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With what style should I write to a Board Of Examiners?
I have to make an appeal to a Board of Examiners regarding a progress issue, and I'm stuck with which style to write in.
I wrote my appeal with a slightly personal tone, since it is a personal letter - I want to show my personal interest and commitment in the issue and solving it. Some reviewers gave me this feedback:

A Guidance counsellor thought it was alright in quick email feedback.
Other reviewer, who had been in a similar position, said they were very neutral, objective and as a result it was much too personal, and that I should have left out the majority of the adjectives.

So, I'm at a dilemma. As much as they do not want literary masterpieces (which understand and I am not trying to do), the latter suggestion leaves it cold and without a hint of interest, which is exactly what I would like to convey. I've tried to substantiate my claims and statements with facts as much as I can, but I still feel I can't leave out adjectives.

"This was a very frustrating delay" as opposed to "This was a frustrating delay"
"Despite my best attempts" as opposed to "Despite my attempts"
"This process took very long" as compared to "This process took long"
"I really attempted to avoid" as opposed to "I attempted to avoid"

Field is aerospace engineering.

Can you give context as to whether the progress issue involved interpersonal communication and the stakes? Your post suggests you are between fine parsing and over-editing. Expressing emotion is different from pointing fingers.

@mac389 It's a course I should have finished but I have not. The blame is on me pending illness. It's an external senior faculty group I have never met in person.

Regardless of the style you chose, you should delete all occurrences of "very" and "best" as they do not convey warmth or interest, they are essentially meaningless filler.

@StrongBad, [citation needed]. I don't think this is as absolute as your comment conveys. Repeated use diminishes their value, but they are not meaningless when used carefully.

@BillBarth Mark Twain is usually attributed with saying "Substitute damn every time you're inclined to write very; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be." Is that a good enough citation? I think everyone of the example sentences is better without the adjectives.

@StrongBad, sorry for the snark and thanks for your very interesting opinion. Obviously you don't think we should remove every adverb or adjective from English writing, but you seem to have joined the bandwagon that finds it best to remove a few of them. I don't think even formal writing should have these kinds of strong rules, but if people like you are going to take offense at their occurrence, it might be wise for OP to find substitutes. I think the sentences without the modifiers at all are flat at best and could benefit from some intensification in at least some cases.

There are a number of comments on here regarding your use of intensifiers in the example sentences. Overall, I would avoid these because, while this is an emotional issue for you, it is unlikely to be for the Board of Examiners. It is important to present a "face" that is perceived as rational and objective, not overly emotional or making excuses. I have personally found that becoming emotional while trying to assert my needs has generally ended up undermining my goal (whether or not this SHOULD be the case is another issue entirely, particularly in the case of physical or mental illness when one has not as many resources to advocate for oneself).
That said, wherever possible, try to replace "empty" sentences with examples. For instance, instead of "this process took very long," quantify how long it took. Instead of "despite my best attempts," describe in detail these attempts. Instead of "I really attempted to avoid," describe the measures that you took to avoid [whatever thing]. Perhaps this is the scientist in me talking, but I always feel factual details are the most convincing.


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Who to cite as referees for a post doc position?
I am currently finishing my PhD thesis (in Mathematics) and trying to find a post doc position.
My PhD supervisor is a very nice person and is, of course, one of my referees.
However, most places need 2-3, so I am not sure who else to ask.
I have a secondary supervisor but we only talked once really during a formal thing. So asking a referee who does not know much about the work or the personality is a bit... weird...
I had a decent relationship with my Master's supervisor, but unfortunately we have not corresponded once in the 3+ years after my masters, so me writing  "hey, do you remember me from waaaay back then, would you please write a reference for me" seems a bit ... strange .. too.
I have published several papers already but I don't have any co-authors whom I could ask.
I have given one talk outside my university but I am not sure who to ask there. I don't actually know these people, my supervisor referred me to them and they were OK so I gave the talk.
Any ideas?

Have you given any seminar talks at other universities? For competitive postdocs, you ideally want some references from people not at your institution.  If you are graduating in May 2016, talk to your advisor about finding some places to talk in the fall. If you are graduating now, I am afraid that the postdoc boat has likely already sailed for jobs starting in the fall, at least in my field - applications are usually due in the year before the postdoc would begin.

What does your advisor say?

+1 for talking to advisor.  If there's no one else to write a reference you have to act fast.  You have until November/December (assuming you are in the US).  You might want to work with someone else on a project, explicitly so they can write a reference letter. Maybe your supervisor can help arrange stuff likw that.  Without 3 letters i think you're unlikely to get a good postdoc (i.e. one that will give you a shot at TT positions).  You might even consider to extend your PhD for another year, so that you have time to build a strong application.

A general point (based on my observations in math in US/UK)- usually "the clock" starts when you finish PhD.  If you're not in a TT job within 5 years then things start looking iffy.  So it can make sense to take an extra year in PhD if youve only done 1 talk and need to boost your application strength.

This answer applies most directly to my field of mathematics, but it probably applies to similar fields as well.
Most genuine postdoc positions are extremely competitive. You need to apply well in advance (typically, in December for a position starting the next August). Postdocs will be difficult to obtain if your thesis work is substantially unfinished a year before you apply. I am not counting temporary teaching positions for new PhDs, which are a different kind of job entirely.
For competitive postdocs, you want to have very strong letters, both from your advisor and from senior researchers at other institutions. The way to obtain such letters is to build connections throughout your graduate program, particularly in the later half. Ideally, you should plan to give one or two seminar talks at other institutions while in graduate school. In addition to disseminating your research, these talks help to get your name out as someone up and coming. Your advisor can also have a role, behind the scenes, in getting invitations.
Competitive postdocs are given to people who seem to be up-and-coming in the field. There are usually only a handful of postdocs each year, worldwide, in each particular research specialty, so the committees have a collection of strong candidates to choose between, all of whom have the minimal credential of a PhD. So, if you want to pursue the postdoc track, your goal in graduate school is to develop a vita and letters that are competitive in that environment.

Well I don't want to sound ungrateful but partially your post reads like answering you should not break a teapot ones someone is on the internet asking how to fix a broken teapot. :)  Secondly, generally the one gives talks is through a recomendation of the supervisor. This is how it was with me. I did give one talk but I could not ask anyone there to write me a reference. I mean they don't know me and I don't know them. I doubt that 1 talk changes that.

I apologize for that; the answer here is somewhat general. In your particular situation, I agree with Mark Meckes: have a frank discussion with your advisor.  The point of giving a talk, besides disseminating your work, is that you have a chance to talk with people at the school during your visit. Usually, when I visit someone or they visit me, we spend a few hours working on some problems together.  I am not sure why you think no-one at the other school can write a letter for you, but in any case your advisor is likely to have a sense of who you can ask.

Thank you. Yes I will talk to my supervisor again. I did talk to him about it a few times but never had many great ideas about it. Partially also because I am also going to try with a grant application and that has a better chance he thinks, then a dirct post doc.   I agreee that  having a referee from a different university is very desirable, but I never figured out how to manage that. I am not very socially active if you get my drift :). Thats part of the reason I went the academic rout, since I thought that all I had to do was write papers :).

I know it doesn't apply to you yet, but I used my PhD external examiner as a referee on my first postdoc application. Having read through my entire thesis he was in a very good position to talk about the quality of my work.

yes that is a usefull tip in general. Thanks.

If those are your only options, ask them anyway. When professors take on students as interns or PhD advisees writing a letter of recommendation for them is generally understood as part of their duty, so they will probably accept.
However, depending on how much they know about your work they may not be able to write a very persuasive letter. In the future, try to cultivate a network of relations that extends beyond your current supervisor (this holds in all walks of life, not only in academia!). Best of luck!

"When professors take on students as interns or PhD advisees writing a letter of recommendation for them is generally understood as part of their duty, so they will probably accept." yes but my master thesis has finished 3 years ago. Does that still apply? I have unfortunately not written him at all after that so thats why I am reluctant.

I would say that this also holds for the Master supervisor. What matters is whether you interacted closely with this person, so that they are qualified (and presumably inclined) to recommend you.

fair enough. Its just that it seems rude to me to write to someone after years and ask for a favour. Thats why I am asking if it is indeed the norm and acceptable behaviour. The thing is that a mathematician has 2+ masters students a year so seems kinda a lot to write them all references :). Oh well. I guess I will ask him.  Thanks for your posts btw.

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Late start times of university lectures
My son is starting university (in the UK) next week and has been given his timetable.  The face to face lectures are from 5pm or 6pm until 7pm (just one starts earlier than this on a Friday, 1-2pm).  I find this pretty shocking for a full-time university degree course, and have concerns on impact of learning and integrating with student life on the campus that this will have with starting lessons so late on in the day.
I'd be interested to hear from others - university staff or students that are starting university or mid way through a degree - is this the norm now, should he complain or ask why it's been structured in this way?

A lot of first year undergraduates would be very happy with having no lectures in the morning... timetables usually change every semester, though, so whatever effect it might have (and I would suspect very little) will be shortlived.

Also, remember that your son is now an adult and university is the moment where students take full responsibility for their learning. If he thinks he might have a problem attending lectures at 5pm, he should take it up with the timetabling office.

"I have concerns on impact of learning and integrating with student life on the campus that this will have with starting lessons so late on in the day." It's not clear at all what you imagine this impact to be. I honestly have no idea what you mean when you say you have concerns about the impact of this schedule on "integrating with student life on the campus".

Did your son have any input into his timetable, or was this completely organised by the university without any input from him?

If students have to work on the side, having lectures only in the evenings can be actually beneficial, as they can work during the day.

@AdamPřenosil Have you ever heard of socializing? It's when people hang out together.

@AzorAhai-him- In my times people would socialize at all times of day, not in the evenings. Yes, it is true that some form of sosialization are restricted for the evenings, but I would find it odd if the OP is concerned that his son's University schedule does not leave enought time for partying/drinking.

Thank you to all that have responded.  Sounds like it's not that unusual these days.  I just want to ensure that he is getting value for money from the course.  To add some clarity, it's the second year of the degree, last year's was nearly all virtual lessons. So i'm keen to ensure he has the opportunity this year to immerses himself properly in Uni life.

20 years ago there were 5-6 lectures in both Birmingham and Oxford, where I studied. Students weren't particularly impressed, and I think it doesn't have a great impact on staff's family life.
Fast forward to now, and it's still true that there are 5-6 lectures in Birmingham. Occasionally there are 6-7 lectures, and particularly things like labs can run late. The main reason is that, with so many combinations of joint-honours degrees, optional modules, and so on, the timetable is pretty filled up. Scheduling that many tasks inevitably results in going past 5pm.

@DanielHatton My explanations for that are either 1) he has accidentally chosen an evening course, like at Birkbeck, 2) luck of the draw: these things are scheduled by algorithm, and the person complaining about it is likely the one with the worst outcome, or less likely 3) exaggeration or a mistake. Also, since our courses have 12 hours lecture time per week, it would be impossible to schedule them all between 5 and 7 on four days (as Wednesday afternoons are always free).

Back when I did my undergrad in the UK a few decades ago, students signed up for one of a small number of predefined courses: possibly there were some multiple module options in the final year. Since then there's been both significant modularisation with options even in the first year, and the huge rise in student numbers which also means that activities such as lab sessions now have to be run several times to cover everyone.
The upshot is that the timetable has had to expand, just to allow enough time for the students to have access to their modules, without any clashes over the various  optional ones.
Twenty years ago we were already getting rid of keeping Wednesday afternoons free for extra-mural activities; now I hear of Timetabling trying to use the whole the 8am-7pm period...
(Similar answer to David's above, but with expanding on the "why" a bit)
Update: It does look a bit strange that the lectures are all concentrated at the end of the day, but then the OP is talking about barely ten hours a week of study time; which leaves another thirty-odd to fill. The course isn't stated, so it might be that the days are being deliberately kept free for some self-directed activity, or maybe the lab groups haven't been assigned yet.
The student can always ask via the "Staff-Student Liaison Committee" (or whatever they call it),  this would usually be held towards the end of term but minutes of previous meetings should be available somehow; he should ask his Personal Tutor.
Other possible reasons (that I've witnessed) could be constraints around teaching staff availability (especially if they are part-time, have health issues or caring responsibilities, or are industrial associates), or issues relating to inter-campus travel.

In the US this is pretty normal, but I’m also thinking that perhaps “is it normal?” is not the most important question to ask. “Is this something I should be concerned about?” seems like a more relevant question to me.
In which case I would say the answer is “no.” Perhaps I’m out of touch with how university students live today, but if it’s anything like I remember from when I was a student, there isn’t anything about attending lecture until 7 pm that would interfere in any way with the average student’s ability to lead a normal and healthy life. Indeed, I suspect a fair number of students who have a more nocturnal lifestyle might well find it mentally easier to concentrate on academic material at that hour than say, at the more “normal” hour of 9-10 am.
So basically this seems like a non-issue to me. Best of luck to your son with his studies!

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Marie Curie fellowship future possibilities
I am a non-european who started a PhD with a Marie Curie fellowship program, however, I have had problems with my supervisor and I was not able to find another supervisor during my first semester, so I am considering terminating my contract. My question is if I will have some problem or issue by trying to initiate another contract under support of Marie Curie fellowship in other university or how this situation will affect me?

I'm going to suppose that the administrators of the fellowship program could give you better guidance.

The MSCA project you proposed was designed to work with your current supervisor, so terminating your contract will end your MSCA fellowship (and your financial support).

If I remember correctly, even a large part of the MSCA proposal consists of describing why your supervisor and you are a good match and how the two-way-transfer of knowledge will benefit the two of you. So you cannot simply quit and find another one.

Nevertheless, having won an MSCA fellowship will greatly benefit your CV.

Well, this supervisor doesn't want to work with me and me neither due to his behaviors. So, this means that I will be able to get another contract with Marie Curie in the future???

Your Marie Curie contract is bound to your project, which is bound to your supervisor. Changing your project/supervisor terminates the contract and you will have to apply again in the next upcoming call.

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What impact does a potential advisor have in Phd admissions?
Sorry if this question has been asked before.
I recently reached out to the advisor I want to do my PhD with. This is a person that I have corresponded with in the past (I wanted to collaborate with her back when I was an undergrad but she was going on sabbatical and was unavailable). She responded quickly, and I ended up meeting with her where she briefly interviewed me about my experience and then she gave me a tour of her lab and introduced me to some of her current students.
Additionally, one of my letters of recommendation was written by a close friend of hers who does research in the same field. Recently I was catching up with this person and they told me that the potential advisor I met with was "excited to have" me join their group. However, when I toured her lab she told me she was glad I was passionate about their research but that she was "not on the admissions committee".
What impact does this potential advisor have on my admissions decision if she's not a member of the committee? Will the committee take her thoughts into account, even if, for instance, the committee itself found me less desirable for the university?

What country is this. The answer will vary greatly. It also depends on the field. It can also depend, in the US, on whether you will start with a masters or just a bachelors.

@Buffy this is in the US, and the field is Physics. I just graduated with a bachelors.

It also depends on who is going to pay you. If a large part of your fellowship will be coming from the lab, it makes major difference. If all your pay will be coming from the department, then an email from the potential advisor to the graduate admissions committee will make some difference, but how much will depend on too many unknown factors.

@MoisheKohan I believe I would recieve a yearly stipend that comes from the financial aid office, but I'm not 100% sure

Teaching assistantships are the most common form of funding.

There is no single system in the US, so every department can manage their admissions process however they want.
In the arrangement I am most familiar with, the limiting factor on the number of admitted students is money ("money" could be based on "number of TA slots", or traineeship/fellowship slots). The primary criteria for admission are potential and fit. So, you rank the students by some rough weighted combination of potential and fit, and admit from the top to the bottom of the list until you run out of money.
Potential is how "good" a student is - how likely they are to succeed in the program and in the future. A potential future advisor doesn't have much influence on potential - potential is better judged by people the student has worked with in the past, not the future.
Fit is about how well the student matches the particular program: if a student really wants to study an area of physics that no one at the university studies, maybe that student has a lot of potential but they're a poor fit. Interest between a potential advisor and a student counts positively towards fit, even if the advisor isn't on the admissions committee.
Money is something that a potential advisor can influence most directly. Note that the process "rank students and admit until you run out of money" doesn't mean that every qualified student is admitted. If a student is below the program's "money threshold", they might still be able to accept a qualified student who has funding available separate from the department's own money pool. That could be an outside fellowship, or a promise of funding support from a faculty member, contingent on the student joining that person's lab. However, if your intended area of study is not one where there is sufficient grant money given to professors for them to fund students directly, this may not be an option for your specific case; I'd expect it would have been mentioned directly as an option if it were.

In the US it is unlikely that, in your case, a potential advisor will have any influence, or even any interest in influencing the decision at this point in time.
Some fields in physics (high energy, perhaps) where people need vast funding and extensive labs, might be different, but for the most part, the doctoral program will be course intensive at the start, leading to the comprehensive exams. Once you get through those, you can get serious about a research advisor.
But generally, the advisor isn't the one responsible for your funding (the department is) and so will wait to take on students until they are "ripe".
If you are in an exceptional case (or in Europe) then the conversation has already discussed funding, I'd expect.
The advisor might already be on the admissions committee or, in an exceptional case (truly exceptional - young Dirac/Einstein) might put in a word, but admissions is normally done on a wide range of factors as indicated by the extensive admissions materials.
My best guess is that they will have little impact either way unless they already want to fund you, which is more likely to happen later. Telling you that they aren't on the committee, however, is a strong indicator that they won't be involved.
The people who write letters of recommendation for you probably will have more influence on the committee, assuming they confidently predict your success.

See: How does the admissions process work for Ph.D. programs in Country X?


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How do I keep up to date with my field, both academic and non-academic texts?
I'm an early-career academic in economics/social science trying to keep on top of things. In my previous professional life, I have kept an RSS feed, but I have a hard time finding good ways of doing that. Many more articles are published than I have the time to read because of my interdisciplinary research interests, and I want to know more about some strategies to keeping up to date with what's talked about, what's popular, and such. Any tips appreciated.

Why is "popular" important? Popular with who, exactly?

An RSS feed is a firehose. Couple it with other resources, and you will soon drown. You have to train yourself how to divert what you need from the resources that feed you, not presume that you must read everything that is offered, or even that you must read from every source that is available.
You might start by reviewing the purposes, principles, and practices behind having structured inboxes, clear processing routines, and regular review cycles. First, decide why you need to read. You need/want immediate information @asap. You want a @pool of information to become better informed. Or you want information for @someday as your time permits. Pull articles out from your sources (e.g. the RSS feed) into a master inbox based on those decision. Review the categories (or folders) in the collection inbox routinely to push the documents to their next action level (reading) -- @asap, @pool, @someday. Perhaps tags will also help when you spot an article that fits to organize at other levels -- #relevant, #discovery, #insight.
At the back end, develop a structured habit about how you manage a citation database (or citation databases) that gets filled from your master inbox. For example, the @someday articles can go straight into a SomeDay library database, and the @asap and @pool articles can go into >asap and >pool folders in a master citation library.
How you go from this point gives you feedback to where you improve in the above. When you find that you never get to the SomeDay library .. no sweat. The some day that you considered should some day come has not yet come. When you find that you are never getting to the >pool because you are always reading in the >asap, perhaps you need to narrow your decision on what is meant by @asap. Ultimately, you want to learn how to spend time mostly in the >pool. But, to stay fresh, articles you put in the >pool should not stay there. An article lands there because you believed from the firehose that it had some importance to your work. If you start reading it and find it has less importance than you thought, toss it to the SomeDay library instead. Otherwise, find a Project folder where it belongs best as file-cabinet type reference. Continuing the analogy, keep your >pool from overflowing and thereby stagnating. Either move articles out as fast as you bring them in or restrict further what you bring into the pool in the first place.
Finally, you are not the first to face this challenge, and you are alone in facing it. This is why books on Seven Habits, Getting Things Done, and other such management methods prevail. More recently, this is part of the flurry behind the Zettlekasten method. And the questions you ask also feed content in discussion forums on data/information/citation management software tools.
So do not feel that you need to succeed immediately in figuring out how you will drink successfully from the firehoses around you. Rather, believe that others have already successfully solved some of the problems you only now face, that finding those answers is a reasonable step to take now, and that taking disciplined actions on the best practices you find can have the rewards you want.

This is a great reply, thanks.

I'm in a completely different field, but my (long) experience might be of some help to a new academic.
First, you probably can't know or follow "everything". Specialize in some aspect(s) and follow that deeply. General and popular literature can help you keep generally abreast of what is going on in the larger field and you can follow up outside your specialty as necessary. But focus first. Perhaps something like an 80/20 rule is needed for specialized vs more general readings.
Don't spend all of your time reading. You also need to write and to do whatever research is required to do that.
Join one or more professional organizations that have researchers and, perhaps, groups dedicated to your specialty. Maybe they have newsletters and/or journals with the important stuff.
In some fields (mine was CS - now retired) conferences are very important, both for depth and breadth. At a conference you can listen to speakers on a variety of topics and take notes for later follow up. More important you can meet people and make contacts, perhaps setting up collaborative efforts. In any case, developing a wide circle of interest and collaboration is a good career builder. But you can explore both the general and the specific at a good conference.
Attendance at conferences can also be a morale booster if you learn that you are just as good/smart as the paper presenters.

Thanks, that's some good pointers.


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Editors did not reply emails for requesting extension of revised manuscript
I sent an email to the chief editor before the deadline and did not receive any replies. Then I sent emails to other editors (ADMs of my article) in the system but still got no reply before the deadline. The current status of this article shows that it has expired and can be deleted, and the option of "continue" is deactivated. What should I do?
UPDATE: Problem solved! Staff in the publisher's customer service responded to my request and extended the deadline. Thanks for all the replies to this post!

How long has it been since you emailed them? Editors, including the EIC, usually do their editing work on top of full time jobs, so responses are not always fast.

11 days. I also emailed an editorial assistant but still got no reply.

Has the paper been accepted or are you talking about introducing referees' suggestions? I find it unusual that the journal has such a strict deadline on revisions. What sort of journal is it, in what field? Did you already sign any publishing agreement with them?

This paper is in the process of first major revision. A Q1 journal in the field of social sciences. This is my first time encountering such a situation. I used to request extensions for other journals, and those editors are very tolerant. That's very strange...

@Vosoni It's common for journals to give revision deadlines, because they're trying to improve their submission to publication time stats and also because ultimately they make money on published papers, not papers under revision, whether by authors paying fees or subscriptions.

This is irrelevant, as why should the author care about those things the journal wants? Highly selective peer review implies that revisions take longer. Good papers take longer to write. So either you maximize your submission-to-publication time or you maximize your impact factor. These goals contradict each other. And as we see now, the deadline was not really a strict deadline but could be extended.


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Google Scholar Profile of Department or College
I found a google scholar profile that represents one of the academic departments of a university. All articles published by faculty working in that department since long time are listed in that google scholar profile. How is it possible to link all papers from multiple people working in same department? That is just so cool and I wish I can know so other departments can follow. Any suggestions?

Actually, as far as I understood, you can add any paper to your Scholar profile, even those where you are not listed as an author.
On the other hand, while this idea may seem attractive to you, note that Scholar is not intended to work like that. It is meant just for personal profiles. Also, there is a possible problem regarding personal data and mixing up data on citations and H-index which Google estimates for all involved. I would advise against such a departmental profile.


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Paper published at „bad“ conference, share with potential supervisors?
I’m currently in the process of contacting potential PhD supervisors. I’ve also just published my first paper which was submitted to a conference my work place commonly submits papers to. It’s a WiP paper and mainly conceptual. I have no clue if this paper is actually good, since the conference doesn’t seem to be that reputable (B4 on conference rank). Additionally I pretty much wrote the whole thing without any supervision or feedback.
So now I’m debating whether it could be harmful to share this paper with potential supervisors.

Whatever the conference, you should have some "clue if this paper is actually good". Have you read other papers related to your work, are your results interesting related to the prior work, and are your results backed up by solid evidence? I am sure you have asked yourself those questions at some point...

Is this conference peer reviewed? This would be typical in e.g. computer science, but not as much in many other areas of research.
If this is a peer reviewed, somewhat-reputable conference and not predatory, or "fake" conference (what I mean by that is: I have seen conferences take on similar names to highly prestigious ones, which then make the same acronym, to try and look like a reputable conference which they are not); e.g. if it is a student track of a local conference, I would definitely encourage you to include this published paper in your CV when you apply for any PhD positions.
Many students applying for a PhD won't have any publications to their name at that point; and if they do, it is expected that these would likely be student tracks or smaller local conferences. And, as communicating your work in writing is a major part of a PhD, mentioning this publication gives any potential advisors a way to check out your current writing skills, which is a great skill to be able to demonstrate to potential advisors.

Yes it’s a peer reviewed international conference definitely not a “fake” conference. It’s more applied so not really technical at all but I hope to do a math heavy and technical CS PhD, because I want to learn more here. I guess this will suffice though for my writing skills, I’m worried that a supervisor would think “well this doesn’t make sense and the idea is stupid” I guess that’s my fear speaking though.

@amsulic No-one is going to judge you by the same standards that are applied to mature researchers. It may be that for a mature researcher in your field, publishing exclusively at "B4-ranked conferences" (whatever that means) would not be a good sign. That doesn't mean that it's a bad sign for you as someone who has not even started their Ph.D. If Ph.D. applicants were already expected to produce the same quality of work that mature researchers do, then what would even be the point of Ph.D. studies?


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Conjecture/observation submission?
I know there are a lot of high-quality journals where I may submit my serious research articles. But suppose I have a finding, an observation, a conjecture, a pattern, a poem, an anecdote related to mathematics. Is there a journal that would publish a thing like that?

The Journal of Humanistic Mathematics seems to be what you are looking for.

We publish articles that focus mainly on the doing of mathematics, the teaching of mathematics, and the living of mathematics. We also welcome contributions about the state of the mathematical profession (both in research and in education), underrepresentation issues within the world of mathematics, mathematics across national and cultural boundaries, mathematical fiction and poetry, personal reflections that provide insight to the inner workings of the mathematical mind, and other types of writing which may stimulate discussion among our readers. Overall we are a free platform where many different conversations about mathematics are welcome and encouraged.

Ah, yes. Poetry. Nice.

Many journals have a section devoted to "letters" rather than the normal research papers.
Not the same thing, but scholars often get together at conferences (real and virtual) to bring up such things. If you have the status of Riemann, of course, you can propose questions for which answers are needed.
IIRC the journal of the Mathematical Association of America once had a section for informal things, though I don't know if poems would qualify.
See if The American Mathematical Monthly would qualify.


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Pros and Cons of joining a Private university or Hochschule compare to a public university in Germany as a postdoc
I am in the last year of my PhD(from a public university), my funding is over, and I am looking for a postdoc(officially research assistant). I have an offer from Zeppelin University. Also, a discussion is going on with a technical Hochschule. I am from a computer science background. I want to become a professor in future.
I want to ask about the drawbacks and positive sides of joining a private university or Hochschule. Should I join one of them or wait for an offer from a public university in Germany?

Related to https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/72614/what-is-the-difference-between-hochschule-and-universit%c3%a4t-technische-universi

It's more towards credit and a Master's; my question is about becoming a professor after working in Fachhochschulen. Also, the concern of private universities is mentioned there.


text:
I got a paid PhD Position on a project, but Ido not have any responsibilities or tasks, besides working on my thesis. Am I doing something wrong?
I have been employed on a project at a German University for over a year and a half and got a half-time working contract.
Even though I am getting paid, I have not been required from my supervisor to do much  besides working on my own project. I did spend some time preparing questionnaires for our data collection, entering our responses in a data analysis program and preparing a couple of conferences. I also went on fieldwork with my professor for 3 months and took a language course for the fielwork as well, but besides that I really feel I have not done much work to cover my 30 hours contract with the university. There are entire weeks in which I really do not do anything for her, and just work on my project at my own path.
I know my situation is different with other PhD students, who are constantly busy teaching courses and fulfilling other tasks assigned to them by their supervisors. In comparison to most of the experiences I have heard from PhD candidates, I have a very relaxed life and work at my pace.
I am starting to worry a little and to wonder if my situation is normal for a PhD student in Germany, or if I am doing something wrong. Should I assign search for my own tasks or ask my supervisor to assign me more work? I have not taught any courses yet, but that is also because I am new to the discipline and was hoping to widen my knowledge before doing it, but I still want to do it in one semester or two.
Is this normal? Can I expect it to continue?

Normal in US and UK, especially in social science and humanity fields or pure math. What field are you in?

I am in Sociolinguistics

Please clarify your specific problem or provide additional details to highlight exactly what you need. As it's currently written, it's hard to tell exactly what you're asking.

Yes in Germany it is quite common.
Enjoy the freedom, do not limit yourself to doing menial tasks like collecting data, but dig deep in the assumptions behind your study and question them (at least with yourself).
Spend your time in deep theoretical questions, ignore teaching courses. it is mostly a bureaucratic thing to perform, especially at later stage in your career if you end up in the anglo-saxon world (they officially require experience in teaching courses, seemingly because they value a lot this skill, in practice because they cannot afford to pay the time needed to prepare the courses, so they want someone ready to work 40 hours per week and additionally teach courses).
In three years from now, you will be either someone that did their PhD under supervision of prof. xyz, or you will be someone with a solid knowledge on field abc, that did a PhD with prof. xyz.
The difference in term of career will be probably minimal, positions in research are extremely difficult to get, the difference in effort will be quite large (detrimental if you question the basic analytic assumption), the  but your peers will definitely smell the difference between "another pawn of professor xyz" and "a researcher on the field abc".
You can do both paths by staying in good relation with your advisor abc, but one will be much more rewarding.
Final note: now you have the most stable contract in research you can dream of (yes, even if it just a scolarship of 3 years), so take your time to dig the topics you like. It is an unique chance. Enjoy the impostor syndrome and the path full of doubts about yourself you will undertake: it is normal, and being a researcher you have the freedom of answering "I don't know" to questions, it is not like when you were a student having to pass exams ;) , and you can take the time to look for the answers.

Though I can't say much about Germany (or know what your specific field is), here is the normal way things work for students in the biological sciences in the US for someone paid as a research assistant, which seems similar to your position:
Professors write grants for research projects. Though applications for these grants are typically very specific, the work done may not be, because it is known and understood that science is messy and the productive avenues for a project are expected to shift over the 3-5 year span of a grant. Portions of these grants are expected to be used to pay graduate students who will work on the proposed projects.
Graduate students are expected to do research, publish papers, etc, on the way toward finishing their thesis. The topic they work on is within the general scope of the grant they are paid on, but there is nothing material that distinguishes between "work for the professor" and "work on the thesis".
In this system, as long as a student is "doing research" in the sense that they are working on some aspect of scientific projects that will result in publishable work, including data collection, data analysis, and writing, as well as reading papers/conducting literature reviews, attending conferences, participating in lab discussions, they are "doing work" on the grant that pays for their position.

Nothing wrong with your current situation.
I am a postdoctoral researcher now, and I have a similar situation to you for both Ph.D. and postdoctoral work (both are in Japan).
My supervisors on both Ph.D. and postdoctoral (different persons) never specifically assign me tasks. I just did my own Ph.D. research theme and now postdoctoral research theme. For my Ph.D., I was granted a scholarship, not a research grant.

Should I assign search for my own tasks or ask my supervisor to assign me more work?

You should search for your own tasks but consult with your supervisor. In my case, I do my own theme with my own path. My Ph.D. supervisor at that time just gave me suggestions about what I did and monitored my research once a month via meeting. He mostly revised my manuscript draft for conferences and journals. Being a Ph.D. candidate, you should publish as early as and as often as possible. That is enough to satisfy 30h working hours per week (If I were your supervisor, I would expect one publication draft from you every 3-4 months after the first year).

Is this normal? Can I expect it to continue?

Yes, it is normal, and you can continue. But remember, you have limited time (3 years). The research project is also limited by amount and time, and other Ph.D. candidates cannot fulfill the graduation requirements (number of published papers, etc.) at the time the project ends.

I like that you put the different spin on the 3 years, and I agree, however to me it looks like "the longest and safest contract I had" ... but I have also a ~25 years distance from the moment I started mine :)

As paid a PhD student (in Germany), working towards your thesis is your primary job. So your feeling that you haven't done any work covering your 30 hour contract is completely misplaced. There is no reason to feel guilty about primarily working on your own research, this is simply your job.
That being said. There might be a minimum amount of teaching that you are expected to do over the course of your contract (or not depending on the university/contract). The fact that you haven't been assigned any teaching tasks would not necessarily mean that you won't be, and not having done your teaching obligations might prevent you from getting your PhD. So to prevent having to doing all your teaching while also finishing your thesis, it would be advisable to be proactive about this. Find out if any teaching obligations exist for you. If so, talk to however coordinates teaching assignments in your department and ask to be assigned your teaching duties. Of course, do this while also talking to your advisor and keep them in the loop.

Maybe I can give some insight of how the German system works, I'm currently a post-doc in the system having done my PhD elsewhere, but I know enough to explain teaching loads.
Often the PhD (or postdoc) is funded directly by the university, this comes with some assumptions that the staff member will perform a certain amount of teaching in addition to their other duties. This is probably what is happening with the other PhD students you mentioned, they are assigned teaching duties along with their regular duties of producing high quality PhD work and thesis.
In addition to this method, if the supervisor has an alternative source of funding (say from the ERC) or the student has acquired their own funding, then things are a bit different. Since the funding is now no longer coming from the university there are no teaching duties attached to it and the only duties of the PhD student is to produce high quality PhD work. Perhaps this is the case with you, if your supervisor has said your funding comes from a grant then this may explain the difference between you and your peers. The lack of teaching duties may then just be your supervisor giving you freedom from what is seen as a distraction by many in academia, or they may have found a way to shift your teaching duties to later in your PhD.
As others have said take advantage of the freedom you have, if you want to make the most of your PhD try to learn your field deeply, sit in on courses that are related to your project (even if you won't be able to directly use them), or perhaps start/organise a reading group on a topic that may be relevant for you, and many others in the group. Even if these don't directly relate to your research topic, if you pick the right things to learn about (not too close to your field, not too far away, and having some reason to expect this knowledge might be useful in the future) then the time invested in them now will pay for itself later in your PhD and future academic career as you can apply tools and make leaps which give much more interesting research results.
Regarding teaching, this isn't me saying there is no benefit to you to teach a course or run a tutorial. I found (coming from physics) that running tutorials led me to have a deeper understanding of the subjects you were tutoring since you were confronted with having to understand everything in the course and had to find multiple ways to explain an idea to people who understand things very differently to how you understand them, giving you a more wholistic and deeper view of the subject. Though the benefits to you do depend on what kind of tutorial you run, just completing the assignment sheet in front of the students gives a lot less insight then actively guiding them as they try to understand the subject (and is probably not quite as useful for the students either). So I'd recommend that at some point during your PhD you engage in some tutoring and you can speak to your supervisor about that, but the fact that you aren't doing it right now isn't something that indicates you are a lower quality student or doing something wrong.


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Is it OK to ask a professor if they have a postdoc position available?
I am a PhD student working in applied probability theory. I have submitted my PhD thesis and started to apply for postdoc positions.
Is it OK to ask a professor whether they have a position available? If so, what should such an e-mail contain?

If I have a position available, then it will be published asap in the appropriate places (depends on field and country). So it would make no sense to contact me.

Have a look at the (well, interesting) answers for the following related question: Are informal inquiries about postdoctoral positions liable to be perceived negatively?

Yes, it is fine. It never hurts to ask. Some people will ignore you, but some people will reply.

In such case please suggest what to write in such email. Should I write in detail why I want to work in his/her lab.

@Richard Williams Write when you're going to completely finish with your PhD, what you've been working on (preferably, this should overlap considerably with that persons research interests), perhaps include your CV.

I advise you to have this conversation in person and not via email.
When you are face to face with this professor you will be able to read their body language. If you ask the question and they appear annoyed or uncomfortable then just end the conversation quickly and politely. If, however, you see they show interest, then you may inquire further.
When setting up the initial meeting, you can write a simple email stating who you are and asking what times the professor is available to speak with you.

What kind of policies would prevent the prof from saying they have an open position?

If the professor is far away from you, it’s not worth it to try to have the conversation in person. You could try to do it via videoconference, but you’d still have to set that up via email, and explain why you want the meeting!

@aeismail Videoconferencing is a good option. Yes, of course you would have to set that up via email. (I revised my response above)

@henning I have heard of a situation where the professor was not "allowed"(as the story was relayed to me) to mention an open position until it was officially posted.

@techmsi In that case, the professor could still reply by email: "I have requested to hire a postdoc for next year, but the position has not yet been approved.  Please check back again in [some time]."

all_licenses: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/


text:
Which PhD field offers better job prospects: Math or Computer Science?
I have completed my Master's in Mathematics.
I loved two subjects: Algebra (modules and non-commutative rings) and Cryptography (visual and algebraic).  I wanted to work on them in my PhD.  I scored good grades in both subjects.
Now when I am going to apply for a PhD program at different institutes.  I am getting two options PhD in mathematics and PhD in Computer Science where Algebra comes under Mathematics and Cryptography under CS.
Question:  Which PhD field offers better job opportunities in future: Math or Computer Science?

I think it depends on the exact meaning of the "better job". The moderation is very strict on the Stack Exchange, and "opinion based" or "too broad" are very common reasons of the question closures. So I suggest to commit every reasonable to make exact, what do you understand on "better job".

Assuming that you're interested in the private sector and holding all else equal, I'd guess that a Computer Science degree would tend to outperform a Math degree.  It's just such an incredibly useful field to have expertise in.
That said, if you're going for competitive research positions in overlapping fields, e.g. cryptography, then it may not matter that much so long as you have the appropriate background for that sub-field.  Then, you'll probably be evaluated against other applicants more heavily based on objective qualifications rather than the name that your degree has on it.

If you're going to be a researcher, pick the one you care most about. You'll need the extra motivation and drive to stay passionate for the next 40+ years.
If you're going to be a professor, it really doesn't matter much which you pick, as they are both quite viable, and both have interesting sub-fields to focus on.
If you want just about anything else, pick the crypto. The demand is higher for practical comp sci, leading to better job stability in recession years. With the ever-increasing need for better encryption and foiling enemy systems, both the private and government sectors will continue to see a rise in demand (and pay) for any smart cryptographer.
Note that depending on individual university programs, computer science degrees may include a lot of emphasis on topics outside of cryptography, or may assume a working knowledge of certain comp sci topics. For example, if you don't have a background in programming, it would behoove you to chat up the professors and make sure they don't expect you to already be conversant in C++, Java, object oriented concepts, etc. With your masters I fully expect you could learn whatever you lack, but that's a choice you want to make and not have thrust on you after getting into a program.


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What should be written in a one-page research statement?
I am currently applying for a PhD in Machine Learning Applied to Biology. I am asked to write a one-page research statement in relation to the topic of the position offered.
I do not understand what is expected of me in a one-page research statement. How is a research statement different from a research proposal? What is expected of me in a one-page writing? Do I have to develop a problem to solve and a possible solution in so little space?
Thank you.

This might depend on both the country and on the degree you will hold when you start study. For a BS holder in US it might be very different from someone with an MS in Germany. Can you revise?

Thank you for your answer. I have recently completed a master's degree (MSc in Statistics) and this opportunity is offered in a CS faculty of a Swiss university.

Assuming, perhaps incorrectly, that the system in Switzerland is similar to that of Germany, you will find useful information, but not an answer here.
It isn't reasonable to expect that any entering doctoral student will have already developed a research idea to the extent that they have a solution, as that is the purpose of the dissertation research.
But in a system in which the primary work toward the degree is precisely that research and the student starts with a fairly high level of knowledge and skill, many, probably most, advisors will want you to be able to state a problem to be solved (question to be answered) and something of the methodology that you propose to attack it. That can fit on one page, provided that the methodology isn't, itself, novel.
And, of course, the problem has to "fit" within the broad outlines of the interests of the advisor.
So, if your proposal is in theoretical statistics the methodology is likely largely mathematical, while if you are applying statistics to some problem you likely know how to state the outline of the methodology succinctly, since your audience of one is probably an expert also.
But if your problem is so trivial that you can already suggest a solution, then you may need to dig deeper. The exceptional case would be if you have already done a preliminary study and intend to dig deeper. In such a case, a possible solution can be suggested.
But, focus on the broad outline of the problem and say a few words about methodology in the typical situation. One page. In naming the problem, some explanation of why it is important is also likely a good idea. And, if you are following up an earlier work, say a few words about that.
And, that one page may just be an introduction to a longer conversation with the advisor.


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Suitable Indo-European related graduate program for a linguist
I have got a Masters in Linguistics. I like ancient Indo-European and comparative IE Linguistics. I want to get another master in Europe. In current time, which master or PhD programs in IE studies needs student with a linguistics background? I mean programmes which mostly rely on linguistics principles rather than, for example philological methods. It's ok If the program restricted to only one branch of IE languages (for example Germanic).

Why another masters? What will it give you? Wouldn't a doctorate be better for your career?

@Buffy. Because I don't have background in IE studies. Can I directly apply for such PhD programs?

That depends on where. It seems more natural, however, with a masters in linguistics already. It is worth an exploration anyway.

I've never heard of a linguistics program that did not include anything Indo-European.


text:
Is it unprofessional that my TA texted me on a Saturday night?
I had an academic issue during the week and I reached out about via text (he is okay with this method of communication. In fact, he gave me his number without me asking for it). I reached out to him on a Thursday at about 5:00pm, during regular business hours. However, he did not get back to me until 10:00pm on a Saturday night. This really bothered me. I valued our relationship between each other and wanted nothing more than to be strictly professional. Even though I reached out to him on Thursday, I wouldn’t have minded a reply Sunday or even Monday morning.
Am I overreacting in this situation?

Thank you for your feedback, as it has been particularly helpful. I believe that this is plenty on me to reflect on; however, due to my disability, I do feel a little overwhelmed at the moment.
With that said, I appreciate everyone’s feedback and I will use this information to further reflect on my question and concerns regarding this situation.
Thank you all very much for your time.

Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat.

Unlike phone calls, texting is seen (by most people) as asynchronous, like email. You text when you can. The receiver responds when and if they can. I see nothing wrong with the the other person's behavior unless they expected an immediate reply. I doubt that they would have such an expectation.
He may not have read your previous text until just before sending his. He may have had some moments to create a reply late on Saturday.
Just don't feel obligated to reply immediately. Had I been the recipient I wouldn't even have seen the text until the next morning. Relax.

Many of my Stack Exchange comments (but not this comment) are made very early -- often between 1 AM and 3 AM -- because I get up very early (even earlier than this) and I frequently check email and Stack Exchange and such before going to a nearby 24-hour gym for 1-2 hours (when at most one other person might be there, and often it's only me). Should I be concerned that others will know when I post, knowing from my profile where I live and thus what time zone I'm in? :)

You have missued the term asynchronous in this answer. Suggest correcting.

"Unlike phone calls, texting is seen (by most people) as asynchronous, like email." Indeed. And yet, it baffles me that many texting/messenger apps still miss some basic features required for asynchronous communication, such as a simple "mark as unread, so that I don't forget to take care of this later" button.

It will be better for you to elaborate why it's a misuse. I perfectly understand the post as it is and see no big problem. @Scorb

@Scorb I suggest you clarify what you think it's wrong and how you think it should be corrected.

I thought I'd follow-up on my previous comment by checking in before heading off to the gym today . . .

@Scorb: Dictionary.com has the definition "2 - (especially in education) occurring or able to be completed independently according to a person’s own self-paced schedule or within a broad window of time, but not coordinated to be completed in real time with another participant"...

@Scorb As others said, I believe you have misunderstood what "asynchronous" means. I suggest you to clarify what you mean so I can learn something from you.

Was the answer in any way unprofessional? If not, I would rather say that you are overreacting. Also, what is the difference between a message on a sunday (OK in you opinion) and a message on a Saturday night?
Some people have a very busy life and send messages whenever they find the time. I have myself written mails and messages at odd times (like at 4 in the morning or also on a saturday night). It would be a much different thing if he had called you, or, if he had expected you to reply straight away. But like this, and if it is a single occurence, you are probably reading way too much into it.

For what its worth, regional culture and/or religious practices can make either Saturday or Sunday considered a non-business day in which business related material would be considered inappropriate, but the other day to be perfectly acceptable.

I think your complaint is unwarranted.  Your TA is a student just like you, undoubtedly balancing a lot of demands on their time, just like you.  Instructors and TAs get lots of requests for help and they often batch them up when they finally have time -- and that's often the weekend.  What you learned is that your TA takes the job seriously enough to work on the weekend, even late into the night.  Be thankful you have such a dedicated TA.

This strikes me as rather harsh. I could understand how a student might see a late night message and think "gosh, should I be working all hours of the weekend?" It's an honest question, I don't think the questioner is being "unappreciative".

@E.Rei Sometimes, the truth isn't what people want to hear but it doesn't mean it's not true.  Would you like it better if I lied and agreed the TA was being "unprofessional"?  That would make them come back for more agreements with any new complaints?

You seem to have conflated your personal judgement of a person's personality who you've never met with the objective absolute truth. I'd like it better if people could answer questions without going out of their way to launch personal attacks at the people asking them. Personal preference.

@E.Rei Not true.  I characterized the behavior, not the person.  The behavior, complaining about a response late Saturday, communicates (perhaps unintentionally) a sense of entitlement rather than appreciation for a TA who is working late on weekends to provide help.  Fwiw, I don't appreciate you attacking me because you don't like my opinion.

@NicoleHamilton I'm sure you can appreciate the difference between "Wow! You got fat!" with "Hey, are you ok? It looks like you've gained some weight recently." Rdd and E. Rei are commenting more on the manner in which your answer is conveyed and less on the content of the answer. The OP's question contains very little context, so any answer in which any specific context is assumed or relied on is likely to gain a few comments.

@DavidS  I stand by my views.  Complaining that a TA who was kind enough to give their cell phone number to a student and takes time to answer on Saturday night was "unprofessional" is simply unacceptable.  It reeks of entitlement.  If a student complained that way about a TA working for me in one of my classes, they would owe the TA an apology.

@NicoleHamilton I do wonder whether the question asker is an advisor/professor, or a student (both use the phrase "my TA"), I didn't see any details where they made clear? I actually read it as if they're a professor wondering if the TA contacting them on a Saturday night was unreasonable.  Regardless, I don't find your answer to be unduly critical whichever direction the question is.

@JeopardyTempest The reasons I think this was a student are: (a) There's nothing unusual about a TA giving their cellphone number to the instructor they work for. (b) If an instructor thought a TA working for them was being unprofessional, I think they would just tell them.  They wouldn't need to ask here. (c) An instructor would know there's nothing unusual about replying at odd hours on a weekend. (d) A TA would probably reply same day to their boss but the OP isn't complaining about the response not being same day.

@NicoleHamilton I would think it varies by professor and their experience, and some newer professors or ones who haven't dealt with newer technology might still ask such a question to get a better idea of what the norms are. (I can certainly envision my major professor about 15 years ago being unsure) But after more reflection, I tend to lean towards you being right, that it's a student.

Not unless you have established your intolerance for such texts explicitly.
Also, a more common complaint in your scenario would be that it took them so long to respond if the expectations for the delay were set to one business day - which is also not always applicable.
There is nothing unprofessional in their behavior - at least not from what you have described. If you have some communication needs or preferences, make them clear. State at what hours do you find texts and calls normal or when e-mails are preferable. I do not mind calls at 11 PM on pretty much any week day but 9 AM calls on Monday might disrupt my sleep - therefore, I ask people not to do so and, ideally, use asynchronous means of communication unless we have made some arrangements.
What seems reasonable to you is not necessarily reasonable for everyone, and academia is great in that it has very flexible work hours. Please do not force everyone to work 9 to 5 just because that is how you and "all reasonable people" work.

I think giving a student from class your personal phone number for texting is not very professional.  I wouldn’t do it, and I wouldn’t advise others to do it, unless there’s a clear good reason for it (eg you’re chaperoning a trip and so people might need to get ahold of you in an emergency).
That said I don’t see why replying on Saturday night is more unprofessional than any other time outside of business hours.  That said I haven’t read the text or been around for your other interactions, you might have a good reason to be concerned, but the Saturday night thing on its own doesn’t strike me as unusual.

I think giving a student from class your personal phone number for texting is not very professional. - I  wouldn't give out my personal phone number either, but my university no longer provides me an office phone number to give out.  I think if a teacher/TA chooses to give out their phone number to the whole class, it's more being kind than unprofessional.  But if it's just to select students for no solid reason, then yes, unprofessional.

That's a fair point.  Personally I'd much rather go through the university LMS or the university email, but I agree that putting your phone number on the syllabus is much less concerning than giving it individually to a student.

Texting is informal. If you prefer more formal communication, stick to email.
Of course, people may also send emails whenever they wish. But it might be easier for you to not check your emails than to not monitor your text messages.

In addition to all the other great answers (asynchronous like email, dedicated enough to respond when they find the time, etc.), consider technical aspects as well.
Texting was originally much more on an immediate thing - I consider it an evolution of pagers, which started as just a tone, then a number, then alphanumeric, but all based on getting a message to someone right now.
But the technology has evolved into something much closer to email. There is no guarantee of delivery time with email - it can range from a few seconds to hours or even days. Texting often has the same problems: I received some texts this morning at 5:55am. Fortunately, my alarm was set for 6:00am so it didn't matter much. I responded to the last text and then scrolled back and realized several other texts had come in at the same time, and then found out that the sender had sent them all ~ 12 hours earlier and had absolutely no intention of waking me up. It is possible that your 5:00pm text was received in the middle of the night or the next morning. It is possible that the response was sent on Friday afternoon or Saturday morning.
However, unlike email, there are no headers or metadata that we can look at (the cell phone companies likely have the information, but normal users can't see it) to determine when it was sent, which hops delayed delivery, etc.
In general, I prefer email, as I can see it on multiple devices - including on a computer if I am in a place with poor cell phone reception - and because it allows far more organization of messages. If your TA is OK with email, stick to email and you won't get bothered by text messages at strange times. If your TA strongly prefers text messages, consider that strange times may actually be beyond his control.

At my university there are definitely rules. Work with children check is also required so anything that could be considered as pitential grooming is not to be done (‘grooming’ is well defined andvteachers bothnin Highschools and university have to be vigilant for any signs that student may be experiencing abuse and similarly that they’re not engagingnin any behaviour that may be part of ‘grooming’ - so no ‘special’ treatment or interest is to be shared with any particulat student - tge university has deficated services to help students)

The time/day is not the issue. If there is an issue here, is that they’ve given you their phone number and that you’ve gven them theirs.  If uncomfortable, simply delete their messages and block the number and learn from the experience.
I see that many here don’t see an issue with exchange of phone numbers that has occurred here. I personally do and it would not happen where I live/work (even emailing from a private rather than work email address is not seen as ideal).
And yes the TA’s likely a nice person and means well. The rules however exist for a reason.

Which rules? The point is that there are no universal rules. Don't get me wrong, I would not give out my number to the students, but you make it sound like everybody must agree on that.

@SeverinSchraven https://www.theguardian.com/education/2020/feb/20/ucl-to-ban-intimate-relationships-between-staff-and-students-univesities

I agree that if the rules are set up by the university, then there is no discussion. As you may have noticed the article only references to a couple of universities. And I know more than just a handful universities in continental Europe that do not have such rules and where even romantic relationships between students and TAs are fine. I doubt the OP would post such a question here if rules like this existed at their university.

I’d rather not make assumptions. The fact is that the OP is uncomfortable. That the rules may not yet exist at their university does not necessarily make it right. The rules don’t exist likely because everyone has dismissed concerns for decades.

And instead of discussing wether it is aopropriate for a TA to engage with a student in this way, we have ‘senior’ faculty screeming ‘the TA’s intensions are pure’. Women teporting actual abuse were  not believed hystirically and what has the favulty learned? Nothig of course.

Aren't we having this discussion? Or do you mean by "we" some broader context? As phrased in the OP I do not see any bad intention on the TA's side. The time of the reply should not be something to be blamed, I also email students in the middle of the night... or would you deem that inappropriate too? But if it is the delivery that bothers the OP, then I don't understand why they reached out via text in the first place. I cannot imagine a situation where the TA was provided with the phone numbers of the students from any source than the students themself (otherwise that was outrageous!)


text:
Are editors of top-tier journals biased in their decisions by the authors names and affiliations?
Are editors of top-tier journals biased in their decisions by the authors names and affiliations?
Once the editors receive a manuscript for a potential publication, they obviously read the names of the authors and their affiliations. Also, it might be probable that they quickly check some historical records of the authors and some metrics, like number of citations and h-index.
Then, knowing some info about the authors who submitted a certain paper, can the decisions of the editors be influenced by the scholars names and affiliations?
Or is there any regulation, in top-tier journals, that should inhibit such a potential phenomenon?
These doubts come from the observation that some authors are able to continuously publish in top-tier journals, where most of the people struggle to get only one work in a life. Without doubt they are top scientists, but do they get always brilliant ideas? Maybe there is some literature on this topic, that I cannot find.

I would say yes to some extent. I think authors' profile matters. It is my observation. Not only editor but also same comment for referees.

There're a lot of studies that indicate that the answer is "yes". Here's a recent example.

Our analysis shows that editors tend to be more likely to invite high-scoring manuscripts for revision or resubmission when the first author is a man from a country with a very high Human Development Index (HDI); first authors who were women or not from very high HDI countries were more likely to be rejected at this stage.

Most journals have no regulations about this kind of bias. There's only one way about this bias, triple blind peer review, and that will take restructuring of a journal's processes.

I think this is an answer to a different question. Yes, there is discrimination against women in many (many) parts of academia and discrimination in favor of "first world" countries and their universities. But that wasn't the question asked.

Thanks a lot @Allure! I read the article..... exactly what I was thinking... So, basically, you can produce an extraordinary scientific result, an astonishing discover, but if you are not a VIP you are just ignored by those journals editors... Also, this paper might explain why many papers on top-tier journals are mediocre...

@Ommo that's taking it too far. Editors are more likely to invite high-scoring manuscripts from the biased-for group is not the same statement as editors never invite manuscripts from the biased-against group. If you have an extraordinary result but are not a VIP, you an still get published, see e.g. Christian Hennig's answer here: https://academia.stackexchange.com/a/195879/

@Buffy the question asks about discrimination based on author names. Unless there's a suggestion that you can't tell if an author is male or female from their names, I don't see how this answer doesn't answer the question.

What "regulations" there are are just the policies of a given journal. I suspect that the policies of any reputable journal would be against this practice and would require that papers from superstars get reviewed like the papers of we mere mortals.
People vary of course, and not everyone follows policy in every instance. But it can also occur that the papers of superstars get more scrutiny than normal, especially when their contributions become somewhat mundane.
It is unlikely, however, that a superstar would get a desk reject and an editor might want such reviews from other superstars, just to protect themselves.
But the world has a lot of variations. In their prime, superstars probably write good papers, but, like anyone, they can also make errors that should be caught or the reputation of the journal will suffer. The reputation of a journal depends more on the quality of the research it publishes than the names of its authors. Special issues highlighting a career might be different.
And also note that if anyone makes large claims in a paper, especially those that challenge accepted wisdom are likely to get extra scrutiny. Superstars are often better positioned to write such papers.

Great answer, thanks a lot!


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Phd in Statistics (query on topic selection)
I will be applying for phd in Statistics for admission in fall 2023 in the US.
Currently I work in R&D of a top multi national company.
Here my work is to support statistical analysis of clinical trials. while working here I got attracted to "Design and Analysis of Clinical Trial"
but I have immense interest in Bayesian Statistics also.
I want to pursue my phd in Bayesian Statistics ... but since I do not have prior academic research experience, I am worrying that for Bayesian Statistics topic my work experience will not be counted and I may miss out some good schools.
Is my understanding correct on this matter.
Will my work experience be counted as research even if I apply for the Bayesian Statistics phd ?
or should I apply for Design and Analysis of clinical Trials.
I am equally knowledgable and interested in both the topics. I want to choose the topic which will increase my chance of acceptance.
Any suggestions will be very helpful.
Thank you.

What degree(s) do you hold?

I hold a 3 year Bachelors degree followed by a 2 year MS in Statistics (from India)

See the following for general information about US applications. https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/176908/75368

It is typical in the us to ask for a Statement of Purpose of doctoral candidates. In it you write about your goals for the degree and thereafter. Since the typical applicant only has a bachelors there is probably a path for you no matter what you want to do, though some paths will be longer than others. So, if you are well prepared for a given sub-field it might be shorter, otherwise longer, but still possible.
But, as long as the two fields are within the same department there is normally no need to be that specific. Most people start with some advanced courses and look around for an advisor and a specialty.
But in general, unless you are being hired into a specific research group (uncommon in US) you have options and it is fine to mention more than one possibility.
Likewise, the typical applicant has little real research experience, so your lack of it in Bayesian Stats is not likely to be a deal breaker.
But, for top schools the standards are higher, as you expect, and the competition fierce.
But, if you write a good SoP and get good letters of recommendation then you can find a path. But don't apply to only the top schools in the field. The numbers are small and the competition fierce.
Some of the letters should be from academics if possible, but if necessary from researchers at a top institute or company.
Find a compatible advisor who is interested and skilled in what you want to pursue.


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Not sure if grad school was the right choice
I went to a tiny undergrad school and majored in math.  I had absolutely no idea what to do with my major, so I went to grad school (I've been here for two months now).  Now that I'm here, I'm leaps and bounds behind everyone else, and I don't understand anything in any of my classes.  In my undergrad classes I was always one of the top few students, but now I can't figure out anything by myself.  Is this kind of thing normal?  Should I even be here?
And if not, what am I going to do with my life?

How good is your grad school? Top tier?

Not particularly great.  Top 50, maybe.

You're experiencing what a lot of graduate students go through—moving from being a big fish in a small pond to being a big fish among other big fish in what seems to be a vast, uncharted ocean. Feelings of frustration, confusion, and even bewilderment are normal. It's part of the adjustment process. The truth is that many of your classmates are likely going through the same difficulties.
The question to ask is not "Should you be in grad school?" The question to ask is "Do I want to be here?" If you do, then don't let imposter syndrome drag you down! Also, remember that research bears often little resemblance to classwork.
Now, on the other hand, if you've realized that you're not interested in doing a PhD anymore, then you'll be much better off figuring out what you'd like to do instead. There are a lot of career options for mathematicians, and wasting a bunch of years getting a PhD you're no longer interested in won't be of much use for you in the long run.


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Am I in a position to do a PhD?
I’m a physics student in the UK who should be on track for a first (nothing incredible, but not scraping either) at one of the top institutions in the country, for my undergrad, which is an integrated masters. I’ve recently realised how little I like the standard working world as a result of a internship, and as such I’d like to do a PhD (in preferably theoretical plasma or theoretical CMP) with the hopes of going into academia, but I’m worried that having no summer research placements will have a very negative impact on my applications. I will be doing a Master’s project next year, but it seems that the other students I know who have similar grades and also want to do a PhD are doing summer research, whilst I’m doing an internship that’s pretty unrelated. I’d quite like to do one in Europe instead of the UK, although I’m not particularly set on that, if that’s at all relevant.
I think it’s worth adding that a) I wouldn’t be able to afford a PhD if it wasn’t fully funded with a stipend, as my family won’t be able to support me, at all financially, and b) the decision to do a PhD isn’t one I’m taking lightly, it’s always been my goal but the chance to do a well paid internship arose and as a) indicates, money can be tight. Any other general advice for someone in my situation who is probably a bit behind on the application track would be appreciated.

My primary advice is not to reject industry and condemn yourself to pursuing the Academic Dream because of a single internship experience. There are few tenure-track positions & in physics it's not uncommon to do multiple post-docs before being "eligible" to apply to one. This can take a long time and be tiring. Still, if you like what you do, you may enjoy yourself, and a PhD can give you access to different industry opportunities.

If you're worried about your lack of research, you can take a year off after your MPhys and work with a professor in your area of interest. Also, you will have to do some research for your Master's thesis as well, right?

Not an answer, but for the US, I think you would be well placed to start a doctorate and obtain a TA position for support.

@justauser, that is hard to arrange and also difficult given the OPs statements about funding.

A summer research placement is an advantage. But the lack of one is not a disadvantage.
A supervisor is looking for a student who will be an asset to the research group. That means motivation, energy, common sense, self-reliance and teamwork, as well as the ability to pass exams.  A potential student has to convince the supervisor they have these qualities, and if they've done a placement that can be utilised as evidence.  If they havn't then they just have to find other ways of showing that they have these qualities.  An MPhys project is obviously relevant, but so is their CV, cover letter, what they say and how they perform at an interview/visit.
Good luck!

Okay, I see, thank you very much!

+1 As a supervisor I won't make my decision to take on a student or not dependent on whether such an item is in the CV or not, and I'm not aware of any commission that does (it may happen to differentiate two candidates that are otherwise very precisely equal, which rarely happens). As a supervisor I will always weight my interview impression higher. It can be added that industry contacts and experience can be useful also at PhD level, so the internship may be seen as an asset anyway.

I'm a Post-doc in the biomedical research field. Having been in an extrememly disadvantaged position as well (third world country, extremely bad grades due to childhood trauma, undergrad at a bottom of the barrel university, masters at a modest university). I did my doctoral studies at a quietly famous European research institution in an extremely competitive frontier biomedical research area and published extremely well (journals ranked in the top 2% for biomedical research). Now, I'm working in the UK at another very famous institution and am fortunate enough to be able to network with a handful of famous group leaders across biomedical research. I'm not the brightest person in the room, however I like to think that what I lack in smarts, I more than make up for in grit, perseverance and a can-do attitude. I have a close friend from my doctoral studies whose beginnings are even humbler than mine (0 access to information, near to poverty line living).
From my experience, I firmly believe that anyone in any stage of academia is in a position to do a PhD. A single missed summer research opportunity does not mean you won't be able to do a PhD. However, you believing that statement might.
Getting selected for and through a PhD requires a lot more than a head-start.

Show initiative. Read research articles and reach out to group leaders to understand what kind of positions might come up with them for doctoral studies in the future. If the group leaders don't reply, keep on emailing them until they do.
Don't limit yourself to universities. Try and locate under-the-radar hardcore frontier research institutions in your field performing excellent research very quietly.
Develop a thick skin for rejections. They are just a part of academic life.
Develop a can-do attitude. Being able to push-through difficult and hard to solve problems that you'll routinely encounter during your PhD is very important.


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What is the current vaccination regulation for international students for US universities?
Considering the elapsed time of Covid crisis, have any vaccination regulations been put into place for international students waiting to apply for masters programs in US or related research programs in general? If so, are both doses required if already vaccinated by one dose of a two-dose vaccine?

https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/live-coronavirus-updates/heres-a-list-of-colleges-that-will-require-students-to-be-vaccinated-against-covid-19

Whatever the regulations, you are much better off if you are fully vaccinated, including the likely two week wait after the second shot. Many places that don't require it base their policy on misinformation and a rejection of science, willing to let people die unnecessarily.

[H]ave any vaccination regulations been put into place for international students waiting to apply for masters programs in US or related research programs in general?

I find it incredibly unlikely there are vaccinations requirements to apply, however if accepted, it is extremely likely you will be required to have a COVID vaccine (among others) by the time you start (presumably next fall at this point). If you already have one dose, then I see no reason to continue holding off applying.
Indeed, if you are coming from a country with poor access to vaccines, the university will probably be willing to vaccinate you when you arrive, assuming the US will let you in without a vaccine next year.

it is extremely likely you will be required to have a COVID vaccine - I'm not sure about that.  In several states now, universities are not even allowed to require COVID vaccines, and I'm not convinced such a requirement will be a universal standard by next year.

There's a dichotomy: In some states, local laws allow for universities to require vaccination, and then these universities generally do. In other states, law specifically prohibits universities to require vaccination. It is, like everything, largely a question of which party governs a state.

I'm hoping that by fall of 2022 either those states will come to their sense or the feds will step in. But either way, it's rather moot  to the question.

Vaccination policies differ among US universities; some require it, and some don't. It's possible that some universities which don't now require it will in the future, for example when the FDA gives full approval. Your question can only be answered on a case-by-case basis, by looking at the websites of individual universities.
That said, most places which do require the vaccine are requiring full vaccination (e.g. the second dose).

Thanks for the response. I am about to get my second shot and was worried about applying to schools in middle of my vaccination. I think it wouldn't be an issue while applying but I'll look for the schools I wish to apply just to be on the safe side.

@K_lash96 Oh, if you're going to get your second shot soon, then I agree with what Azor Ahai -him- said: I'm virtually certain that there's no vaccine requirement to apply, only to be vaccinated before you show up on campus. I suppose you could check to be sure, but it's probably unnecessary.

Thanks for the info. I will certainly check vaccination requirement for particular school before hand.


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Preparation for data scientist interviews for final year PhD student
I would like to check/ask if there is anything particular that I need to prepare for data scientist interviews. I am quite unsure/lost about the requirements since I am coming from academia (see my background in the next paragraph), and am also working on a tight timeline. I am hoping to transition into an industry data science role -- the aim is to leave academia for good. Thank you for the advice.
My background: I am currently a final year PhD student in machine learning where my research is on machine learning theory, so there is little coding and a lot of designing and analyzing algorithms (i.e., math). I have never interned or worked in the industry before (went directly into my PhD program after my undergrad). I am familiar with most machine learning algorithms (having taken both undergrad and graduate level courses on the topic), however since I worked in theory, I don't have any experience applying ML algorithms to real datasets (mainly just analyzed algorithms mathematically).
Also, it is advisable to go into interviews without any (technical) prep given my background -- asking in the worst case if the timing is too tight for me. Thanks again.

You'll want to make sure you can load data from a file and do some basic manipulations live-- averaging, groupbys, making plots. Usually in a jupyter notebook with pandas. It's unlikely you'll be asked to code a model, just conceptual questions. kaggle is a good place to practice.

Hi. I think this is not the right community for your question. Maybe Data Science SE can provide you better answers? https://datascience.stackexchange.com

Workplace SE is probably more appropriate for this question.

I'd recommend using your remaining time to beef up on your software development skills. Python, R, for starters.

Thanks for the comments.

I would guess that the strength of your case is that you are up to date on what is known, theoretically, about your field and the weakness is that you have little practical, applied, experience. That will be obvious from your CV, I'd also guess. It isn't something you can hide or finesse.
I'd suggest, therefore, that in any interviews you try to emphasize the strengths and indicate that you are looking forward to putting that theory to work effectively. I'd be careful not to say that you want to emphasize theoretical developments in the field, but, rather, the practical elements. Indicate also that you are a good person to stay current with the theory as necessary, though.
Your background is what it is. Some places will like that, others won't. But that is the case for just about everyone.

Earlier in your studies you might have been able to do an internship of some sort, but it seems late to be able to change the record at this point.

Thank you for your reply.


text:
Asking about supervisors/collaborators you haven't met
Is it normal/acceptable to ask researchers/supervisors you're familiar with (in this case, a professor who supervised me some number of years ago) about other researchers who they've likely to have met? Specifically, I'm having to decide on a researcher to supervise me on a short project, but other than a few emails, I know nothing about their personality/work-style.
I planned to send an email to my old supervisor along the lines of:
"How well do you know Professor X? Would you recommend working with them?" (but with more pleasantries). Could this come across as rude, or is this sort've thing expected (in UK/US academia). Also for reference, I'm currently a PhD student in the UK and the researchers I'm asking about are all at US institutions, so I don't have any chance to meet them personally first. I also understand that this is largely dependent on how close you are with the person you ask, but some other opinions would be useful anyway.

As long as you are sending the letter to someone you know and who will remember something about you, this should be fine. It may actually be necessary to obtain some such information about potential supervisors in a system in which you need to choose a supervisor as part of the application process. Other places there isn't really a need (the US, for example, in most fields).
I doubt that it is necessary to be "friends" with the person you ask, but there should be some likelihood that the one you ask will have some context for the question.
But the expectation is that you will treat any information in confidence.
Moreover, if the professor recommends another to you, they might also be a good choice to recommend you to them if you actually make application.
The need may be less for general collaboration, since you may have the opportunity to communicate with people before you make any binding decisions and get a sense of how they respond. But still, it should be fine, without issues.

Since you mention the US specifically, note that it is fairly rare to need to choose a supervisor as part of the application process. Hiring for TAs and such is mostly (not exclusively) a departmental matter. See How does the admissions process work for Ph.D. programs in Country X?, for general information about doctoral applications various places, including UK and US.

Thanks for your answer - agree with everything you say there, so I guess the question was more for some confirmation.
Regarding the US bit and choosing a supervisor, this is for a funded doctoral exchange program, so I need a supervisor to agree in advanced. I emailed a few professors with details, and was surprised that they all came back with a 'yes', so now I'm just trying to make a decision.

Answering the titular question - yes, this kind of information harvesting is completely normal and acceptable.
However, I would exercise caution and opt for a direct contact with the potential supervisor instead if you do not maintain or have maintained a close enough professional relationship with the person you are about to inquire. In other words, if you do not feel comfortable showing up at their door with "hey, I was wondering if you could help me a bit" - do not do that.