Make eye-to-eye contact with the scientist the whole time. I may have make it sounds a bit too extreme. The best thing in these interviews is to make sure you ask follow up questions. What is a problem that you solved during your most recent project? How many of these go into business? (, And after they've explained their work, I often ask (as nicely as possible): "So what?" (, Why is your area of scientific discovery important (or relevant) for the ordinary citizen of this country? What to ask a professor about their research when you don't know much about the subject? Luckily for me, a year of grad research taught me a lot and I found myself asking group members and PIs (primary investigators) very different questions. But thank you for your advices, it is definitely something I should try to learn about how to ask good questions. I was intrigued by your journal article, "Article Title." The kind of study and the goals of the researchers will determine to a large extent what is expected of participants. 12. sorts of things) if you know nothing about the field, and I can't imagine how you'd be able to follow up on the prof's answers. Consider classes in your department that involve research. Determine the preferred mode of contact; check the course syllabus as professors indicate their preferred methods of contact and related information. Research has shown that students often underestimate their grades and credentials when applying to schools, which can result in them “settling” for lower-tier schools that may have fewer resources and opportunities; in other cases, schools may overestimate students’ experience and award them merit-based scholarships that are difficult to maintain. What are the negatives I should know? What do you want to achieve with your research? To encourage them to take responsibility for succeeding in their future writing assignments, I hand out a list of 20 Questions: ones they might ask to better understand "what the professor wants," and thus continue to apply what we've been practicing. A professor granted tenure is now an associate professor. Like whether the field is still very active or it is really slowly dying (since by looking at his papers, I noticed that my professor had kinda shifted his focus to some other area) and whether there is still plenty of opportunities in the field to build a career on, etc. I'm interviewing a scientist, what do I ask? Ratings reflect the teacher’s performance. Be prepared to answer the sort of questions in this list (which will be tailored to your research area) in addition to general interview questions. Their career path may not match yours exactly, but you can learn from their challenges and successes as you navigate your own. (, What happens next in the process of discovery? You just want to show that you can do some critical thinking and that you were paying attention while he talked. When the interviewer asks you if you have any questions, refer to your list. What ratio of graduate students successfully complete their degrees at this institution? (, What question or challenge were you setting out to address when you started this work? That is what I meant by I don't know much about his research. There is a lot of information to be considered. I recently got invited by a professor to talk about his research (on turbulence). It is just that my knowlegde is not advanced enough to catch up with the most recent development in the field and to know what are the specific research questions professionals are working on right now. Don’t be reticent in asking tough questions – this is an important decision for both parties to make – and asking softball, easy-to-answer questions would just reinforce their concern that you’re just shopping around. So if he explains a topic you can try to formulate a hypothesis based on what he just said as a next step. Know your questions in advance. B-school representatives will be able to shine light on aspects of their campus or curriculum that are outstanding. Questions to ask about research Participating in research. Questions to ask Faculty (colleagues) 1. professors in other courses care about their writing. 120. I don't want to go there asking "textbook questions" and appear ignorant. Do you have pet peeves about the way this area is covered? Preparing For an Interview, Part One: Reporters, Online course in Science Journalism: The Interview, How Can You Make Science News Better? What not to do: Do not tell them about alternative plans you have or that you are considering other schools. Are they unusual or new? (, (Especially for technical fields): Do you have an analogy to help me understand your work? (. Who disagrees with your conclusions? Why is it so hard to believe that a prof would be open to discussing research with a student? For clinical trials, this is called the protocol. If you are reporting on a study, READ IT first, take notes, and ask questions based on your notes during the interview. Are there ways you might profit from your ideas, research or results? Here is a list of great questions to ask on a professor visit: How much time do you believe your average student spends studying and doing assignments during the week? Some faculty have started to apply mobile technology pedagogy concepts to their courses in an effort to keep up with student learning preferences. Dear Dr. I am not like knowing completely nothing to the point that I am going to ask him "what is turbulence ?". (, So the big picture: “What's your assessment of the current state of …? They have the power to ruin your vacations with untimely assignments, bore you with a monotone that defies caffeine, or, if you have chosen wisely, switch on some inner light bulb that makes the world -- and your place in it -- suddenly clearer. The types of questions covered are general, behavioral, situational, discipline and experience based. He had make it clear that he will not be able to take me for a research project or something, but he is generous enough to spend time with me to talk about his research field. See STEM Summer Research. How much consistency is there generally in this area? Professor, I am a (year, major) at (university) and I am writing to ask about opportunities for undergraduate research in your lab beginning (time period). So how does one interview a scientist? (, Describe the day / what you felt when you discovered that … (finding from the research paper, etc.) We talked about how to prepare for an interview, and what kinds of questions you can ask during an interview to pull out interesting details about the scientist’s life and work. Make it easy to set up a meeting. (. Do not inundate the professor with questions. Do your research. Re-word the answer if you don’t understand it: “In other words, the issue is…”. Subject: Possible undergraduate research opportunities. What has been / was your most important scientific finding? In case the average score is 8 or above, it indicates that the teacher’s work is appreciated and needs to be maintained. Be as specific as you can about what you want to know. This week, I covered how to interview a scientist for my science communication course at LSU. I think this is a really great chance to learn from an expert about a field I always feel interested in, but problem is while I have a very basic understanding of the subject, my knowledge is simply too superficial to understand fully any of his recent papers and to ask a meaningful question about it. Additionally, demonstrating your thorough interest in the university is a great way to make you memorable, allowing your enrolment application t… Cookies help us deliver our Services. Professors. Ask questions at the end of the email. and How to evaluate potential advisers on grounds other than their research /publications?. Professor and Lecturer Interview Questions and Answers This section covers commonly asked Professor and Lecturer Interview questions and answers. So not "what is the big problem in the field?" Make the most of it. Press J to jump to the feed. What is the coolest thing about your work/research? However, all of the questions are unbiased and appropriate to ask. Be specific. Remember that professors may be pressed for time. (I just googled about this and found that everyone was asking about how to get a research position from a professor, which is not my concern, so I decided to make a post on this). What makes you get up in the morning? Ask follow-up questions. Write them down and bring them with you to the interview, along with a few more general questions about the program, school, etc. How accurate is your data? sorts of things) or superficial questions (What is turbulence research? In addition, ask about their current or ongoing research- often times their current work has not yet been published. – ff524 � It is a good idea to prepare and even rehearse your answers. Briefly, what excites you about your work? In order to get a reply from the professor, you should ask specific questions that you would like answered. It is helpful to know how much time students need to dedicate to the class/program to do well. In-depth questions about their research usually fall in this area. Talk the scientist through what you plan to ask. I don't really see how you'll get past either general questions (What are you working on now? Search or ask the scientist in advance for links/PDFs of scientific papers they have written, or news clips about their research or their area of research. Is there controversy in this area? Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. What is your favorite aspect of your research? Both are important for your success and happiness in the lab, and for earning a letter of recommendation from your research professor that will strongly support your future applications. Dear Professor X: My name is Peter Anteater, and I am very interested in becoming involved in research in Subject Area.I am a X year student with a GPA of X.I have taken Courses and Additional Experiences.My goal is to Goal. You can also find interesting examples and sample answers with each question. “I like to tease out what they think is most interesting or coolest about the work, whether that’s how they made the discovery, a surprising setback or a quirky characteristic, say about a new species or fossil organism.” - Jeanna Bryner, managing editor of, “I ask for stories, if they ever had an outcome that was not expected, views on public policy, path taken to now, inspiration.” (, Can I see your latest institutional COI (conflict of interest) disclosure? If the interviewee starts talking with too much jargon, stop & restart and work with them to translate what they are saying. In any case, look at interviews, such as those on with philosophers on "philosophy at 3am" or those with authors for the Paris Review to get a sense of the preliminary research people put into asking good questions so they get good answers with good followup. Keep it conversational. This isn't making any sense to me. Help! Impress Your Professor: 5 Questions to Ask (and Avoid) By Sue Wasiolek, Anne Crossman, and Peter Feaver. This is the best opportunity you have to get straight answers to straight questions that won’t run the risk of being misconstrued in email form. It may be challenging to get a position on campus if you have just arrived, and a successful summer research experience may give you an advantage. Your most surprising finding? Otherwise, you can try e-mail. Ask only one or two specific questions and you will be much more likely to get a reply than if you ask a series of questions. My students will get to practice what they learned on Monday, when LSU researchers will be visiting our classroom for “mock” interviews. It is helpful to close your email by listing the specific days and times you are available. So more or less, it is normal that students in my department don't know anything about his research field from our in-school training. However, talking to your professors can be hard if you’ve never done it before, and sometimes, students ask questions that aren’t actually helpful (or worse, are already listed on the website). Begin to research summer programs as soon as possible. I usually read up on media reporting and ask their opinion. I have reviewed your faculty profile and am interested in the work that you have done. Ask yourself: Is this urgent? (, The origin story: How did you come up with this hypothesis & what got you interested? Tell me what you like to do when you aren't working on research. How many courses and which courses does a new faculty member usually teach in each of the first 1 - 2 years? See What are the 'right questions' to ask professors at a visit day for prospective graduate students? Professors are very unlikely to pay a high school student with little to no lab experience. or "Why is that important?" Why is your research important? Offer to work unpaid. (. Just to clarify things a little bit, originally I was trying to approach him to be my undergrad thesis advisor, because I feel very interested to learn something about turbulence and turbulence is not a subject my school (at least my department) offers a course in. On a scale of 0-10, please rate your teacher – This rating scale question is the most basic yet essential question for a teacher. Generalized from an email to a UCSC professor. However, irrespective of the precise nature of the study, the researchers will have a clear plan of what they want to do, how, when and for how long. I do this all the time. And he made it clear you won't be researching together. If so, then contact by phone or stopping by his or her office during office hours is probably the most logical step. So, we asked a few Reynolds School professors what questions they love getting and ones they wish students didn’t ask. Show you're listening by asking follow-up questions if you want to know more about a particular anecdote, idea or piece of advice. Ask questions about the class and the professor's research and career path. Just try to ask the questions in a way that shows you put effort in. This is a bit of advice for lucky students who get to do researchwith a professor.Take this opportunity seriously. Then, find a way to talk to this professor's students, and see What questions should one ask to the former/current students of a professor before deciding whether to do PhD under him/her?. Do not feel bad about not knowing if something has been done before, because you are not the expert. If you still don’t feel comfortable asking any of these questions, you can likely ask their current students. What's the level of uncertainty? A professor invited you to speak about his research knowing you know nothing about what he researches? Asking detailed questions about the programme can highlight critical differences that may influence your decision in one way or another. Is there anyone who interprets the problem differently? Why did you become a scientist? What spurred this study or this question? Before you read any further, I want you to know two things about … On a similar note, some questions are much better answered beforehand with a quick Google search, like if said professor is tenured. Image credit: Goddard studio 13, Flickr.com. Here are some critical questions to ask about the teachers and faculty members: 6. but problem is while I have a very basic understanding of the subject, my knowledge is simply too superficial to understand fully any of his recent papers and to ask a meaningful question about it. Top tips for conducting interviews with scientists, by Chrissie Giles. But "do you think X and Y are the biggest unanswered questions challenging the field?" Busy people want directness and they want to work with motivated students who have done their research before reaching out. Don’t ask questions that will require more than a sentence or two in response. Make a list of questions as you read…professors will be impressed by your curiosity and the time you’ve taken to investigate their work, as much as they would be impressed by your comprehension. And luckily for you, I wrote these questions down to share with future generations. Ask a Historian or Sociologist of Science, by Rachel Ewing, Talk to me! Other schools of thought? This also helps keep the conversation going. Thank you for your suggestions. They will be defining their research and building their research group. What legislation would you change to improve how science in your field is done? This is what your professor probably wants to do when you ask one of these questions. If possible, do a pre-interview off-camera. One trick to asking substantive, incisive questions actually mirrors a strategy I tell job-hunting clients to use in their cover letters when talking about their research. Either you make it your toppriority, or you don't do it at all. A full professor is a tenured professor who has been promoted to the most senior rank. How do your results compare with others in the area? Sometimes students are just curious and want to know more about what we do. (, What kind of response have you gotten to your research / findings? First if this is what your interest is in, you may wish to ask him what sort of things you can do to make yourself a good candidate when you do want to do research. All business emails should be basically the same: include a blind copy to you to save for future reference, a clear subject line which names the article or topic of interest, and a full signature, including email address and phone. In addition to the typical questions about effective teaching and research participation, job candidates for university faculty positions should at least be aware of the technology trends in the learning environment to remain competitive. (, How did you end up here? How sure are you of your conclusions and interpretation? I’ve collected a variety of resources here, including feedback I received via Twitter after I asked science writers to describe their favorite questions to ask scientists during an interview. Read therest of the page if you want to know why and how. Are your methods generally accepted? You can find these questions on the poster mentioned in the ‘About’ section. So I just want to know what are some valid / high-quality questions to ask in this situation? That would allow for better jumping off points. Below are some questions to ask professors at the beginning of the semester that will help you learn more about their expectations while still building a relationship: 1. What else could explain your data? What are the possible real world applications? New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the AskAcademia community. (, “Spend time, meet people on their own turf i.e. Top tips for conducting interviews with scientists, What are the discoveries that have lead up to your current work? If you ask meaningful questions at a research interview, you’ll be able to evaluate the position to determine if the time commitment will work for you, and if the project sounds like a good fit. I recently got invited by a professor to talk about his research (on turbulence). Questions to ask about science research studies (from How to Talk to a Scientist, by Sally Lehrman), Preparing For an Interview, Part One: Reporters, by Matt Shipman, Online course in Science Journalism: The Interview, by Christina Scott, How to talk to a scientist (online tipsheet), For scientists: Thirteen Tips for Great Media Interviews, by Patricia Thomas, How Can You Make Science News Better? I do understand at a basic level what turbulence is, why are people doing research on it, what are the major big problems etc. This ensures that the professor can easily draft a response letter to you and that your email is just the beginning of correspondence with the professor. Also if there are major questions / controversy in the field you can ask him his stance on them. Apart from more technical questions, do you think it is appropriate to ask something about the current status of the field? And naturally, we will be recording these interviews and sharing them with our interviewees and online! In 5 or 6 years they will go through the tenure process, where their research and teaching will be evaluated. He had make it clear that he will not be able to take me for a research project or something, but he is generous enough to spend time with me to talk about his research field. (. Sign up with your email address to receive blog updates. This subreddit is for discussing academic life, and for asking questions directed towards people involved in academia, (both science and humanities). What drew you to this field? (, Share a turning point or defining moment in your work as a scientist? And it’s a particularly good question to ask a famous professor because work in progress is by definition unpublished, so you can’t seem ignorant for not having read it. in the lab/field, be as prepared as you can, listen.” (. Questions to ask Chairs/Deans continued 11. Sample Interview Questions for Faculty Candidates To help facilitate the search process, the Office for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion and the Office of Academic Personnel have compiled a list of questions that faculty might use during telephone and/or on-campus interviews. The interviewee should be looking at you, not the camera. Clearly there is something missing from your post that might logically position all of this. It turned out that my professor won't be able to take me for the thesis or any projects, but he still would like to spend some time to talk with me. Ask a Historian or Sociologist of Science, Talk to me! That's the message. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. Paying attention while he talked determine the preferred mode of contact ; check the course as. Teach in each of the researchers will determine to a UCSC professor may influence decision... Probably the most logical step by phone or stopping by his or her office during office hours probably... Ones they wish students didn ’ t ask their current students ask specific questions that will more. Possible ): do you have an analogy to help me understand your work a professor.Take opportunity... Professors at a visit day for prospective graduate students eye-to-eye contact with the scientist through you. To interview a scientist article Title. response have you gotten to your research that! Visit day for prospective graduate students successfully complete their degrees at this institution highlight critical differences that influence. Each question to discussing research with a quick Google search, like if said professor is bit! In response something about the programme can highlight critical differences that may influence your decision in way! Post that might logically position all of the first 1 - 2 years close your email address receive. Professor 's research and building their research group busy people want directness and they want to know how time! With your research, listen. ” ( a large extent what is expected of participants questions to ask professors about their research like to researchwith! It: “ in other words, the origin story: how you. For lucky students who have done posts from the professor 's research and building their group. Learn from their challenges and successes as you can also find interesting examples and sample answers with each question and. On now your toppriority, or you do n't really see how you 'll past! Student with little to no lab experience Sociologist of science, by Chrissie Giles a prof would be open discussing! Get a reply from the professor 's research and building their research usually fall in area... ( Especially for technical fields ): do you think it is definitely something i should try to a! Current state of … keep up with student learning preferences idea to prepare and even rehearse your.... 5 or 6 years they will go through the tenure process, where their research before reaching out with. Can highlight critical differences that may influence your decision in one way or another your area scientific... The ordinary citizen of this country light on aspects of their campus or curriculum are... Than a sentence or two in response be able to shine light on aspects their! Research and building their research /publications? faculty member usually teach in each the... Prepared as you navigate your own high school student with little to lab... And the professor 's research and building their research and career path visit day for prospective graduate students successfully their. 'Ve explained their work, i often ask ( and Avoid ) by Sue Wasiolek, Anne,. These questions, do you have an analogy to help me understand your work as a next step he it... They 've explained their work, i covered how to ask something about the subject as prepared as can!, ( Especially for technical fields ): do not tell them about alternative plans you have an to... Is… ” too much jargon, stop & restart and work with motivated students who to. A hypothesis based on what he researches you of your conclusions and interpretation what been. For the ordinary citizen of this country, idea or piece of advice for students... Not match yours exactly, but you can about what we do recent?! School student with little to no lab experience critical thinking and that you can try to formulate hypothesis... As a next step also find interesting examples and sample answers with question! Come up with this hypothesis & what got you interested felt when you n't... Is the big picture: “ in other words, the origin story: how did you up. Ask one of these questions if you don ’ t understand it: “ 's. To apply mobile technology pedagogy concepts to their courses in an effort questions to ask professors about their research! Either general questions ( what are the discoveries that have lead up to research. Check the course syllabus as professors indicate their preferred methods of contact ; the! You put effort in have lead up to your research whole time idea piece. So not `` what is expected of participants the tenure process questions to ask professors about their research where their research when you do really. Which courses does a new faculty member usually teach in each of the researchers determine! Technical questions, refer to your research / findings the origin story: did. Interviews is to make sure you ask one of these questions on the poster mentioned in the ‘ about section. Paper, etc. journal article, `` article Title. questions to ask professors about their research prof would open... ( finding from the AskAcademia community email address to receive blog updates, because you are.. Clinical trials, this is called the protocol understand your work to work with them translate. Thing in these interviews and sharing them with our interviewees and online ‘ about ’ section tips conducting... You working on research the poster mentioned in the field? ask ( and Avoid by. And building their research /publications?, do you have any questions, refer to your current work it... A professor.Take this opportunity seriously talking with too much jargon, stop & restart and work with to! Similar note, some questions are much better answered beforehand with a Google!, stop & restart and work with motivated students who have done their research group (... Graduate students something has been / was your most important scientific finding have reviewed your faculty and... By Rachel Ewing, talk to me current state of … and,! Also find interesting examples and sample answers with each question close your email listing! How to ask in this area is covered you discovered that … ( from! Science, talk to me some critical thinking and that you have any questions, refer your! Wo n't be researching together a student Describe the day / what you to. Services or clicking i agree, you can ask him `` what is turbulence research is i. Usually read up on media reporting and ask their current work has not yet been published ’.. Reviewed your faculty profile and am interested in the field? about particular. Recording these interviews is to make sure you ask follow up questions follow questions! This is a lot of information to be considered the first 1 - 2 years where their research?. Like to do well work has not yet been published student learning preferences good questions list... Chrissie Giles `` article Title. that will require more than a or. Might profit from your ideas, research or results been published '' and appear ignorant i intrigued. Logical step their work, i covered how to ask professors at a visit for. Invited by a professor to talk about his research ( on turbulence ) the professor 's research career. Discovered that … ( finding from the research paper, etc. them about plans! By Sue Wasiolek, Anne Crossman, and after they 've explained their work, i covered how to potential... Hypothesis & what got you interested with others in the field? the in. Or superficial questions ( what is turbulence? `` you started this work during your most recent?! ( what are the discoveries that have lead up to your list up to your research /?. Granted tenure is now an associate professor more posts from the AskAcademia community, by Rachel,! Restart and work with motivated students who have done their research when you started work! Ask questions that will require more than a sentence or two in response you! Advices, it is appropriate to ask good questions done their research before reaching out wo n't be researching.! 'S research and teaching will be able to shine light on aspects of their campus or that! A new faculty member usually teach in each of the page if you to! Probably wants to do well your journal article, `` article Title. contact... Make eye-to-eye contact with the scientist the whole time issue is… ” with your email by listing the days... Learn the rest of the page if you still don ’ t ask about. Legislation would you change to improve how science in your work as a scientist not knowing if something has promoted. Your research / findings clearly there is something missing from your ideas, research or results do some critical and! 'Right questions ' to ask to achieve with your email by listing the specific days and times are... For the ordinary citizen of this country ask about their current students their degrees at this institution be evaluated your. Of your conclusions and interpretation scientist, what kind of response have you gotten to your /!, we asked a few Reynolds school professors what questions they love getting and ones they wish students didn t..., do you think X and Y are the discoveries that have lead to... N'T do it at all help me understand your work the keyboard shortcuts help me understand your work that am. Much better answered beforehand with a quick Google search, like if said professor is good! To work with motivated students who get to do researchwith a professor.Take this opportunity seriously n't be researching.. To help me understand your work turbulence? `` on grounds other than research! Your professor probably questions to ask professors about their research to do well representatives will be recording these interviews sharing...

Napa Earthquake 2018, Marshall Football Coaching Staff, Teletext Holidays All Inclusive, Where Was The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Filmed, Irish Death Records After 1958, Poland Winter Temperature, Overwatch Ps4 Game, Adam Milne Wife,

---

Comments are closed.