public Polytechnic universities. NJIT was also ranked number one by Forbes for upward economic mobility as well as the number one public school in New Jersey for net price value.
Additionally, New Jersey has a long standing tradition as a hub for scientific and technological innovation due to its location next to New York, and is part of a vibrant ecosystem of high technology players. There are ample opportunities for internships and employment with big pharmaceutical companies such as Pfizer, Merck, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Johnson & Johnson. We also have connections with telecommunication companies, such as Audible, Verizon, AT&T, and other large scale companies like Bloomberg and Goldman Sachs. Students may also have the opportunity to work in a corporate research center such as Panasonic, NEC, and Siemens.
NJIT also has incredible faculty that drive all the research. They are the ones in charge of recruiting the students, driving the research agenda, and having impact ultimately on the real world. Our Ph.D. candidates work on research problems under the supervision of faculty who are world renowned researchers. And the fact that they are world renowned researchers makes a big difference. The scholarly work that our faculty does, such as publishing work in journals and presenting at well-known top venues and conferences is remarkable. Our faculty have strong connections with others in the industry which helps Ph.D. students find internships and jobs upon graduation.
Q: Is a Ph.D. beneficial in today’s job market?
A: Once you graduate a Ph.D. there's definitely a difference in salary. Within the computer science field, a person with their Ph.D. will make between 500,000 to 1 Million more than somebody who has just a bachelor's over their lifetime. As you have more and more bachelors and masters flooding the market, having a PhD will command more upward mobility and job choices over time. Finally, with a Ph.D. you will have the option of working in either academia as a professor, or in industry, or even to both. Some professors are employed by a university and also have a startup company at the same time.
Q: In what ways does having a Ph.D. from NJIT help your career growth?
A: Ultimately earning a Ph.D. means you are training to become a professional researcher. As a Ph.D., you’ll create new knowledge and develop significant and original research in an area of expertise. Getting a Ph.D. will actually distinguish you as an expert in your field of study and in that process, you get a chance to make a lasting contribution to that industry — you can create a new area of research, new techniques, and new ways of thinking about computing. Those with a Ph.D. are at the forefront of technology and can have a real world impact.
For example, I do research with my doctoral students in cyber security, and I'm currently working on a project about user privacy when browsing the web. We uncovered some disturbing attacks and in that process we also came up with some defenses. The research my students and I discovered actually got covered by the popular press, including the Wired magazine. We are now working with major browser vendors and standardization bodies to deploy defenses against these attacks. So this is a clear example of just how impactful Ph.D. research is.
Another research project I'm working on with my students is about the security of the software supply chain. This has gotten a lot of attention after the Solar Winds attack that occurred at the end of 2020. In this area, we have developed a framework to secure software supply chains, which has been integrated into several large software projects in the real world, and those projects have millions of users. This framework was mentioned in Microsoft's president, Brad Smith’s, testimony in front of the U. S. Congress.
These are just a couple of examples where the research done by Ph.D. candidates can have a significant impact in the real world.
Pursue your Ph.D. at NJIT
Earning your Ph.D. from the Ying Wu College of Computing can propel your career and help you become a valuable member of any team. You’ll be able to use these critical problem solving skills to make strategic decisions in the computer science or information systems field. Apply now to start your Ph.D. journey.