How to win over a prof you want to work with

  • Thread starter Thread starter bjnartowt
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Work
Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around strategies for becoming a desirable research advisee, particularly in the context of pursuing a PhD in theoretical condensed matter physics. Participants explore various approaches to impress potential advisors and navigate funding challenges.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant shares their experience of being discouraged by a potential advisor due to funding limitations, prompting a discussion on how to enhance one's appeal as a candidate.
  • Another participant expresses interest in tips for becoming a desirable advisee after identifying a potential advisor.
  • Some participants suggest that the nature of the work (analytical vs. computational) may influence how to approach potential advisors.
  • Unpaid volunteer work is proposed as a way to demonstrate capability and commitment to a potential advisor.
  • Concerns are raised about the predominance of computational work in condensed matter theory and the perceived challenges for undergraduates to contribute meaningfully.
  • Discussion includes the importance of understanding financial support mechanisms for graduate students, with suggestions to explore external funding options.
  • Some participants mention the possibility of teaching assistantships as a means to gain experience while working with a professor who lacks funding.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the importance of financial support in the advisor-advisee relationship, but there are differing views on the feasibility of undergraduates contributing to computational work in condensed matter theory. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the best strategies to enhance desirability as an advisee.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about specific projects and funding structures at their institutions, highlighting the need for further investigation into these areas.

bjnartowt
Messages
265
Reaction score
3
Hey all, I'm going to start PhD studies next year. I hope to do research in theoretical condensed matter physics. I have picked out someone I might be interested in working with. I asked if he wanted me to work for him. However, he said,

"I'd be happy to talk to you after my return to campus
on May 2. In general I'm discouraging students right now;
while I've just had one person graduate which will leave me
with a 2-student group, I don't have $ to support more than
one and am reluctant to take anyone on. Just to warn you..."


So it looks unlikely I'll work with him. However, is there a way to make myself into someone the profs want to work with? Doing well in core coursework is probably first and foremost, but I'm wondering what I can do beyond that.

BJN
 
Physics news on Phys.org
I'm very interested in this topic as well. There's lots of advice out there on choosing an advisor, but I would like more tips on how to become a desirable advisee once you've identified a potential advisors.
 
Depends on the nature of your work. Is your work mostly analytical or computational? If computational, is it mostly simulations?

Sometimes, you can first try unpaid volunteer work to prove yourself.
 
Simfish said:
Depends on the nature of your work. Is your work mostly analytical or computational? If computational, is it mostly simulations?

Sometimes, you can first try unpaid volunteer work to prove yourself.

Good question: all I know is that it's "superconductor theory". I'm not sure what specific projects this guy has right now.

Also, I was under the impression that stuff in condensed matter theory was 95% computational?
 
It sounds to me like it's not so much an issue of this professor wanting to work with you as it is an issue of him not having financial support and thus not wanting to put you into a situation where you won't have funding.

It would be worth investigating how financial support for graduate students works at this institution. One option, if it's available to you, is to apply for external funding. In Canada that would come in the form of an NSERC scholarship, for example.
 
It wasn't uncommon for grad students at my university to be paid on a teaching assistantship the entire time they were in grad school if they were working with someone who either didn't have much funding or wasn't willing to financially support them. So it might be an option to work with him the first year while being paid to teach (which means you'll have to devote your free time to trying to impress him in the lab). You can also apply for your own funding, such as through the NSF.
 
Also, I was under the impression that stuff in condensed matter theory was 95% computational?

I have this impression too, but my concern is that I can't imagine how an undergraduate could contribute to this stuff.
 

Similar threads

Programs Why do you want an advanced degree in name-of-subject?
  • · Replies 16 ·
Replies
16
Views
2K
Programs Working at the center for Computational Quantum Chemistry
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
2K
Studying How do you handle a toxic supervisor undermining your contributions?
  • · Replies 25 ·
Replies
25
Views
3K
I'm sick of research and I haven't even started my career yet lol
  • · Replies 17 ·
Replies
17
Views
4K
Admissions Why do Colleges Want "Well Rounded" Students?
  • · Replies 92 ·
4
Replies
92
Views
8K
Admissions Should I submit an 840 PGRE in my applications to top US PhD programs?
  • · Replies 2 ·
Replies
2
Views
2K
Other How do physicists practically switch fields to non-adjacent subfields?
  • · Replies 12 ·
Replies
12
Views
2K
Schools Question About Relevance of a HBSc degree at UofT Compared to US Universities
  • · Replies 23 ·
Replies
23
Views
5K
Other Am I compatible with a PhD?
  • · Replies 9 ·
Replies
9
Views
2K
PhD in condensed matter theory or theoretical cosmology
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
3K