BRAC University Computer Club (BUCC) organized a webinar titled “Roadmap to Thesis” on the 26th of June 2021, on the Facebook page of BUCC. The hosts were Faiaz Khan Soumik, Senior Executive of Press Release and Publications, BRAC University Computer Club (BUCC), and Mst. Rubi, Senior Executive of Communication and Marketing, BRAC University Computer Club (BUCC). The guests and main attractions of the event were Dr. Amitabha Chakrabarty, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering of BRAC University and Dr. Muhammad Iqbal Hossain, Assistant Professor of Department of Computer Science and Engineering at BRAC University and Moin Mostakim, Lecturer of Department of Computer Science and Engineering at BRAC University and Faisal Bin Ashraf, Lecturer of Department of Computer Science and Engineering at BRAC University. The goal was to clear up any misconceptions and answer questions that the students had regarding the thesis.
Dr. Chakrabarty and Dr. Hossain talked about the importance of the thesis to undergraduate students. They discussed how it opens up opportunities for students to pursue further studies at foreign universities. After that, Dr. Hossain talked about how an undergraduate thesis does not necessarily need to be on a topic from the field of a future profession.
Next, Mr. Mostakim elaborated on topic selection for a thesis and the confusion students have. He talked about how a student should find a problem from a topic in a chosen category and then try to find the solution to that problem in their thesis. After that, Mr. Ashraf explained how a thesis is also important to students who don’t want to pursue further studies abroad and establish their career in Bangladesh. He explained how the process makes them better at solving problems, which will also help them in the future. Dr. Chakrabarty added his opinion on topic selection for a thesis. He described how to generate ideas for a thesis topic by working in a group. As a reply to our host Mr. Soumik's questions, Dr. Chakrabarty illustrated the importance of reading IEEE research papers as a pre-preparation of a thesis especially for the beginners of undergraduate level.
He stated also how to strengthen a thesis by highlighting the potential importance of uniqueness in a thesis paper. After Dr. Chakrabarty’s discussion on this topic, Mr. Mostakim explained where to find datasets and how they can be managed properly. During his discussion on generating datasets, Mr. Mostakim demonstrated the credibility and accessibility of open source databases.
In response to a few questions from the audiences, Mr. Ashraf addressed his view on the benefits of skill development and time management before starting a thesis. Similarly, Dr. Chakraborty answered a question on the topic regarding the significance of choosing a proper teammate for a thesis. Then, Dr. Hossain addressed his view on thesis alternatives such as internship and projects. The session ended after Mr. Mostakim's discussion on research fundings.