Alaa Selim recently wrapped up his PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering. During his doctoral journey at the University of Connecticut, he embraced far more than technical research. Through intentional involvement in leadership roles, teaching, development of communication skills, and entrepreneurial exploration, Alaa transformed his time as a PhD student into a steppingstone for long-term professional growth. Along the way, he refined a broad set of transferable skills that have prepared him for his future career.
“I found it useful to have a main goal and keep this goal in mind every day.”
— Alaa Selim
Building Skills Towards Career Readiness
Alaa transferred to UConn from Mississippi State University to pursue his PhD, where he focused on enhancing control strategies for distributed energy resources and improving power grid security. Beyond his core research, he viewed his PhD as an opportunity to grow holistically.
Recognizing that a faculty career demands strength in both research and teaching while most of his time had been allocated to research, Alaa proactively sought teaching experience in his final semester with the support of his advisor. He worked with over 100 students, teaching courses like the Engineering Foundation, where he helped students understand what it’s like to work as an engineer.
He also worked on technology competencies—learning programming languages like Python and MATLAB to support his research. He spent a lot of time learning Python, “I watched tutorials, debugged with Stack Overflow, and got a few Coursera certificates — just to reach the level where I could code my research ideas. That was an important piece for my research. Without learning how to code, I wouldn’t have been able to model or simulate anything.”His PhD training also gave him the opportunity to learn new technologies from scratch, including advanced algorithms and foundational methods. Over time, he saw clear growth in his technical knowledge. Attending academic conferences at different stages of his PhD highlighted this progress—from initially struggling to follow along to later engaging with greater familiarity and understanding.
Growing as a Leader
Leadership played a pivotal role in Alaa’s professional development. He served first as vice president and then as president of the Graduate Student Senate (GSS) in 2024, where he coordinated monthly meetings, facilitated fund allocations, and advocated for graduate student needs. “I learned how to run a fruitful meeting while being respectful of people’s time, and how student government works in the U.S.,” Alaa explained.
At the same time, Alaa took part in the John Lof Leadership Academy, a two-year fellowship program that develops STEM doctoral students’ leadership competencies. After a year of participating in monthly workshops on communication and leadership skills, Alaa was selected to serve on the Executive Board as Activities Director. In that role, he helped organize events such as industry and academic career panels and alumni information sessions for prospective applicants.
Strengthening Communication and Entrepreneurial Thinking
As a researcher and presenter, Alaa worked on improving how he communicated his research to different audiences. Through poster sessions, pitch competitions, and conferences, he gained critical experience in presenting to different audiences. Feedback from these experiences helped him fine-tune his slides, language, and presentation style.
He also explored entrepreneurship, developing startup ideas, and learning to file patents during his PhD. Through the Graduate Entrepreneurship Fellowship Program with the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation(CCEI), he practiced startup pitching, hosted meetings, and delivered presentations at a prestigious conference.
Managing Time and Building Resilience
Balancing research, leadership, and family responsibilities requires strategic planning. Alaa allocated a major proportion of his time to research, flexibly adjusting around deadlines and personal commitments. “Sometimes I have a lot of deadlines in my research – maybe 90% of my time goes to those just to finish. When I don’t have many deadlines, I relax it to 60% and spend more time on other activities and my family. It really varies, but the major portion goes to research by default since the PhD is the main training here,” Alaa shared.
Reflecting on his experience of completing a PhD in less than four years – while raising a young family, adapting to a new culture, and building professional skills, Alaa credits two things: persistence and communication.
“For me, persistence is the key. Don’t give up during your PhD. I found it useful to have a main goal and keep this goal in mind every day,” he advised. “You also need to be communicative—talk to people, ask questions, and learn about opportunities. I found out about GSS and the CCEI fellowship through conversations with friends.”
He also highlighted the role his family played in his PhD journey, “Thanks to my wife for her support and patience, she understands it’s a tough time during the PhD, especially with family to manage.”
Alaa viewed his time at UConn as an investment in his future, with his effort to build a foundation that goes beyond technical expertise. “Leaving my family and a well-paid job in my home country, I came to UConn for my academic pursuit. I always wanted to make sure I didn’t leave all these behind just to come here and kill time.”
Advice to Fellow Doctoral Students
“Be intentional with your time and treat every experience as a learning opportunity,” he said. “With so many people sharing their ideas, you will definitely learn something. Whenever people give you an idea—try to utilize it and work for it if it makes sense.”
