Guidelines for Prospective Students Interested in Working with Me

Welcome! I am always looking for motivated, curious, and hardworking students to join my research group. Whether you are an undergraduate student, master’s student, PhD student, or prospective visiting scholars, please read the appropriate section below to understand how to apply and how best to communicate with me. Following these guidelines will help ensure that we can find a good match between your research interests and how I can support your academic and research endeavors.

0. General Information for All Applicants

• Please send emails to: NPHoang@UBCNet.ca

• Departmental Admission Process: Admissions are handled by the department, not by individual faculty members. While I may advocate for students whose research interests align with mine, the department makes the final decision.

• Research Fit: Before contacting me, please review my publications and research areas to ensure your interests align with mine. This is for your best interest: a good match between your interests and my group’s work is crucial so that I can provide you with meaningful support and guidance.

• Is a research degree right for you? Especially for prospective PhD students, it is important to think carefully about why you want a PhD at all. Nobody “needs” a PhD; it is not primarily a credential. It is a multi-year journey of discovery, developing deep expertise, learning transferable skills (problem solving, critical thinking, communication), and gaining autonomy over the problems you work on. If that kind of open-ended, sometimes ambiguous journey excites you, a PhD may be a good fit. If your main reasons are external (status, avoiding the “real world”, or “taking more classes”), a different path may be a better choice. For a thoughtful discussion, I recommend my former advisor Nick Feamster’s essay, “Do You Need a Ph.D.?".

• Complete Applications: Make sure your application materials are complete and follow UBC guidelines. The department cannot evaluate incomplete applications, so please ensure you follow all UBC application instructions.

• Email Communication: Due to the high volume of messages, I cannot respond to most individual emails about admissions. However, I personally review applications that come through UBC’s official admissions portal. If you would like to reach out to me directly, please (i) use the appropriate subject line below, and (ii) include the requested information in your email. This helps me quickly understand your background and locate your application. I cannot guarantee a reply to every email, but I will give full attention to your application if you follow these guidelines.

I. Prospective PhD Students

PhD students are expected to conduct independent, novel research that contributes significantly to the field. My role is to help guide and mentor you through this process. I will provide feedback, support, and resources to help you succeed in your research and career goals.

Is a PhD the right path for you? A PhD is a long, often non-linear journey. You are working at the frontier of human knowledge and trying to push it forward, just a bit. There are no fixed checklists or guaranteed outcomes. Before you contact me about a PhD, please reflect on your motivations. In my view (and echoing Nick Feamster’s “Do You Need a Ph.D.?"), some good reasons to pursue a PhD include:

• Discovery: You are excited by the idea of creating new knowledge, not just learning existing material.

• Expertise: You want to develop deep expertise in a particular area (e.g., Internet measurement, censorship, network security, online privacy), while also building enough breadth to connect ideas across areas.

• Transferable skills: You want to get better at structuring ambiguous problems, thinking critically about data and evidence, and communicating clearly in writing and talks—skills that are valuable in academia, industry, and beyond.

• Autonomy: You want to learn to work independently on problems of your choosing, and you are motivated by the freedom (and responsibility) that comes with that autonomy.

If your primary motivations are external—status, “keeping doors open”, avoiding the job market, or “taking more classes”, a PhD in my group is unlikely to be a good fit.

1. What to Include in Your Email:

• Please copy this subject line for PhD admissions: 2026博士課程
• Your resume/CV and transcripts (undergraduate and master’s, if applicable)
• A detailed summary of prior research experience, including publications, presentations, and any significant project work
• A statement of research interests (1-2 pages) that includes:
  • Your long-term research goals
  • The research questions you are most interested in pursuing
  • How these questions will align with my current research focus
  • Any relevant papers from me that you’ve read and found compelling
  • Information on whether your previous degrees were research-oriented, and a short description of any theses or major projects
  • (Optional but encouraged for PhD applicants) A sentence or two reflecting on why you want a PhD, after reading “Do You Need a Ph.D.?”

2. Expectations:

• Be intellectually curious, self-motivated, and genuinely interested in research. The “fire” has to come from within; a PhD is not a good path if you need constant external validation or detailed instructions at every step.
• PhD students should be prepared for long-term, independent research with many ups and downs. You will encounter ambiguity, failed experiments, and the need to reframe or pivot problems.
• You will need to develop clear research questions, conduct original research, and aim to publish your findings in strong venues in networking, security, and Internet measurement.
• You will also develop transferable skills in problem formulation, critical reading and evaluation of papers, data analysis, writing, and communication. These skills are valuable whether you stay in academia or move to industry.
• Know how to “manage your advisor”! You should take the lead in your research and career development: propose ideas, set meeting agendas, drive projects forward, and proactively communicate. I am here to support, challenge, and advocate for you, but you own your PhD journey.

II. Prospective Master’s (MS) Students

Master’s students are typically more focused on research compared to undergraduates, and I expect a stronger commitment to producing publishable work as MSc in Computer Science at UBC is research-oriented and funded.

⚠️ Due to ongoing challenges and uncertainty in research funding, I am not currently actively recruiting MSc students. However, students who are admitted through the general admission process are welcome to join my group after successfully completing my CPSC 538H (Network Security) course and demonstrating strong research interest and commitment. In practice, this means: if you are admitted to UBC and earn an A-range grade in CPSC 538H while actively engaging in course projects and research discussions, we can then discuss possible MSc supervision. Capacity is limited each year.

1. What to Include in Your Email:

• Please copy this subject line for MSc admissions: 2026修士課程
• Your resume/CV and undergraduate transcript
• A summary of any prior research experience, including the topic, methods, and outcomes (if applicable).
• A brief statement of interest that addresses:
  • Why you are interested in pursuing research in your specific area.
  • What you hope to achieve with a master’s degree (e.g., further study, industry, academia, non-profit, non-governmental organizations, etc.).
  • How your research interests align with my work.
  • If you’ve read any of my papers, please mention which ones and explain how they inspired your interest in doing research and how I can be of help.

2. Expectations:

• Master’s students are expected to contribute to research projects and aim to publish their work.
• You’ll typically be involved in a combination of independent work and collaboration with other members of the lab.
• Be prepared to conduct original research, participate in lab meetings, and eventually submit a thesis or research report.

III. Undergraduate Students

⚠️ Undergraduate students interested in research, directed studies, or writing your honours thesis with me are strongly encouraged to first take my CPSC 417 (Computer Networking) course. This will provide essential background and help determine mutual research fit and interest.

1. What to Include in Your Email:

• Please copy this subject line: expected_research_year学部研究生 (change expected_research_year to the year you expect to start your research).
• A copy of your resume/CV
• A copy of your transcript (unofficial is fine)
• Under which program you are applying (e.g., directed studies, USRA, etc.)
• A short paragraph explaining why you are interested in research and how your interests align with my current work.
• If applicable, please describe any prior research experience (even if informal or part of a course project).

2. Expectations:

• Undergraduate research typically involves learning new skills, working closely with graduate students or postdocs, and contributing to ongoing projects.
• If accepted, you will likely start with smaller tasks and grow into more substantial responsibilities as you gain experience.

IV. Visiting Scholars (PhD Students, Postdocs, or Researchers)

If you are currently enrolled in a PhD program or are a postdoctoral researcher and would like to visit my group for collaborative research, I welcome such opportunities, provided there is a clear overlap in research interests.

1. What to Include in Your Email:

• A CV that includes a summary of your academic background and research experience.
• A 1-2 page research statement that outlines:
  • The research project you wish to pursue during your visit.
  • How your proposed research aligns with the current work my group is doing.
  • What you hope to accomplish during your visit and how long you would like to stay. - Details about your current supervisor and institution, and confirmation that you have discussed the visit with them.

2. Expectations:

• Visiting scholars are expected to engage in research activities, collaborate with lab members, and possibly co-author papers.
• You should be self-motivated and capable of contributing to ongoing projects or bringing new, collaborative ideas to the lab.

V. Additional Notes for All Prospective Students:

• Timeline for Contacting Me: Please apply through the official system of UBC, and ensure your materials are submitted before the relevant deadlines, usually December 15th for PhD and MSc programs. I am unable to review applications or respond to queries before the department begins processing applications. If you believe our research interests align, please make sure to mention this in your application materials and reach out to me after you have submitted your application so that I can advocate for your application. So in your email, please indicate that you have applied via the official system.

• Funding: In Computer Science at UBC, graduate students are typically funded through a combination of teaching assistantships, research assistantships, and scholarships. We will discuss details if you receive an admission offer. Funding for visiting scholars will depend on the nature and duration of the visit.

• Graduate Housing: For PhD and MSc students, I recommend applying for graduate housing as early as possible.

I look forward to hearing from you. Please ensure you have followed the guidelines above to streamline the process!