What is Professor: Definition and 294 Discussions

Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professors are usually experts in their field and teachers of the highest rank.In most systems of academic ranks, "professor" as an unqualified title refers only to the most senior academic position, sometimes informally known as "full professor". In some countries and institutions, the word "professor" is also used in titles of lower ranks such as associate professor and assistant professor; this is particularly the case in the United States, where the word professor is also used to refer to associate and assistant professors as well. This usage would be considered incorrect among other academic communities. However, the unqualified title "Professor" designated with a capital letter nearly always refers to a full professor.
Professors often conduct original research and commonly teach undergraduate, professional, or postgraduate courses in their fields of expertise. In universities with graduate schools, professors may mentor and supervise graduate students conducting research for a thesis or dissertation. In many universities, full professors take on senior managerial roles such as leading departments, research teams and institutes, and filling roles such as president, principal or vice-chancellor. The role of professor may be more public-facing than that of more junior staff, and professors are expected to be national or international leaders in their field of expertise.

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  1. DifferentialGalois

    Falling hailstones hitting two car windscreens

    I tried to construct a diagram, but to no avail, since I don't really understand the qn. However, my professor provided me with this graphical depiction (that i obviously don't understand)
  2. F

    Why are teachers the key to civilization?

    It was a documentary program featuring a bird. I can't recall the specific location, but based on the tape and the geographical context, it seems to be from the northern hemisphere, possibly in northern Europe or Canada. The bird perched on a tree branch near a lake, while on the opposite side...
  3. nohtha

    I am a Physics professor for graduate level students

    to discuss the basic physics and review the law of physics from different angle.
  4. jedishrfu

    The Battle of the Little Big Chat at Texas A&M

    An inept Texas A&M prof flunks students because he said Chat GPT has told him the students let Chat write their essays. Now some cant graduate because of the snafu. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/texas-am-chatgpt-ai-professor-flunks-students-false-claims-1234736601/
  5. G

    Other So you want to be a professor in the US

    Some highlights from a a study of tenured or tenure-track faculty employed in the years 2011–2020 at 368 PhD-granting universities in the United States https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-022-05222-x#Sec2 - Only 11% US faculty have non-US doctorates - Of those with non-US doctorates, 35.5%...
  6. Thai

    Which Major Should I Choose for Astrophysics Professor Career?

    Summary: Should I major in math, physics, or astrophysics? Hello. I want to be an astrophysics professor someday. Does anyone have experience on whether I should be a math major, or a physics major, or an astrophysics major? And whether I should get B.A or a B.S? Thank you.
  7. Astronuc

    I Hugo Duminil-Copin, permanent professor at IHES, 2022 Fields Medalist

    IHES = Institut des Hautes Études Scientifiques (IHÉS)https://www.ihes.fr/en/ Hugo Duminil-Copin, Mathematician, Permanent professor since 2016 https://www.ihes.fr/en/professeur/hugo-duminil-copin-2/ https://www.ihes.fr/~duminil/ - personal webpagehttps://www.ihes.fr/en/scholars/professors/
  8. Farhan_MechE

    Testing How do you study for an exam if the professor who is taking this.......

    How do you study for an exam if the professor who is taking this course is completely new & recently joined the university.As a result you can't find out his exam formats by looking at his past exams. People who have faced similar situation how do you revise for you exam? Since time is...
  9. Nick tringali

    What can I offer to a professor for research?

    My question is, I want to conduct research with one of my professors, but she is a big research person and likely has a team so what use would I be to her? I want to know, if I ask my professor if she would like to conduct research with me, what can I offer as I am just an undergrad and don't...
  10. bhobba

    Our Friend, Professor Borody, the Poo and Ulcer Doctor is at it Again

    Check this one out (precis mine): 'Nasal and throat swabs could be missing cases of COVID with new evidence some infections occur in the gut and poo testing may also be needed. Professor Borody has published a new study which shows some patients who tested negative for COVID on a nasal swab...
  11. moeug1999

    Help! I'm Stuck on an Equation My Professor Gave Me

    My professor does not walk us through the problem. He literally just gave us an equation and that's it. I do not know how to do this problem.
  12. P

    Other How can you know what a professor is like personally?

    Hello! I'm beginning to compile a list of potential professors who I'd like to do my PhD under and one of the factors I'm taking into consideration is what they are like personally to work with. What's the best way of finding this out? So far, I've thought of a couple of very obvious ways: 1)...
  13. stevencarlover

    Induced Current Problem from the professor not in our textbook

    Homework Statement A long straight solenoid of cross-sectional area 400 cm^2 is wound with 10 turns of wire per centimeter, and the winding carry a current in the direction shown (downward). A small ring of radius 5.00 cm and resistance 0.300 ohms is placed at the center of the solenoid. If the...
  14. M

    Schools Which field of study has the highest professor employment?

    Hi, I was wondering what stem field has the greatest likely hood to employ one as a professor at a university. I am deciding between mathematics, physics and computer science. My father is a professor in computer science but I am not entirely sure which field I want to become a professor in(or...
  15. Grands

    Schools How much time is required to became a professor?

    How much time is required to became a professor at the university in the US, after getting the master degree? How is the selection?
  16. W

    My friend's son thinks his professor hates him

    John loves Physics and wants to learn everything Physics. But lately, he's been confiding to his dad that his physics teacher frequently insults him when he asks questions or the teacher often asks him difficult questions that he can't answer. My friend is concerned because his son did not go to...
  17. P

    Should I Correct My Professor's Math in an Introductory Physics Course?

    I sat in an introductory physics course at my university and the professor was explaining Gauss's Law. While I was in there I noticed he was incorrectly teaching the mathematics of surface integrals. For example: The professor stated that for a sphere centered at the origin, the area element dA...
  18. percussive

    Which professor position would you select?

    For a job position: 1. Adjunct professor at MIT 2. Associate professor at a 4th tier university
  19. RickHeek

    Physics PhD in Biomedical Science and no job

    I would greatly appreciate advice! I have a PhD in Biomedical Science, and it has always been my dream to be a college instructor of some sort. In a year, I have not been able to find any full-time academic job even in unprestigious, non-research institutions. I am willing to do any additional...
  20. grandpa2390

    How did my professor get this integral

    Homework Statement derive maxwell distribution function in case of 1-d and 2-d classical gas Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution [/B] The constant K can be solved from normalization. ##\int_{-∞}^{∞} F(V_x)dV_x = 1## substituting ##F(V_x)=Ke^{+/- kV_x^2}## ##1 = K\int_{-∞}^{∞}...
  21. S

    Low Pass: Why did my professor use frequency and not angular frequency?

    Homework Statement We are given a passive RC low pass filter with an input voltage of 5 Vrms at a frequency of 1 kHz. The resistor has a value of 22 kΩ, the capacitor a value of 100 nF. There is a current i across the resistor. (see picture below) We are to calculate the magnitude and phase...
  22. M

    Admissions Asking for letter of recommendation from current professor?

    Hey there, So I am getting my letters of recommendation but unfortunately I am one of those students that is way too shy for my own good. Anyway due to some changes in my school one of the professors who usually only teaches graduate classes is teaching an undergraduate class for me so this is...
  23. M

    Other Professor position in the USA after a PhD in Europe

    Hello, My question is probably geared towards the professors or postdocs reading this forum and concerns the recruitment aspect of the professors in the US. I am a European physics student currently visiting a "top" Californian university. During this short visit (8 months) I have come to...
  24. F

    Is My Professor Wrong? Understanding the Work-Energy Principle

    See attached file. I believe my professor is incorrect. Work in must equal work out. We can imagine the work done by the mass as being a separate issue. Then, we recognize that the work done by the spring must be the same. Am I right? If not, why?
  25. F

    Physics Becoming a professor at a top university?

    How possible is it to get a tenure track position at a top 30 or above university in physics? I know that getting any tenure-track position is hard in itself, but I'm also wondering about a specific rumor I heard a bunch of times that "you can only end up being a professor at a school lower than...
  26. J

    What should I do if my professor doesn't reply

    Hi, I'm currently a undergrad student and the story is that there is this professor from another university which I did some summer research with him, and I guess we had a pretty nice relationship. I sent emails just to greet him and share interesting things from time to time, and he'd reply to...
  27. kq6up

    Physics Tips for Preparing for an Adjunct Professor Interview at a Community College?

    I have an interview with a community college physics department for a part time teaching gig. Can anyone provide me with some tips of what to expect. I am going to give a 10 minute presentation on elliptical orbits as well for a sample lecture. I am not so nervous about that bit -- it is the...
  28. Walrusaaa

    Courses Report Professor Misconduct: Seeking Justice for Unfair Grading

    I took a grad class last semester. The syllabus states that there will be hw+exam and they count 40% of our final grade. The other 60% of final grade are just discussion+presentation. We had 3 exams and 1 homework in total. The professor never returned them back to the students nor told us our...
  29. B

    Other Problem about Contacting the Professor

    Dear Physics Forum personnel, Since this January, I have a problem contacting the professor who is doing exciting research that is also my interest; I would like to pursue an undergraduate research under him, and I had sent him an email on late January. He replied back, saying that the...
  30. I

    Admissions Email professor 10 days after admissions interview?

    I had a skype interview with a professor in Canada for M.Sc. admissions. This was 10 days ago on April 20. The interview went okay. He said he would talk to the graduate coordinator, check my application and get back to me by the end of April. Monday, May 2nd would be the first working day after...
  31. K

    Work done by a 20% efficient heat engine

    I had an exam last week and I just got it back today. On the exam was a question that I got wrong even though his wording was terrible (he's from India) and I feel that it was not clearly expressed what he was saying. The question is: "A heat engine is 20% efficient. If it absorbs 500 J of heat...
  32. grandpa2390

    How did my professor get from here to here? DiffEq

    Homework Statement X(x)=(Ae^kx+Be^-kx) Y(y)=(Csin(ky)+D(cos(ky)) V(x,y)=(Ae^kx+Be^-kx)(Csin(ky)+D(cos(ky))Homework Equations separation of variables The Attempt at a Solution so our boundary condition says that as x->infinity , V=0 this is only possible if A=0 so A=0 and Be^-kx= 0 so X=...
  33. F

    Am I wrong, or is my professor? Intensity Question

    Hello everyone, please help me understand this. We were given a conceptual question that says "A sound wave goes from the air into the ocean. Which of the following applies (circle all that apply): a)its intensity increases b) its wavelength decreases c) its frequency increases d)its...
  34. X

    Physics Skipping Postdocing and becoming a professor strategy

    If I spend 8 years in grad school but publish lots of papers, let's say 20 as first author and have a very good thesis can I skip being a post doc and go straight to being a associate professor? Also let's assume the Ph.D and professorship is in theoretical physics.
  35. grandpa2390

    Partial Derivatives. Did I make a mistake or my professor

    Homework Statement the equation is E= k((xy)x[hat] +(2yz)y[hat] +(3xz)z[hat]) Homework Equations partial of x with respect to y on the x component partial of y with respect to x on the y component The Attempt at a Solution my professor said during class that the partial of x with respect to y...
  36. T

    Courses PhD supervisor not even an associate professor?

    Is it career suicide for a Phd student to have an older supervisor (50s) who isn't even an associate professor? Note I'm looking at doing a Phd in maths.
  37. Dishsoap

    Telling a professor that other students are cheating

    I know that this is a common problem, but it's still quite frustrating. I spend hours upon hours on homework, and get a B. They spend half an hour, and get an A because they found the solutions online (I also have access, but do not use them). The exams come directly from the homework, so they...
  38. X

    I want to be a professor, but is it a smart choice?

    Hello, I will try to keep it short here. I want to be a professor (Physics or Engineering) but from what I am reading, it seems like a large amount of work with little pay. I have a few questions about this topic and was wondering if anyone could shed some light on it. 1.) What are the...
  39. P

    Do I have what it takes to become a physics professor?

    Hi, I am a first year college student, and I have been interested in becoming a physicist since I was 12. I enjoy thinking about physics concepts like space-time and black holes and so on. I took my first real physics class for prospective physics majors this past semester and got a B+. I got a...
  40. Lagraaaange

    Is it ok to email professor about final exam and grades

    Is it ok to email a professor asking them to confirm your grades to this point e.g. you send them all your homework grades and midterm grade in case of error and ask them about your final exam score? Would this be nagging and or condescending. Wouldn't want to hurt my image just before final...
  41. Dishsoap

    Showing Gratitude to Professors: Tips for Thanking Mentors and Teachers

    I posted a topic like this quite awhile ago but the situation is a bit different now, as I'm near the end of undergrad so I won't be asking for LoRs anymore (so no risk of anything being considered bribery). There are two things that I'd like advice with 1) Thanking professors who wrote me...
  42. StrangelyQuarky

    Approaching a professor about research as an undergrad

    Hello. I'm a first year physics student (just about done with my first semester). I've heard it is possible for undergrads to get involved with a professor's research, and I'm wondering how one should approach a professor about this. Is it just a matter of striking up a conversation about it...
  43. W

    Can someone explain to me what my professor did?

    Homework Statement [/B] Two things I don't understand; how did he get that omega is sqrt(k/m-(b/2m)^2) And second; why is it that x(t) = e^(-bt/2m)* cos (omega*t+phi) shouldnt it rather be; x(t) = c1*cos(ωt) + c2*sin(ωt)Homework EquationsThe Attempt at a Solution
  44. T

    How to mention academic dishonesty to professor?

    I am currently enrolled in an upper level Physics course and our prof has seemingly used the EXACT same midterm from each of the past two years. Now some of the students knew this would be likely, while others had no idea. (The class is only 15 people.) The midterm was only a few questions long...
  45. T

    How to approach a professor about two positions

    I'm going to (very likely) be doing an honours thesis next fall. There is one professor at my university I've taken a course under before who is awesome and their work is really intriguing. I would love to have them as my supervisor and intend to approach them with regards to it (i.e. asking...
  46. J

    Best way to ask professor for research position

    I am currently in the honors mathematics program at my school. I wanted to get a research position this summer with a professor. I have been reading some of the previous threads about people asking for the same type of advice that I am asking for. I just feel that my situation may be a bit...
  47. W

    Other Physics professor denies climate change

    My first post here. I'm not sure who else to consult. Yesterday in my "Technical Physics" class, my professor went on a rant about climate change. He denied that the Earth is warming at all, but instead cooling due to solar activity. He made a claim that we are actually headed for a cooler...
  48. DylanC.

    My Physics Professor says Newton's laws are wrong?

    My Physics Professor from my Physics 1 class says Newtons laws are wrong? Don't get me wrong, but he is a amazing physics professor! One that does not talk to you as if you are dumb or as if he is better than anyone! I love physics and I'm hoping to go into physics engineering, but that's not...
  49. Z

    Issues of an Assistant Professor

    Dear All, first of all I want to say thanks for this great forum!, which I am following since many years ago. I have never participated, but I have read almost everything for years hehe. But I currently have a personal issue, which I would not talk about with my colleagues and which is...
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