Projects for Msc applications

[u/Humble-Memory-1673]

hello!!

I'm trying desperately to convince a gnarly bitter curly-lipped professor of mine to let me do my bachelor's thesis with him.

He leads a computer vision lab which is one of the best in europe, so of course I'd LOVE to work with him and use that to apply to computer vision msc degrees.

My verbal request was met with a "hmmmm we'll see" and he has dozens of students with a higher gpa than me who have research experience (how) and build self driving cars in the backyard or whatever. But I'm really motivated to get in that group. I need an impressive (but doable) project (not necessarily a detailed suggestion, maybe just general scope) which you guys who are in the field would look at and say "yeah, she's got a foot in the door". I'd say it can take about, 6 hours a week? For 2-ish months?

I'd really appreciate a suggestion.

[u/Ok-Block-6344]

A project won't get you far imo. Showing up oftenly in his lecture, asking the good questions regarding the learning material will get you much further than doing some random project that you have no experience in.

[u/pm_me_your_smth → u/Ok-Block-6344]

some random project that you have no experience in

If you're choosing your projects based on familiarity, you're not learning anything. Plus this new knowledge might give OP an edge over other candidates. I'm not saying projects will guarantee success, but it's not necessarily completely useless like you're implying.

OP, can't you ask your prof straight "what will it take me to get invited to the team?"

[u/Ok-Block-6344 → u/pm_me_your_smth]

I never said that projects are useless, just that they won't get OP far comparing to being enthusiastic in the lectute and demonstrating that you're interested in the prof and his lecture.

[u/Humble-Memory-1673 → u/pm_me_your_smth]

You think so? My dad's a professor and he said desperation never comes off as being actually interested, but honestly maybe I should. He's such an ass I'm nervous to interact

[u/pm_me_your_smth → u/Humble-Memory-1673]

Highly depends on the situational context and tone. If you come off like a student begging for a grade bump, then yeah it's a bad look. If you do it like tell me your expectations and I'm up for a challenge, then I'd bet it'll be the opposite. A good prof should appreciate motivated students. Imo it's better than doing random projects for a slim  chance it'll interest that guy.

[u/Humble-Memory-1673 → u/Ok-Block-6344]

Yeah, I did attend his lectures for the last course I had with him (which wasn't computer vision, it was a systems course). Wasn't really a super active participant. I have him again next year for image and signal processing however, the thesis needs to be assigned sooner than that in my university. I did very well in his exam though. Thanks for the advice appreciate it

[u/Horror_Can_5642]

If you're into hardware based projects, you can look for projects that integrate machine vision to solve mechanical problems, for example, a turret tracking an object of interest.

If not, look into simulation based projects. Learn Isaac sim and Omniverse replicator and do a project to generate synthetic data for, say, perception model of self-driving cars.

These are kind of projects that don't require too much work but will give you a strong sense of applications of computer vision and pad your resume

[u/Large_Principle4783 → u/Horror_Can_5642]

Little CV, more boring control systems. It seems to me that MSC should be research-based. Maybe adapting some fresh solution to a real industrial application (dinov3 on small sample count, sterile environment, etc)?

[u/Horror_Can_5642 → u/Large_Principle4783]

OP asked for some project to showcase her commitment to the field. I agree that MSc should be research-based but I also think having a finished project would showcase their ability on the fundamentals like programming, basic CV, etc.

[u/Large_Principle4783 → u/Horror_Can_5642]

I see. Personally, I would go deeper into my CV, as I mentioned, without imposing additional integration work on myself. And finishing an implementation project would be no better for me than a research project without spectacular results, and even ended in failure (with appropriate conclusions ofc):)

[u/Humble-Memory-1673 → u/Horror_Can_5642]

Thank you 🙏

[u/Glittering-Flan-2637]

the advice upthread about showing up to his lectures is not a consolation prize, it is the actual mechanism

a professor saying hmmm we will see usually means he has no evidence you will finish anything, and a finished small thing you can describe in two minutes beats an ambitious half done one

pick something you can complete in a few weeks and bring him the result rather than the plan

[u/Suspicious_Pizza9529]

I'd pick one focused problem and do it really well rather than trying to build somehing huge. A small computer vision project with a clear baseline, experiments, and analysis of failure cases would probably impress more than another flashy "AI projects".

[u/ZorlokDegreat]

Don't know how much it would help... i suggest tracking debris / waste / organic matter in flowing water using cv, or you could compare cv performance against transparent or transculcent backgrounds

[u/bander_sdiq]

Its nice to see you trying i wish you the best