Recent content by uby

Some single phase materials melt congruently (i.e., the liquid composition is the same as the solid), others exhibit various other modes of melting. Consult a phase diagram of the material you are working with.

I have some raman data that I would like to prepare for inclusion in a report (and possibly publication in archival journal). The author guidelines for journals have not proven helpful in answering whether it is acceptable to perform data manipulations such as background subtraction. It has been...

Aero51 - I've considered this, but I just can't think of any reasonable way to save face in this conversation. I can't imagine the search chair would be pleased to field a call regarding whether it would be acceptible if I do not follow the application instructions.

V 50 -- I'm actually the only person trained in my specialty at my current place of employment. And, after a few rounds of layoffs, there's surprisingly few left even in my scientific discipline. The department to which I wish to apply is heavily focused in my specialty and my postdoc mentor is...

I have seen requests for five references for senior-level appointments, but seldom for entry-level. My grad school was a large R1 university with one of the largest departments in the US. I did a fair bit of TA, but without lecture experience. Similarly, since my postdoc is with a federal...

I am considering applying for a tenure-track faculty appointment at the assistant professor level. The call for applications requests contact information for five references. In the past eight or so years, I have had two bosses (my PhD advisor and postdoc mentor) who will surely provide...

Signal to noise ratio will determine whether you see a peak (assuming the material is present). Signal will be proportional to the volume fraction of the phase present. If the domains are small (< ~300 nm), the signal will be diminished and broadened over a larger 2-theta range. The differential...

Have you had significant exposure to quantum mechanics at an undergraduate level? Do you have a strong background in the mathematics necessary to study this subject at a graduate level?

I've always been of the opinion that a cold call via phone is a sure way to make a negative first impression. No one likes to be interrupted, or be put on the spot, or take unsolicited phone calls from strangers. If the hiring manager wanted to be called directly, they'd place their contact...

Thanks for your feedback, tygerdawg and Choppy. Neither of you seem to argue strongly against the cold-contact, so the consensus seems to be go for it. Any caveats with regards to the email (i.e., should I write a formal cover letter as the body of the email, or should I keep it as short as...

I am currently in the midst of job hunting as I am nearing the end of my tenure as a postdoc. I have recently come across an external job posting which greatly interests me, and have applied for the position through the online application process. During which, I was disappointed that there was...

there are MANY material science conferences, big and small and all differently focused ... be more specific! what technologies, materials systems, etc.

Looks like you're changing the concentrations of various ionic species, not changing the chemistry of the system.

Focus on the coursework relevant to the position you hope to attain and skills developed to this point (these should be as specific as possible - what lab techniques are you familiar with, what computer skills do you have, what types of analysis can you proficiently perform, etc.). By this...

There are many more variables here than you may realize. The reaction rate can be very complex, the rate of heat transfer would need to be estimated, the local porosity in the bed would need to be modeled to assess the local gas conditions, etc. This sounds like it's better suited for...