2014-2015 Grad School of Computer and Information Sciences Viewbook

23 www.scis.nova.edu | “The skills you develop while getting your Ph.D., such as project and time management, become habits that you carry over to your work. Employers value that kind of work ethic.” —Michael Makovoz Finding a Ph.D. program in New York’s tristate area that would fit into Michael Makovoz’s busy lifestyle proved difficult. “The programs in my area were not the right fit for me, either because they required me to be a full-time student or because the curriculum was not a good match for what I wanted to study.” With a family depending on him, leaving his job to become a full-time student wasn’t an option for Makovoz. He soon discovered NSU’s Graduate School of Computer and Information Sciences. There, he found what he couldn’t find elsewhere: a Ph.D. program that was tailored to his interests in artificial intelligence and that would allow him to attend part time. Through NSU’s blended format, Makovoz, who is currently vice president of program trading for the world’s fifth-largest investment bank, only had to fly to NSU’s main campus twice a semester. During those on-campus visits, he connected with his fellow students. “Those visits were true learning experiences. In addition to taking classes, we also learned about the other Ph.D. candidates’ research projects. Each visit was like attending a mini-conference.” The Wall Street executive also discovered that he was not the only career professional among his fellow students. “The Ph.D. students at NSU are a different type of student. A lot are working professionals. They are motivated, they know what they want, and they know why they are getting their Ph.D.” Makovoz discovered another advantage at GSCIS—the opportunity to select his own dissertation topic. “At other schools, your dissertation might be based on what the faculty adviser wants it to be about, and not what you are interested in. Your adviser is there to help, but getting a Ph.D. is your fight. So, it is important to select a topic that interests you.” He believes his Ph.D. helped put him ahead of other candidates for the vice president role at Barclays. “The skills you develop while getting your Ph.D., such as project and time management, become habits that you carry over to your work. Employers value that kind of work ethic.”