TIMS Seminar
As part of my teaching responsibilities at the Chair for Mobile and Distributed Systems (LMU Munich), I regularly supervised the “Trends in Mobile and Distributed Systems” (TIMS) seminar series for both Bachelor and Master students.
This seminar is designed to introduce students to the process of scientific research and academic work. Each semester focused on specific cutting-edge topics within the chair’s main research areas, primarily Mobile and Distributed Systems, with recent iterations emphasizing Machine Learning and Quantum Computing.
The core objectives and structure involved guiding students through:
- Topic Exploration: Selecting and defining a research topic within the semester’s theme.
- Literature Review: Conducting thorough searches and critically analyzing relevant scientific papers.
- Scientific Writing: Structuring and writing a formal academic seminar paper summarizing their findings.
- Presentation Skills: Preparing and delivering a scientific presentation to their peers and instructors.
- Academic Discourse: Actively participating in discussions and providing constructive feedback on others’ work.
To support student development, the seminar included dedicated sessions on scientific working methods, presentation techniques, and individual coaching sessions with personalized feedback. The final assessment considered the quality of the written paper, the clarity and delivery of the presentation, and active participation throughout the seminar.
Seminar Objectives & Structure
Students were guided through the full research lifecycle:
- Selecting and refining a research question.
- Conducting comprehensive literature surveys.
- Structuring and writing an academic seminar paper.
- Preparing and delivering effective scientific presentations.
- Engaging in critical academic discussions.
Dedicated coaching on methodology and presentation skills was provided.
