1

I am trying to write my own Ph.D. proposal and I wish to know what are the hottest topics in computer science and data science. By 'hottest', I mean: on which topics were the most papers published?

My questions are:

  1. Can I use Google Scholar to figure out what are the hottest topics?
  2. Is there any other service beside Google Scholar which can give me some suggestions?
Jimmy
  • 391
  • 3
  • 12
  • 7
    Why do you want to know this? To go there or to avoid it? Hot areas are dangerous actually when you don't know what the world will be like it 3-6 years. It increases the chances that you get scooped on anything you work on. Beware. And what is hot now may be passé in a few years. – Buffy Nov 14 '21 at 13:43
  • @Buffy i wish to know it and go in those fields, because this is the only way that i know to choose a topic. But, if you have any other solution to choose a topic, please leave an answer. – Jimmy Nov 14 '21 at 13:55
  • 3
    The usual way is to work with an advisor to choose a topic. But it might help to know where you intend to study. And, if the US, what degree will you have when you start. – Buffy Nov 14 '21 at 14:04
  • 3
    See the answer for Germany at the following for some guidance, though not a complete answer. https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/176908/7536. Note that potential advisors in "hot" areas are also likely to be overloaded with applicants. You are walking blind into a minefield, I fear. – Buffy Nov 14 '21 at 14:14
  • 10
    A naive question: why not try to work on what you find most interesting? – Ethan Bolker Nov 14 '21 at 14:28
  • @EthanBolker Yes, i know what i am interested in. But, i am afraid, that no one in the field does not like my research question. So, at the end, there will be no demand for it. – Jimmy Nov 14 '21 at 14:32

1 Answers1

2

First, to answer the question as posed, it is probably enough to watch the major news and popular literature, along with the popular scientific literature. What is 'hot' will get reported generally, whether it succeeds or fails. If an area is reported in the BILD (or the New York Times) it is probably pretty hot. Even looking at the titles in indexes in journals in your field will give you a sense of it.

But, let me give some caveats about working in hot areas. There are many.

In hot areas there is a lot of competition. Potential advisors will have lots of applicants and can be choosy about who to accept. They may also be overloaded with students and be less able to give the advice you need.

Also, if the area is only recently hot then those who know the most about it might be in the early end of their careers. They know a lot about some things, but less about academia in general, and may be the most busy of all and mostly focused on their own productivity. Established academics who are new to an area might be less knowledgeable about the newest stuff but most able to promote your career.

But perhaps the most important issue is that of parallel research in hot areas. Lots (and lots) of people may be asking the same questions and pursuing the same answers. It is far more likely that you get scooped in a hot area than in one that is more established. And, depending on the institution, getting scooped can potentially set you back to zero.

It is also possible that today's hot area will be ice cold by the time you finish a degree in, say, three years or so in Germany, and potentially much longer in some other places. Again, this might be the result of a lot of activity finding success in a short time, but it might also be caused by economic changes and needs. Robotics is pretty hot at the moment, but who can predict the future needs of those who depend on robots.

Finally, it is probably more productive to follow up on what you already know, whether hot or not. Your professors in your masters can give you guidance and, perhaps, help you find a suitable advisor. You will have an opportunity after you finish your degree and get established to be more choosy about what you want to study.

Buffy
  • 363,966
  • 84
  • 956
  • 1,406