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Open PhD and MSc positions:
Process for Applying for Graduate Studies

If you are interested in Ph.D. studies and have an excellent record in Master’s studies in a related area, or if you have a doctoral scholarship, please follow the instructions below.

When writing to professors about graduate studies, quality matters over quantity. Emailing 100 professors a form letter will likely result in 0 responses. Emailing 10 professors specific notes of interest will always be more successful. Believe me – you don’t want to work for the professor who is accepting students based on form letters anyway.

I receive many requests to join the lab and generally admit several students annually, at the M.Sc. and Ph.D. levels. To make sure you stand out, please:

The form asks for a description of why you want to study with me – what is it about the research at the vialab that interests you? What relevant skills and experience do you bring? If you are only interested in AI/Machine Learning then vialab is not the right place for you. Check out my research first – I am interested in interaction design and visualization, which sometimes uses machine learning. I am not primarily an ML researcher.

Vague answers or emails which could be sent to any professor are ignored and I generally will not reply. Please show me that you have graduate-level reading and writing skills by reading about my research interests and composing well-organized, grammatical responses that demonstrate your abilities, as well as your specific interest in the field.

If you’re a scholarship student (or expect to receive an NSERC or equivalent), please contact me directly to arrange a time to visit our lab in person or virtually. Top-up funding is available for scholarship recipients.

Undergraduate Student Positions

Open positions are available year-round for students who are interested in conducting research with me. Please attach your resume and unofficial transcript in pdf or plain text format with your email.

Positive Space

Ontario Tech University and vialab aim to be a positive, safe, and welcoming space for LGBTQ2S+ people, including in day-to-day working and educational environments, as well as in the research we conduct and the methods we use.

Embracing Diversity

Dr. Collins recognizes the strength that diversity in all forms brings to the research endeavour and pledges to work to address the systemic imbalances in computer science, in particular with relation to women, Indigenous, and racialized people.  He strives to make vialab a research environment in which all can achieve excellence. Dr. Collins invites applications from all qualified candidates and especially encourages applications from women, racialized people, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, and persons of any sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.