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Proper resignation date based on relocation date for spouse
I'm an assistant professor at a large public University, and I'm planning to make the move into industry for a variety of reasons.
My spouse is also an academic and has accepted a position in a different city 7 months before the position starts. Because I was planning to leave for industry anyway, I am making the move with my spouse and will begin a job search when I move to the new city.
My question is about a proper resignation date - it's February and I already know that I'm leaving but it seems very early to let the administration know. I am also supposed to be teaching a summer class that begins in May, so they'll need to find a replacement for me to teach that. I'm not sure what to do etiquette-wise; If I resign now I give them approximately 10 weeks to find a replacement for my summer course and all of my courses in the fall, but I'll need to deal with the inevitable peer negativity and rumor mill that'll spring up.
While it feels too early to give a resignation, I'm tired of fielding questions about the courses I'll be teaching in the future when I already know I won't be around. Any advice is appreciated!

Well, any negativity would increase the closer you get to the end of the semester (perhaps not linearly). I don't know your department but I don't see any reason to not let people know now.

How about informing the department chair of your intention to resign but delaying the official public announcement? A competent chair would have no trouble keeping the information from leaking, while still making necessary preparations for your departure.

"Resignation date", to my mind, refers to the date at which you'll stop working. You seem to be asking about resignation notice.

I'll need to deal with the inevitable peer negativity and rumor mill that'll spring up.

You must work in a really bitchy department if you get peer negativity and rumors just for wanting to pursue an alternative career path.  In a well-functioning department, we wish departing staff all the best, and thank them for their service.  In any case,  whether or not you work in a department that is actually that bad, I can't imagine it will be any better if you leave more suddenly, with less notice of your departure.  The longer you leave it, the less time people will have to fill your duties, and the more inconvenience to them.  I'm sure your department head and close colleagues would appreciate as much notice as possible of your departure, and if you want this to remain confidential until you have some "official notice" of leaving, you can always ask them to delay telling the rest of your department.
Academics leave university departments all the time, and in this kind of circumstance, I would not expect any negativity to be directed towards the person leaving, particularly if they have given a substantial amount of notice.  If your notice of departure genuinely causes peer negativity and adverse rumours, that would reflect badly on the department, and it would just confirm what a good decision it is for you to leave.  If you are sure about leaving, my advice would be to give as much notice as possible --- i.e., let your department head know ASAP.


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Advice on grading assignments and exams during Covid Pandemic
I am TAing for an undergraduate course: "Data Structure and Algorithms". The course is attended by around 200 students consisting of second to fourth-year students of multiple disciplines.
Midway through the semester, our country got hit by a Covid wave. Around 20% of the students are there who themselves are sick or their family members are sick. These students are requesting relaxation in course policies like decreasing the number of assignments, decreasing the passing criteria of the course, avoid surprise quizzes, etc. The students who are close to their graduation are more afraid of failing and losing their jobs.
However, a small fraction of students are not realizing the plight of other students and they are against any such relaxations. These students are mostly those who are performing well in the course. They want to attempt all the assignments and exams and want grades for them. They are not realizing the plight of the students who are unable to perform well under these tough times.
According to me, a few relaxations might be beneficial for all the students and that can be implemented. For example: not conducting surprise quizzes in the class, etc. However, the relaxations like decreasing the number of assignments or decreasing the passing criteria of the course is not a good approach since the students will pass the exam without sufficient knowledge and learning. It would further affect badly their future job prospects. Moreover, it would be unjust for the students who worked hard and secured good grades to survive in this competitive world.
I know that this is a debatable and subjective question, and there is no perfect answer to this. However, I will like to know the inputs and advice from you since somebody might have faced a similar situation in recent times. What action should be taken under these conditions that will benefit the most number of students, taking into account the plight of the students who are suffering due to Covid?

What does the course instructor say? What does the faculty say? How do other courses handle that? That is certainly not a single-course decision and should be handled consistently across the board.

@CaptainEmacs This problem is common across all the courses.

Yes, then it needs to be decided across the courses. Are you programme leader, i.e. does it fall to you to make this decision?

@CaptainEmacs No. But I can give inputs to the instructors on what can be done.

Well, have a consistent treatment of hardness cases (illness etc.). They can get a second chance to do their exams at some other time if their claims are proven. The others take the exams in a regular form. You should probably drop surprise quizzes in such an atmosphere, but could keep the other relevant assessments at the same level, with this "reserve" opportunity at hand.

This is not a policy for a TA to change. The faculty is responsible for the course evaluation policy. TAs just help carry it out. This is especially true if there are many TAs since grading needs to be consistent over all the students in a course.
If you think a change is warranted, discuss it with faculty. But you certainly can do so.
But, the basis of this question is unfortunately too focused on grading rather than learning. It is learning that has become more difficult. It is also true that the methods we use to evaluate students (exams, say) has been affected and cheating has been made easier and harder to catch. If you want to make a positive change, focus on those things.
Personally I think standards of learning should not be lowered. But better ways to construct courses and evaluate students are required now.
Note that employers also are going through the same things that students are, so it is unlikely that they will ignore the difficulties that students face in hiring and in graduate school admissions.

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Rejecting a mathematical paper for not describing a notation
I am currently reviewing a conference paper. In the main mathematical proof in the paper, the authors have used a variable 'X' without specifying what it means. And, it is not trivial to figure out what it means. Everything seems well written but understanding the proof without the meaning of the notation is making me frustrated.
Should I try harder to figure out by myself, what the notation could mean? This would require a lot of effort from my side, and perhaps I might fail to figure it out. Or should I simply reject the paper?
There is a small rebuttal period but then I am not sure if I would be able to devote sufficient time to review the paper again that time.

This is what "revise and resubmit" and "major revision" recommendations are for. (That said, many conferences in maths do not consider proofs to be essential, under the theory that conference papers are mere teasers for later journal papers. Depends on the conference.)

Would you mind explaining what a rebuttal period is? Do authors get to reply to recommendations to reject? (Asking out of curiosity: might be something that ought to be imported from your field to mine.)

The process you mention (like "rebuttal period") seems to be common in theoretical computer science conferences. In your situation, I'd ask the chair of the program committee (or whoever asked me to do this review) to ask the authors for the definition of X, so that I can continue reviewing. And, of course, if the review is otherwise successful, I'd say in my report that the definition of X must be included in the final version of the paper.

@AndreasBlass Yes, you are right! I am reviewing a paper of a Computer Science topic. I will try communicating this to the program committee chair. However, I wonder if he/she will respond since there are thousands of papers that are submitted in the conference, and the chair might be busy with other important tasks. But I will try.

@AnonyPostdoc You might find the definition in this useful.

If your only options are "Accept" and "Reject" then yes, you might reject. But issues like this one is why there's usually a third option, "revise", that you can recommend. I would just recommend revision now, and wait for the authors to fix the issue (it shouldn't take long).

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COVID-19 - Should I start applying for other jobs having accepted a post-doc verbal offer months ago?
I accepted a verbal post-doc offer from my future PI through email in late January. The university has asked me to fill out some forms for paperwork and visa application from time to time since then (the position is in the US and I need to apply for a J1 visa for it) but I never received an official offer.
Unfortunately, all US visa services have been halt due to COVID-19. I am really unsure when I will be able to start the visa application and when I may enter the US. The planned starting date was in April which is definitely impossible now -- I do not know how long the PI is willing to hold the position for me. Given all this uncertainty (also chaos from recent family issues), I am reconsidering applying for some local jobs.

I know that in the industry, it is commonly advised to continue looking without a written offer. Is this also the case in academia?
Will it be unethical to start looking, potentially rescinding my acceptance of the verbal offer if I secured another one? I have not signed anything and the circumstances are quite special, but breaking a commitment feels wrong. I do not know if this will burn bridges with the PI.

What will you do if you were in my shoes? Any advice will be much appreciated.

You accepted a verbal post-doc offer from my future PI through email in late January. Did they acknowledge?

To be clear, the professor offered in person or over the phone, then you followed up over email?

@user2768 Yes they did, and I have been followed up by the university staff about visa application, etc.

@AzorAhai She offered over email and I replied over email as well.

@CJR Thanks a lot for the advice. We have been in touch but I haven't received a formal written offer (not sure why -- I kind of assumed a formal offer could only be issued after I complete visa application, but yeah I should have asked them to elaborate on this).

@guessit Then you received and accepted an offer from the university. I can't comment as to whether that's binding under US law though.

@user2768 Thanks I see. I did not receive/sign a formal written offer from the university (not the PI), though. Is this normal in academia?

You should only accept formal written offers.  If you follow that practice, you will never be in this situation.
Since it is too late for that, you should request a formal written offer immediately.  Yes, you should look for alternate employment.  There are several possibilities:

You never get the formal offer.  In this case, get a job elsewhere.
You get the offer and can start the job.  Then start the job.
You get the offer and cannot start the job because you cannot get a visa.  Since you do not have a visa, even if you accept the offer the agreement is invalid.  Find a job elsewhere.
You do not get the offer, but do get a job elsewhere.  In this case, inform the university that, if you do not get the offer in a reasonable period of time, you will no longer be available.
You get a job elsewhere, and after a long time you get the written offer and visa.  Now you have the opportunity to experience both jobs!

Thank you so much for your advice. It is just a matter of time before I get the visa once everything is back to normal. The problem is I have no idea how soon that will be since it depends on how the pandemic unfolds. I can wait for several months more but perhaps not for over half a year :(

@CJR True that it could happen, but at greater risk of legal and reputational harm, so it is very unlikely.


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Should I change my major to something more useful yet less interesting to me l if I already secured an internship in that field?
I'm currently majoring in Political Science with a computer science minor. I managed to secure an internship with a large, multinational software company for the summer of 2020 as a data analyst (more on the business side than CS side). I was thinking about switching to Economics for more rigorous mathematical training and either keeping the minor and graduate on time or dropping the minor and graduating a semester early (the minor is 22 credits for some reason).
The thing is, I don't like econ. I am in intro Micro now and it's by far my least favorite class. However, this is likely not helped by the fact that the teacher is not the best, it's a 300 person lecture and from 4:30-5:45 twice a week. However, the higher level applied mathematical parts of econ intrigue me even if they are hard. I think the analytical classes would benefit me a lot paired with computer science.
Anyway, my question is should I still switch to the more useful major I don't love as much and possibly graduate late, or stay where I am since I got an internship with a large company that is gonna help my resume a lot and rely on that experience?

Many people find the intro Econ classes less than interesting. Not sure about your institution, but often there is a lot of overlap between PolySci and Econ so you may well be able to take a lot of Econ classes for you PolySci major.

How about just switching your major to computer science? I suppose that might be too much additional coursework.

@littleO Yeah, done the math, would make me a 6 year unfortunately. Would if I could realistically.

There is hardly anything worse than spending your life, or your efforts, on something you don't love.
The mathematical training in Econ will be a bit limited if focused. You might do just a well taking some of your elective courses in math. That would also support your CS minor. Statistics would work with Poly Sci also.
Don't think "useful" unless it is an economic necessity. You are well placed to do something that you find interesting as well as rigorous. Too early to make such compromises.


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Pursuing the field of computational physics professionally with a physics PhD
Please let me know if I should migrate this question elsewhere if it is inappropriate for this site.
This fall, I will begin my PhD program in physics at Johns Hopkins, and I would like to continue my education in theoretical condensed matter physics with a strong emphasis on computational methods.
As an undergraduate, I took Computational Physics I and II (grad level courses) and I absolutely loved them. In particular, I enjoyed the process of doing pen-and-paper theoretical calculations and turning those results into code from scratch. Note the latter part: many computational physics groups utilize packages like LAPACK in their work, but I'm not a fan of that; I'm a fan of writing my own code. I guess you could say I enjoy coding, just as much as I enjoy doing theoretical calculations. Additionally, I have been doing research in computational condensed matter physics for two years now. The conclusion has been a robust, multi-layered MD code for correlated systems that is super fast. The process of developing the code and seeing how physical calculations can turn into simulated observables was amazing.
Having enjoyed the field of computational physics, I'd like to pursue it professionally and end up with a career in industry regarding this field. As such, I would like to master it! My problem is that I don't know how. First, there aren't that many classes focusing on computational methods at my university. Second, there aren't many condensed matter physicists at my school who actively write their own code (if they are computational people, they use already-built packages for massive simulations). To me, it seems like becoming an expert in computational physics would be more of a self-taught situation. If so, how can I ensure I get a comprehensive overview of the subject and adequately educate myself?
In general, I'd like your expert recommendations as to what I can do to professionally develop myself in the field of computational physics.

Thanks for letting me know instead of marking the question. Do you know where I can ask such a question?
Also, Physics PhD is the perfect thing for me. I must have not been clear--my apologies. I want to be a physicist by profession. In particular, I want to professionally pursue condensed matter theory. I love the computational aspect of physics, as opposed to say becoming a software engineer. I wanted to seek advice on how to become an expert in the field of computational physics, and I don't think one can become an expert in this field if one lacks physical knowledge and intuition.

One of the best things you can do is pursue an internship at a national laboratory where they conduct computational physics research.

Definitely check out the DoE National Labs, and the Computational Science Graduate Fellowship.

So for starters, I want to comment on your interest in writing everything from scratch. I feel for you with that, I felt similarly when I was starting out. While writing codes for some things that exist in great software packages already can definitely make sense, I will specifically say that writing code to do numerical linear algebra work is a terrible use of time. These numerical linear algebra packages are optimized to the extreme both with respect to algorithm approaches and with their software implementations.
Now implementing some of these things yourself is a great learning experience but don’t expect your code will perform nearly as well as the popular and proven packages. Also note that when it comes to being a productive researcher, you will have to be smart about optimizing your use of time. Building up your own numerical linear algebra package is likely not going to be a very productive use of your time. Feel free to comment.
As for how to learn, you should see if you can find more specific courses in other departments in things like computational mechanics so you can develop some general computational science skills, if you cannot find computational courses with your desired niche. From there, you’ll want to find some good textbooks to supplement your learning, depending on what things you need to learn more deeply or that fit your domain of interest better. You’ll obviously want to also develop some of your own solvers after you’ve covered the theoretical side of things to validate your understanding.
Outside of the straight up computational physics learning, you should try learning about some topics that could be useful, such as High Performance Computing, numerical optimization, and perhaps some minimal computational geometry.

I guess for starters you could look at what is there at JHU in terms of advisors.  Consider to look at theoretical chemistry, matsci or even applied math or engineering as well for co-advisor.  (Just since you are looking for something very specific, you may need to expand the net, within your school.)


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Will going part-time in undergraduate affect my graduate admission?
I'm a fourth year undergraduate student in a university in the U.S., and this is my last semester. I have already applied to graduate schools, and I'm currently awaiting responses. Since I have already finished all my requirements and am ready to graduate, I wanted to go part time this semester. I am aware of how it affects my financial aid; however, I do not know if it has an effect on my admittance to graduate school. I do not mean whether or not I get accepted (the decisions will happen without knowledge of my current semester), but whether I am eligible to attend graduate school if I have been part time for a semester. That is, will there be any potential issues when the schools that have accepted me see my final transcript and see I was part time? Is there a universal answer to this? Or should I contact each school individually and ask about their policy?
Also, are there any other potential issues with going part time that I haven't mentioned? Anything noteworthy I might have missed?

In any of your applications, did you discuss your planned coursework for spring?  If they were expecting you to take a particular course in spring (maybe one that's not required for your degree but useful anyway) and you don't, that could be a problem.

I do not mean whether or not I get accepted (the decisions will happen without knowledge of my current semester), but whether I am eligible to attend graduate school if I have been part time for a semester. That is, will there be any potential issues when the schools that have accepted me see my final transcript and see I was part time?

I have never heard of a graduate school that has a policy against applicants with a period of part time studies, and, really, there is no reasonable reason to have such a policy. They could perhaps have an issue with applicants taking an unusually long time to complete their undergraduate degree, but that shouldn't be a problem in your case. If you don't find anything about it on their list of requirements on their website (which I'd bet you won't), I wouldn't even bother contacting them about it.

Also, are there any other potential issues with going part time that I haven't mentioned? Anything noteworthy I might have missed?

If you're working part time, I'd be sure to check out relevant rules for income and student loans (if you have any). Otherwise, I don't know of anything worth noting.

I did something similar.  My final semester in undergrad, I had two options: stay full time and finish two minors, or go part time (really just one class) and complete an intensive EMT-Paramedic training program.  Since I was seriously considering med schools, the second option seemed like a better idea to me.  (How good of an idea it was remains to me seen, since I did not go to med school, but anyway...)
I have since gone to grad school in two different fields.  Absolutely no one gave a dang about my last semester being part time (although I did get some questions about being a paramedic).
So, to quote guest:

Just get the sheepskin. Nobody cares about the details.


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What questions could I ask students in an online questionnaire to improve my online teaching?
Like many of us, I imagine, I have been giving online lectures, tutorials, Q&A sessions, exams, etc. for almost a year (and I just realized that it has, indeed, been almost a year...).
I have been frustrated by many aspects of online teaching, and I am not sure that I am meeting students' expectations. Now that this second online semester is coming to an end, I would like to send them a questionnaire to ask them what they thought of this whole ordeal, what they would like to see improved, what they enjoyed, etc. However, I want to make sure that my questions are not biased, and that they cover everything, I don't want to miss some aspects.
What are good questions that I could ask students? What are resources that I could read on such questionnaires?
Note: There isn't a culture of systematically asking for students' evaluations of courses in my country. Everything is organized by individual instructors. I teach math if it makes a difference. I have myself taken a class a fews years ago on collecting students' opinions, but it proved useless to me and completely out of touch with the reality of teaching that I was familiar with (the class instructors were coming from social sciences, where I believe the teaching is done in a different manner – I am not trying to disparage, just saying that teaching e.g. math and teaching e.g. sociology isn't done in the same way).

I'd go on about this in an informal manner. I'd probably ask general open questions like "What did you like about the course?", "What do you think could be improved about the course?", and then cover issues I am particularly interested in, like "What do you think of the way the exercise feedback was given?", "How do you think students could be stimulated better to participate actively in the online lessens?" or "how effective do you think was XXX that I tried to stimulate participation?" etc.
I do not think that questions need to be unbiased. In fact I'd like questions to encourage students to be positive and constructive (therefore I ask "what did you like" but not "what didn't you like"). Many feel more comfortable writing positive things and some will respond to "What do you think could be improved about the course?" rather than  "what didn't you like?" Also I think it will help me more and make myself more open to take criticism if it is presented in a constructive way, and I will more happily use ideas to improve if I get a generally positive message from the feedback. The students need to be encouraged to write things that can help you to improve, but I don't think it serves anybody to invite them to complain.
Obviously it is laudable that you'd also like to cover some aspects that are maybe not the first things you think of yourself. Some general aspects that can be covered are speed of delivery, quality of the provided material, do the students feel comfortable to ask questions and that your answers address them properly (the problem here is that students who for some reason don't feel comfortable to ask you questions may also not be comfortable to tell you this), what do the students think about the amount of work to be done, how this is organised, is the material challenging enough or even too challenging, do they think that you assessed their background knowledge well, i.e., neither spent too much time to explain things they already knew nor assumed material that they didn't know etc. Others will add more. You can of course also ask things like "Is there any comment you have that isn't covered by the questions up to now?" or "Do you believe that there is something about the situation of the students in these times that I should be aware of/take into account more?"
A word of caution though, somewhat in contrast to the number of suggestions before. Keep it short! Keep in mind filling in a questionnaire and then reading it takes time of your students and you. Time is precious. It is probably a bigger problem to cover all you can think of in a questionnaire that takes half an hour to fill in than to ask just five or seven questions and then realise that you forgot something you'd have liked to ask. With very open general questions, you give the students at least the chance to tell you whatever is not covered by other questions.

Good points all around, thanks!


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postdoc prospects
I am a postdoc now, it is okay, but I do not really see any prospects (unfortunately haha). How do you get out of the vicious loop of postdocs? How to progress in academia careerwise? Great totally new questions. I am tired of the uncertainty and I do not want to do an infinite number of temporary postdocs.
I am not a citizen of the countries, where I work. That puts additional stress on me because basically just living here depends on my temporary positions and I never know what's next (well nobody does, but they can at least try to predict with  a certain confidence). How do people evolve to professors, not in their homeland?  Leaving aside very-very smart and successful researchers, not one of them hah. I think I am quite average, but I am also hard-working and not a complete dum-dum luckily.
Are there any prospects for me to have a stable position in any future? I am a bioengineer with engineering/applied math background if it matters. However, my PhD and current research topics are quite specific; not so easy to transfer to industry (maybe to a junior position only). Also, not if it actually matters, but I am being paid same as PhD students, which does not help with my already desperate vibes (probably it is my fault anyway since I did not negotiate my salary in the first place, agreeable females in action).
I am having a bit of an existential whining crisis here, even though my current university and collegues are nice, just the uncertainty is killing me. Let me know if you had something similar and then everything magically worked out for you out of nowhere:)

It is certainly a wretched time to be trying to realistically visualize the future... Possibly just being conscientious and waiting is a sane strategy? Dunno.

Build a track record (publications, grants) that makes you employable in a tenure-track position. The required kind of track record, you can find out by looking at CVs of people who recently got hired in that kind of job. If you don't see yourself being able to build such track record, then you're well-advised to leave academia sooner better than later.

I am in a sort of similar position, I have just managed to get my foot in the door (although in my homeland, so can't help with that side). The truth is you will have to write a lot of applications, and even more once you have a position. I wouldn't be afraid of working in industry for a bit either, those links can be vital and set you apart when applying for positions - who knows, you may enjoy working in industry more! Even just talking to people in your current network about your research ideas and seeing where that leads may be useful. There are also websites like euraxess which may give you some idea of positions you can apply for (in europe) and what they need.
Best of luck to you!

You, like many aspiring academics are in a holding pattern now. That is understandable due to economic and health reasons as well as an overabundance of people graduating in some fields. Your solution is to do post-docs. That may be viable, if you are comfortable with it, but there are other possibilities.
You need to be applying to a lot of potential positions, but post-doc and regular faculty. But it you restrict your applications to a narrow segment of academia (say R1 institutions) you will have less of a chance of being able to build a career. In the US, for example, there are a large number of Liberal Arts Colleges that do a fine job of educating students, but where research is less important (and often poorly supported). That isn't always true, of course.
But, you don't need to treat such a position as a 'lower level' one if the environment is good. You can use it to build a career and move back into research later if you make the right moves. Those include keeping active and building a circle of collaborators, perhaps outside the local college. That is easier if you are in a place with a lot of nearby universities, of course, but the internet enables things that weren't possible in the past.
Cast a wide net. Find something interesting to do and plan a longer term strategy.


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Improving work relationship with my advisor
I'm new to the research scene. I asked my advisor questions about the suggestions he gave in a couple of meetings. From then on, he insulted me a few times whenever he has to provide feedback on my work in our project meetings and he responds in an aggressive way when I ask him doubts as well. One time, he questioned my degree and skills for the feedback of 'bolding a boundary in a visual illustration' and we had a poster deadline then in a few days. I'm not sure if he did this in spite, but he asked us to send him a final draft, which we did before the poster deadline. And he did not provide us any feedback or response on the draft or us submitting the deadline.
Earlier it was fine, he responded politely more or less. How do I fix this now?

Possible duplicate: https://academia.stackexchange.com/q/118465/75368, though the linked question is more focused on doctoral research.

I've supervised many undergraduate research students. Fortunately, I've never done things to them like this OP describes, but sometimes there are mismatches in terms of what I expect students to be able to do, meeting deadlines, the nature of feedback, etc. Of course, communication is key.
From the OP's perspective it's worth remembering:

The advisor is human, and there might be things going on in his life that you're unaware of. Try to have a little grace.
Many professors do not view undergrad research as a good use of time. It's basically a service to the student/department. Anything I can teach an undergrad how to do, I could have done much faster myself.
Probably the professor would also like a better working relationship.

My advice would be to give it a few days to cool off, then ask to meet up for general advice, rather than specific to the research. At that meeting, you could explain that you worry that you might not be meeting his expectations, but it's really important to you to do a good job, and you'd like his advice on how to be a better research student for him. Try to come off as earnest. I don't know why, but reading the OP, I got the sense that part of the issue might have been tone from the OP during earlier meetings about the suggestions the advisor was giving. So I'd advise any reader in a situation like this to think about tone and how you come off to the advisor.
Faced with an earnest student who just wants to do better, hopefully the advisor would give specific pointers (or might even apologize himself, if he realizes he's been taking his stress out on you a bit). No matter what he says: don't push back or get defensive! Just write down what he says, say thanks, and say you'll work to get better. Later, you can decide if you feel the situation is mismatched and if you might do better with a different undergrad research mentor. Or, you might feel the advisor has a point and you really can do better. But I think a meeting like I described would help repair the relationship and hopefully lead to a less aggressive stance in the future, once the advisor realizes you really are trying to meet his expectations.


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What can I do about my institution taking a long time to correct a mistake in my transcript?
In January of 2016, I completed a Master's in Library and Information Sciences in Norway.  My transcripts were verified and signed by three universities as it was a joint course in collaboration of three universities.
The transcripts appear to incorrectly list my grades in 4 courses as "Recognized" instead of providing the actual grades.  I didn't gave focus to that grades before because it was signed my the rectors of three universities so I thought may be that is some kind of grade.

Later on when I applied for a job in a company, they refused to grant me the job because of that error in my diplomas.
I then complained to my university about the error. After that, the universities send me temporary grade papers within few days by saying that they are going to send another copy of transcripts within a months as they have to have the transcripts signed by three universities' rectors.
The total process it took 1 year, which had wasted my time. So what shall I do to the universities regarding this issue?

Are you asking what you should do to the universities, or about the problem?

Is this resolved? It appears to be. Did you still get a job in the meantime? Do you want to sue? Or are you just venting?

What is a "Recognized" grade? Is it a "pass" grade without further distinction? Is it like an Incomplete?

Yes, I am asking that what actions can I take toward the universities. As, I got an email from program coordinator as 'I am terribly sorry that the Diploma is incorrect. It should not have passed our quality control procedures. We will issue a new and correct diploma. '

Without researching these places, are you sure that this isn't a degree mill?  The story just sounds pretty suspicious.

Wait
You should do nothing. The universities made a mistake and claim to be fixing it. Unless you have a reason to believe they will not fix it, then you should do nothing but wait.
Mistakes happen and it is unfortunate.
If you have a reason to believe the universities are not honest and will not fix the issue, then you should edit that reason into the question.

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Benefits of including short and/or long-term visits abroad on my CV?
I am in my first year of a theoretical physics PhD in the UK and I'm coming to the end of a week abroad at another institution where some collaborators of mine work. The purpose of the visit is to make some quick progress on a specific project, and I applied for (and was awarded) a small grant from an EU funding body to pay for the visit.
The answers to a closely related question, "Should I include research stays in my CV?", suggest that such stays should be included on a CV.
I see my CV as essentially a record of my professional activities, and this visit therefore falls within that scope, but I wonder if, due to the short nature of the visit, it would be seen as padding. I already have a modest section of my CV devoted to grants, awards and prizes, where I also list the specific monetary amounts I received, so is it wiser simply to list the funding and not mention the visit it was used for?
Further to this, I intend to apply for more funding soon which will allow me to visit the same institution plus another in another country for much longer (possibly up to six months). If I am successful in this regard, should I include the visit, the funding or both on my CV?
Question:  What are the possible benefits/drawbacks of including a visit or/and its funding on a CV?

I don't see any drawbacks adding your grants and visits in CV, but it will surely increase the weightage of your CV in this competitive world. I have been a Travel Grant Reviewer since last 5 years to select suitable candidates to attend the meetings/conferences. My experiences give the following merits to add them in CV.

Grants/Awards/Prizes proves your ability to be considered in top researchers.
Visits abroad proves your ability to work in different environments/places and with different peoples.
Listing your conferences and presentation details proves your ability/interest to present your work in the international forum.

So all the points have their own meaning to define your potential. If you don't mention them, then how do you think that you will be evaluated properly?

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What if funding info not uploaded while submission but acknowledged?
To the best of my knowledge, when some authors are funded by some industries, they should (or sometimes have to) acknowledge the industry by writing the funding ID.
What happens if someone acknowledges the funding info, in detail, in the manuscript, but does not upload them to the submission system of journal, while submitting the paper?
It seems that the published info of that research will be public only in the published paper and not the journal private database, and therefore that public information will be the official reference in the case of conflict of interest.
Can anyone confirm whether or not this is accurate?
It might be helpful to note that:

The context is artificial intelligence - computer science.
The funding institutes are European.
Based on European regulations algorithms cannot be patented because patenting them is equal to publishing the algorithm (unlike US regulations).
Thus, I do not understand if conflict of interest is, even, possible in this field.

There are two different things here: (1) Acknowledgement and (2) Online information. These two things are different.
(1) Acknowledgement is provided by the authors and it appears in the printed (online and offline) manuscript. Acknowledgement can go to a person, a set of persons, a lab, an university, a funder and such like.
(2) Funding information appears in both manuscript (just below abstract, sometimes) and in the online journal website. This is exclusively provided to thank the funding organization. And, if the research is funded, then it is a must.
If you don't provide such information while submitting the paper, though you have acknowledged in the manuscript, it won't appear on the journal website.
However, here is the alternative. I believe that you have submitted the first version of the manuscript. If it comes for a revision request, then while submitting the revised version, you can edit the funding information in online submission system.
Alternatively, you can email the journal editorial office to make an arrangement with the submission system so that you can edit the submission again. Note that if the article is already under review, you can't change anything now.


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Need an endorser for arxive in computer science society
Recently,  I have published a paper in one of the renowned journals. The journal policy allows me to submit it to arxiv provided that the copyright notice is included in the text. However, since it is my first time to upload in arxiv I need an endorser in the computer science society. I was wondering if anyone in this forum can be of help.

Someone who cites your paper in the renowned journal may be happy to help.

You could of course also actually read what is written on arXiv about getting an endorser. This post is pretty much not what they say to do.

Possible duplicate of How to find an arXiv endorser

Someone who cites your paper in the renowned journal may be happy to help.
The renowned journal editor may be happy to do it.
Co-authors of the paper likely would do this.
Others in your department or college may be willing to do this.
Post a preprint on research gate or similar. Ask for a review from an arXiv member.


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Is this appropriate for a remarking policy?
I take a course of which the remarking policy requires students to point out why their marks of exam or assignments are wrong, or they cannot request for a remarking. The professor said it can stop students to ask for more marks for no reason. It is like the markers don't need to tell you why you are wrong, but students should tell why they are correct. Is this appropriate for remarking?

The markers already marked it, so they told you why you are wrong. Usually in remarking, students try to show why they are not wrong, although the marking person thought so. And yes, you would have to point that out in detail, otherwise, there is no chance to discuss it.

I'm frankly amazed - in what way could this requirement of minimal effort on the student's part (effort which they've presumably already mostly put forth if they've decided they deserve a regrade!) possibly be inappropriate? (Incidentally, think about the asymmetry here: the time it takes for a grader to write a sentence of explanation for each student is much,much more than the time it takes a student to write a paragraph of explanation for the grader. Asking the student to show some basic engagement is entirely appropriate.)

Before I devote time and effort to re-marking a paper, I would want to have some reason for thinking that the original marking was incorrect.  Usually, that reason would be that the student tells me what (s)he thinks is wrong with the original marking.  Other reasons are imaginable, for example I might find out that an assistant who did the grading was confused about what answers are correct, or I might find out that the assistant was angry with a particular student and allowed that to influence the marking.  But these other reasons occur very rarely. In the vast majority of cases, a student who wants a paper to be re-marked must point out an error in the original marking. (Of course, a student can also simply ask me to explain the original marking, not asking for a better grade but trying to understand what (s)he did wrong.)

Would you let the marker to handle students' issues?

@Tony No, if students have complaints about the marking of their papers, I would handle those complaints myself. In my department, graders are usually hired only to grade homework, not to hold office hours or otherwise interact with students, and I try to avoid any situation where graders would have to do more than the homework marking that they are being paid for. In fact, I usually don't even tell the students who the grader is, so student complaints must come to me, not to the grader. (The situation would be different if the grader were a teaching assistant who also holds office hours.)

So students cannot just come to meet you and ask for regrading?

@Tony Students can come to my office hour and ask for regrading, but if they do, the first thing I'll do is ask them which problem(s) they want regraded and why they think the original grading is wrong.

Just as there can't be a presumption in an exam that a student has answered all questions correctly, there can neither be a presumption that any request for regrading is well-founded. The onus in both cases is on the student to show that she deserves a good grade. This is simply a matter of consistency.

Your question is a bit difficult to understand. I believe you are saying that your course's policy on remarking (which other users, like me, may know as "grade appeal") requires students to explain why they believe the initial marking was incorrect, so that students don't appeal every mark that they are unhappy with. The professors, however, don't tell you why you received the initial mark, and you wonder if this is an appropriate policy, given the apparent double standard.
Assuming this understanding of your question, I say that yes, it is appropriate, but not optimal (on the professor's side). When students do not get a perfect grade on an assignment, professors should, ideally, tell students what they did wrong and what got them penalized. However, professors (or whoever is grading the assignments) are often very busy and may have too much work to spend time giving personalized feedback on what students did wrong. So while it's not ideal, sometimes professors just can't give reasons for the grades they give due to time or work pressures. Students, on the other hand, usually don't have the same workload as professors, even if their days are also busy. Therefore, they can spend more time giving a good explanation for why they do not believe this grade is appropriate.
There's also a second reason, which may actually be stronger than my first one. Every assignment that a student submits for credit in a class must be graded, whether by the professor or another person. That's a routine task. A remarking or grade appeal is not. Students should not have to appeal every grade. It should be an uncommon occurrence, because professors should take enough care with grades so that they are fair and accurate. So since an appeal is not a routine task, the student should have to justify their request for one - as your professor said, this prevents anyone from submitting an appeal without a good reason.

There are some markings on the exam papers, so I think the markers told students what they did wrong. I am just talking about remarking, the students can still come to ask about the marking issues if they have questions.


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Referencing Android, using the word 'Android' in a paper
I want/need to use the word 'Android' referring to the Android-System/Software in a paper/thesis. I found these guidelines. Do I have to use both, the TM-symbol AND a footnote? Like AndroidTM - It looks strange...

You are not required, legally, to use the TM symbol.
There is no need to conform to these guidelines. Many people argue that you shouldn't use these symbols in academic publications: see for instance the answers to this question.

@FedericoPoloni "You are not required, legally, to use the TM symbol." [citation needed] - In fact, the accepted answer to the question you mentioned says that you formally have to use the TM symbol, but in common usage, you rather follow the guidelines of where the paper/thesis is submitted.

So neither a footnote, nor the TM symbol nor a citation... even if a non-commercial tool is published with the thesis? If I write sth like 'A tool for Android'?

@lighthousekeeper It's tricky to provide a citation for "there is no obligation to do X" -- should I quote the entire laws to prove that there is nothing about X? In any case, here is a citation from an interview to an IP lawyer, speaking about the US law: https://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2014/03/12/when-and-how-do-i-have-to-use-trademark-symbols/#cc99963c0afc

@lighthousekeeper (Also, note that the accepted answer to that question is by far not the most upvoted one.)

Your thesis or paper is in this respect similar to a newspaper article about the product ("Independent coverage"). Do newspapers use the "TM" symbol if they write about products? No. (At least no newspapers or magazine I know does.)
It is used by people who have an agreement, are cooperating with the proprietor of the brand name in question, to show exactly that.
These "guidelines" (same as e.g. Microsofts EULAs etc.) are not even a binding contract in many legislations, because they try to force them on you after you have already paid for the product.

While I think what you say is true, I would be wary of explicitly following the example of newspapers (they are not known for their academic rigour, after all).

@astronat  They're not, but this is not an academic, but a legal question, isn't it?

it will not even be publicized.. but i want to be sure doing it right.. i don't think that anyone will care at all.. thank you

I would advise you to be as conservative as possible and err on the side of adhering to the wishes of the trademark's owner. It won't do you any harm, whereas breaking a rule/convention might wind up giving you grief.
The rights of owners should be respected, especially when the cost is essentially zero. You will want them to respect your IP in future as well.
It is easy to Do the Right Thing when it costs you nothing.
I would guess, however, that mentioning the trademark and its owner once in the paper is sufficient.
And note that you do this, not because of a legal threat but because you respect the people that built the system. This is especially true if their prior work has enabled your own.

-1 Spinelessness has a tendency to spread ... why would I bow to someone who walks around town with a crown on his head? Because it doesn't cost me much? Because he threatens me? 2x NO.

@Karl, sorry, your comparison is extremely weak. Not because he threatens me, but because I respect him. Even more because his work has enabled mine.

These "guideline" imply an legal threat which is completely unfounded unless you are using the name "Android" to advertise a product. Technically, that's imo attempted coercion.


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Writing a letter for galley proof
My first paper is accepted for publication in a journal and I
received its galley proof. The galley proof needs no corrections.
Is there any good letter for responding to the journal?

Does this journal not follow an automated online system where you can directly (correct and) submit the recommendation?

Good question Ali.

Don't overthink this.  Just say what you have to say.

Thank you for sending the proofs.  I have read them and no corrections are needed.  Sincerely, Ali.

It was useful for me! Thanks


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When should I start applying for Tenure Track positions?
Ph.D. Candidate in Social Work. When should I start applying for Tenure Track positions, if I plan to complete my degree by December 2023?
I'm Canadian. And yes, there are Social Work researchers in my country.

In which country? Some countries have more of a clear timeline and "hiring seasons", others don't.

So are you looking to apply for TT jobs (typically balance of teaching, research, and service) or some sort of research job at an institute or similar?

I suggest that you start following the academic marketplace now, just to see the sorts of things that might turn up early or later. The market is generally terrible at the moment. Keep watch on it.

Yes, tenure-track jobs (teaching, research and service)

Get organized for 2023 competitions.  These will have start dates in 2023/24.
You might have an outside shot in the 2022 cycle.  In social sciences you can get hired “just before” (or in some cases of locally known candidates even before) finishing your PhD, especially if you have teaching experience (v.g. as a contract lecturer).

Generally (within the US), new faculty begin at the start of an academic year. So if you graduate in Dec 2023 you would be planning to start a faculty position in August 2024. You would apply to positions in the fall 2023 cycle. These may be posted starting in the summer or fall of 2023 and would be due in the fall of 2023 or winter of 2024.
You mention research specifically in your comments. Industry jobs (here I mean research jobs at university centers and think tanks) with little to no teaching can be posted at any time. They would be unlikely to be considered TT.

It strikes me that you are asking a very basic question, so I would recommend reading something like The Professor is In (book, not the website) to get your feet under you with regard to the job market.

Probably also depends on the country and individual university.

Right, will specify US. Within the US, Universities can vary a bit but are mostly constrained by the budget calendar so not too much.

And probably if they're predominantly research or education universities perhaps? I can't imagine the academic year being relevant when you're expected to mostly conduct research. For my university the budget year corresponds to the calendar year rather than the academic one, I assume this is common.

@MiG You should leave an answer about your area, then. In the US, 99% if not 100% of TT positions will start in the late summer.

Let's wait for the topic starter to indicate their country of interest first :)

The question is about Social Work. In my experience, there are not TT social work positions that are expected to mostly conduct research.

I already have The Professor Is In as a book.

There are social workers who do conduct research, at least in Canada.

When I say “mostly conduct research” I mean more than 90% research (teaching at most one class per year).


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Is a Research Assistant/Associate in UK equivalent to a Post Doctorate elsewhere?
I am at the verge of completing my PhD in South Africa, and I started applying for Post PhD positions around the world. However, I am a little bit disturbed by all the therminology of academic titles which differs a lot from a country to another? So,
Is a Research Assistant/Associate in the United Kingdom equivalent to a Post Doctorate elsewhere?

"Research associate" is the normal official title for a post-doc in North America.

Yes, postdoctoral positions in the UK are commonly advertised as research associates, research assistants, research fellows, teaching fellows (if the position focuses on teaching rather than research), etc.
You can normally judge the level of a position by the salary. A salary of between £28,000 and £35,000 will usually be a postdoctoral position (with the exact salary paid normally dependent on the candidate's experience). A higher salary would likely indicate a more senior or permanent position.
If you're unsure about the level of a position, it wouldn't hurt to send an email asking for clarification to the person advertising the job, or the department's research administrator.

And ask if the position has a fixed term or is renewable.

Many jobs advertised in the UK as research assistants are not postdoc positions. For the UK, all jobs will have a position statement that has a list of selection criteria (marked essential or desirable). It is only a postdoc position if one of the criteria says something like 'PhD in relevant discipline, or close to completion'. As noted in one of the other answers, salary is also a good guide.
Other countries typically have similar formal selection criteria that the hiring panel uses to select the candidate and those selection criteria will state whether a PhD is required.

A research assistant can be both pre-doctoral or post-doctoral - its bascially anyone who does research under the driect instruction of a principle investigator. post-doctoral resarch assistants are often reffered to as PDRAs, where as pre-doctoral ones as RAs. pre-doctoral RAs are very much like technician jobs - although often an RA will be fixed term, but a technician open-ended.
As others have mentioned, look if a PhD is required in the person-specification, which will be available for all UK university jobs (ask for it if its not linked in the advert). Also salary - PDRAs (at least in biology) are usually hired between point 28 (£31k) and 31 (£35k) on the national pay spine.

The "A" in PDRA stands for Associate, not assistant.

@Polymer chemist - depends on the university. I had postdocs that were written both as Associate and Assistant on. I employ people on contracts titled Postdoctoral Research Assistant.

If the contract says "Research Assistant" then the employee doesn't have a Ph.D. If they do have a Ph.D., then they are a "Research Associate" regardless of title under English law. The relevant case law is Street v Mountford [1985] UKHL 4 - although about housing law, it is broadly applicable. In any contract, a title has no force, but rather the real relationship created. If one makes a three pointed digging instrument and calls it a spade, it is still a fork. If you employ someone with a Ph.D. on a temporary research contract, you have created a Research Associate, regardless of intent.

@ThePolymerChemist There are several reasons why Street v Mountford has no bearing. In Street vs Mountford. Firstly the key in the Street vs Mountford case the terms Tenant and Licencee have defined legal implications. Tenants have different rights and responsibilities from Licencees. The judgement found that these rights and responsiblities were determined by the nature of the occupancy, not the name on the contract. But this is not the case for assistant and associate. There are not different rights and responsibilities outside of the employement contracts for these to titles.

Under british employement law, your resposiblities are determined by your contract of employement, not your job title, nor your qualifications. The situation would be different if we were talking about Postdoctoral Student vs Postdoctoral worker, where worker and student do have legally determined meanings, and someone called a postdoctoral student would have the rights of a worker, irrespective of the employment contract. But there is no centrally or community determined meaning to Associate or Assistant, nor is their a difference in the rules that apply to them.


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Schizophrenics with academic ambitions
Frankly, to get to the point, I am schizophrenic.
University sucked for me, not because it was hard and difficult work; not because I didn't get along with people; not because I couldn't communicate points; and surprisingly not because I had anxiety. But because I carried a ball and chain of "voices in my head."
After five years of undergrad I dropped out.
I am a mathematician at heart. I study math to the point of extinction of all other thought. And I'm good at it. Now I'm no Gauss, Euler, Newton, or Galois. But I'm pretty damn good. I got in well with my professors, and managed to write a few papers which stated correct final results but were not without their subtle mathematical typos (slight errors in rigor, which in math can cost you everything).
I do not ever expect to achieve professor status. Quite frankly I wouldn't be able to be a professor anyway. I am in a secure place financially though, luckily I'm schizophrenic in a supportive, fairly well-off family, and live in a country with a supportive government (I live in Canada); so there's no worry of needing to sustain myself off mathematics. I just love math, and I know I have things to add, but I have no avenue of adding them.
To express some of my hinderances: conferences are pretty much off the table. Regular meetings with faculty are off the table. Extended interaction with a bunch of colleagues are off the table... you can start to see the chips are stacked against me.
I'm asking this on academia.stackexchange, because I can imagine there are schizophrenic academics out there, and I imagine they may have found loop holes, or loop holes may have been created for them.
So as the title preludes:

As a schizophrenic with academic ambitions, what are my best options?

Publishing in journals seems plausible

Since the financial aspects are not the important part, what sort of thing are you looking for? Certainly doing research on you own is possible, but it sounds like you would like to be more directly connected to academia?

@TobiasKildetoft Yes. I was asking about my best route of publishing or doing things in math given my state, as generally as I stated it

@user2768 Yes, that's the best outcome I can imagine, except I don't know how.

@james.nixon What do you mean by I don't know how? Do you not understand the research process? Or are you concerned about subtle mathematical typos? Or ...? Perhaps some of these issues can be worked through with an advisor/mentor (the relationship needn't be formal), or perhaps you can study textbooks to overcome them yourself.

I have limited expertise in the area of mathematics, but I know certain places (either academic and governmental) look for exceptional talent irrespective of other limiting factors like disability. If you have talent in a particular genre that is valuable there will be a niche for you. I could say more but then ...

@user2738 I think you're misunderstanding my point a lot... to the point I don't know how to correct you.

@BrianTompsett-汤莱恩 lead me the way and I'll follow

It’s been a few years since you posted. How have things worked out?

You wouldn't be the first mathematician with schizophrenia, of course. But you also don't really say whether you want to just do mathematics in a satisfying way, or to be known publicly for doing mathematics.
And, don't be concerned about making stupid errors. We all do that. I've made some real boners that I've luckily caught in a second or third proof reading of my work. Hopefully I catch them all before publication.
While you can learn mathematics from books (and even wikipedia), doing it is vastly simplified if you have someone to give you feedback on your work. It needn't be in person and it needn't be especially frequent.
Let's assume that you keep the medical condition within bounds via professional help, and let's also assume that you aren't dangerous to the public.
What would help you advance in math is to have a mentor of some kind who is aware of your medical condition and who treats you like a human being. If you live near a university, preferably a large one, but a small college might do, see if you can visit the place and introduce yourself to a few people. Universities often have seminars that are more or less open to the public. You can also just write to a department head, introducing yourself, without details, and asking for a meeting. Go with a friend if necessary. Take some of your work. See if you can't wrangle an introduction to someone who works in an area you are interested in. A high powered researcher with little time for distraction probably isn't the right mentor for you, but if your work is "interesting" some professors might be willing to look at it.
It is also possible to make a link from a distance by simply writing to such a professor, stating your interest, showing some of your work, and stating initially that a medical condition prevents your formal participation in most activities. You don't need to say more at the beginning, and can decide later whether revealing more is a good thing or not.
If you can make a link then you have a feedback mechanism for your work. You might even have a conduit for joint publications if the work is promising.
Once a link is made, you needn't necessarily interact in person with your mentor if that is difficult in any way. There are many collaborations that go on internationally simply using email, so distance is no longer a problem after initial contact.
Many mathematicians have worked long and hard in obscurity and done fine work. Sometimes their work is superior to the general run of it since they have their own way of looking at problems. It isn't impossible that the wiring of your brain gives you an advantage in mathematics if you can learn how to exploit it.

See if you...wrangle an introduction to someone who works in an area you are interested in or maybe knock on their office door and introduce yourself (email introductions are also possible, as @Buffy rightly notes)

Thanks for your detailed answer. No offence intended, but it sounded like a Tony Robbins speech and reaffirmed what I already knew but was too scared to admit. I don't want to be known for mathematics publicly per se (don't want to be Einstein or anything) just recognition for the work i've done, and if it has influence so be it. Within small circles kind  of public, I'm okay with.
Also, I'm a high functioning schizophrenic who takes his meds and does self-therapy and sees a psychiatrist rather often. So you're right to assume I'm a schizophrenic who keeps it "within bounds," lol.
Thanks

Here is a bunch of thoughts.
Carry on as if you don't have schizophrenia. It's what I try to do.
I had to leave a PhD attempt with an MPhil instead, largely due to my schizophrenia.  Now I'm trying again; only, I know right from the beginning that I'm unwell.  This is an advantage. The experience from my MPhil is invaluable too.
I have made quite a name for myself on Mathematics Stack Exchange (if I may say so) in the tag group-theory there. You could do something similar.
A psychiatrist once told me he knows a few people on their third or, even, fourth attempts at a PhD. So could you try again?
Being disabled is no reason not to excell in your ambitions.
I get help from the government (using Disabled Students' Allowance). I call Samaritans (on 116 123 for free in the UK) when I need to talk.
Ask for help.
For my current PhD's application, I made a brief, matter-of-fact disclosure of my schizophrenia. I mentioned it in the interview. Now, my institution (the University of Aberdeen) supports me thoroughly.

My suggestion is that you shouldn't consider yourself any different from other academics for being labeled a schizophrenic.
The label "schizophrenic" itself is a cultural category. There are other cultures in which the experience of hearing voices is not necessarily considered insane. You shouldn't consider this a problem really, unless the content of the communications disturb you. If properly channeled, the experience may even help you in your work and become an asset rather than a liability.
I think making contact with other people (academics or not) who have similar experiences is a good move. This kind of experience is more common than you may think. There are mutual-support groups for people who hear voices, in which people with similar experiences get together to share their impressions and seek to understand them (check out, for instance: https://www.hearing-voices.org/).
Don't use your neuro-diverse constitution as an excuse for requesting privileges. Perhaps your hindrances (as you describe) are not impossible to conquer. In fact, schizophrenic or not, you can expect these things to be difficult anyway, they are just another set of problems for you to solve with your creativity.

Y'know this is how I've functioned, so I'm not going to disagree with you. Not in the slightest. Through the worst of my schizophrenia I've actually felt disabled. But through the best of it, it's been illuminating. It's just when interacting with the institutionalized academic world, I lack capacity. And that's what my question was asking. As a person who "hears voices" how do I communicate in an academic world where people don't usually "hear voices."


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How can I strengthen my submitted graduate application?
I am applying for a master degree in Germany. I have submitted my application but wish to strengthen it as I want to be accepted. What can I do to enhance my application? Can I contact any of the professors or maybe the student advisor? Will it look artificial? If so, what must I say? (I am coming from abroad otherwise I would have visited the university).
Besides, can I email a professor and communicate to him that I am applying for graduate study, and I was intrigued by his research and wish, if accepted, to work with him? Is it too early to do so before even getting accepted?
I apologize if my questions seem trivial, but this is my first graduate application, and I hope to do all that it is in my power to get accepted.

I don't know Germany, so I won't answer, but in general, the time to "boost" your application is before submission.

Related: https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/143833/do-german-professors-in-a-master-s-program-respond-to-students-who-email-them-in/

For the sake of efficiency and fairness, candidate selection is a purely administrative process, based on submitted paperwork only, and handled by academic staff that adhere to strict rules and work ethics. You should not disturb them, nor should you hope for any good effect of doing so.
If you want to enhance your chances, then apply in parallel to other universities or/and other master courses. Submit paperwork that excels in contents and layout.

This is more or less true lots of places, not just Germany. Not universal, I'd guess but widespread. In your written materials and any letters of recommendation, make your case for probable success.


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How to bring up disabled access requirements in postdoc application
I am currently applying for a postdoc, after a 2.5 year period of illness during my PhD. For most of that time I wasn't really able to work at all. In the last 6-months or so I have been able to work roughly part-time, and I've completed my thesis and been working on a new research project. I am now well enough to work on a postdoc, but I'm not yet completely recovered from my illness, and I'm still disabled in a number of different ways.
I've seen a position listed which I'm planning to apply for. They're looking for someone to start away, which is great for me because most positions in my field won't start until next academic year. I currently live in the UK, and the position I'm applying for is in Germany. I've not yet recovered enough to move to another country; I think I would be strong enough to do this in about 6 months time.
So, I need to explain to the group I'm applying to that as a disabled access requirement I would need to work remotely from the UK for the first 6 months of the position. I also have some other additional disabled access requirements, such as I have difficulty typing and benefit from support with typesetting and editing.
I've been thinking about the best way to bring this up with the group before I apply, and I'm interested to hear people's opinions on how to do this. Here are some things I thought of that I could do;

explain in an email to the group secretary
explain in an email to the head of the group
ask to chat with the head of the group on zoom
add a paragraph about this in my cover letter when I apply

I also had a suggestion from a friend to wait and see if I'm offered a position, and only discuss my additional needs at that point. I'm not very comfortable with this idea, I feel like it's better to be upfront straight away. I am concerned that my additonal needs might make me less likely to get the position though, so I'm open to hear what people say about waiting to see if I'm offered a position before bringing anything up.
Some relevant points: I've spoken to the head of the group a few times at conferences so I know him a bit. The job listing has a sentence about encouraging applications from disabled people.

German law may protect you a bit, or a lot, from making it less likely to hire you.

You should discuss this with the university's disability or diversity office relevant to job applicants.  I do not think the opinions of people who do not work at the university will have much validity.

Note that there are legal/tax difficulties around being employed in one country but physically located in another. You may find that the university is unwilling to countenance such an arrangement. In the process, you may spark a small war involving the disability office, the HR office and the legal office. Take popcorn!

concerning the mentioning in the application: in an effort of equalization ("Gleichstellung"), many jobs listings (especially those by official institutions, like universities) are required by law to have a clause stating that if they are equally qualified, disabled persons will be preferentially employed. This often does not mean that they really intend on preferentially hiring disabled people. They are just required by the law to put this sentence. In the end, no two people are ever really "equally qualified" and there is some wiggle room to allows for not hiring the disabled person.

To complement @Sursula's comment, to quality as "disabled" in that sense, you most likely need your disability officially recognized ("Schwerbehindertenausweis"). A key choice you will have to make is whether you want to take this official route, or discuss accommodations with the PI, especially if the disability is only temporary (unclear from your post).

Since the job listing explicitly mentions it, I would include your situation in your cover letter. Note that, in my experience, your disability will not be part of the selection process per se. Instead it should be dealt with by professionals at the institution who would determine what accommodations can be provided so you can do the work assigned. Note that I would expect this to occur only after you were to be selected. This may take some back-and-forth, and they may not fully agree with your desires.

"your disability will not be part of the selection process per se." In Germany, actually, the opposite would be true, at least as far as the law is concerned. Public institutions in Germany are legally obliged to prefer applicants that have a severe disability, assuming equal qualifications. I don't know how this is handled in practice, though.

Thanks for your comments. I think I expect that the university would be obliged by law to make some 'reasonable adjustments' for me, and I'm wondering who's going to assess how reasonable my additional needs are. @Jon it sounds like you think this would be done by administrative staff and not by the academics in the group?

@Joe, First, I would verify if Jon has experience with German universities. On his profile, he says he's located in the United States. Now, he could have experience with German Universities for all I know, but if he doesn't, what he has to say about this topic should be considered very suspect.

Thanks for all of your advice, I've contacted the uni to try to find out who the disability support officer is. @Roland if you wanted posted your comments from here as an answer I would accept that as the answer to the question.


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Should I mention a previous burnout if it comes up in an interview for a PhD?
During my masters I experienced a burnout and as a result of that my masters took 3 years instead of the usual 2 years. I will have an interview soon for a PhD position and one of the questions that could come up is why my master took longer than usual. Should I tell this reason? Or should I just say it took longer without further explanation
Pros of telling:

it is more honest and it could be relevant for the position
it gives a valid reason for the delay

Cons of telling:

it could be considered oversharing or not appropriate to mention at that time
it could possibly negatively impact my chances of getting the position

The question
Should I mention mental condition? is similar to this but talks about a CV instead of an interview.

Was the burnout during Covid?

It happened just before Covid but I think it exacerbated it.

Taking one year longer in your studies is so common I can guarantee you I wouldn't even notice. Also, within academia the "speed of completion" isn't the yardstick of academic success that it sometimes seems to be to other people - we value students who want to learn and go the extra mile more than those that can min-max their courses faster.

I've had the interview by now and it went pretty good! The interviewer didn't even ask about the delay so I had no need to even mention it.

I recommend making honesty and candour a general part of your dealings with others, so I would recommend being open to disclosing limitations and obstacles in this type of situation.  But before you even get to that part, agonising over whether you should or should not disclose this information is jumping forward a step.  The more important preliminary step is to ask yourself why you think you will succeed in a PhD candidature when you experienced burnout even over a substantially shorter Masters program.  Presumably you have thought about this and have a view about it, so either you have some good reason to believe that you will do better this time, or you are likely making a bad decision for yourself by pursuing a PhD candidature at this time.
Start by engaging in this type of introspection and have a think about what, if anything, has changed since you did your Masters program.  What caused the burnout in your Masters program?  How did that affect your life?  What, if anything, has changed since then that would make you more resilient to this type of burnout (or less susceptible to its cause)?  If you were to eschew a PhD candidature right now, what are your other options?  Is a PhD candidature a good pathway for you right now relative to these other options?  Would you benefit from some other opportunity at present (e.g., experience in the workforce, etc.)?  If you can think sensibly about these questions and make the right decision for yourself, that should significantly reduce your anxieties about explaining your position to others.  Often anxiety over disclosing true information in such cases stems from a lack of confidence that the problem raised by that disclosure is actually solved.
Now, assuming you decide to go through with your application and you get to the interview, what can you say if the matter is raised?  Firstly, you can point out that you finished your Masters program successfully, albeit in a longer timeframe than initially planned.  This shows that you can experience an adverse circumstance and push through it to successful completion.  Secondly, you should have done some introspection on this experience and learned from it, so you should now have a set of methods (perhaps including taking longer) that will allow you to get through a PhD candidature even if you experience burnout again.  Once you are able to explain your pathway adequately to yourself, you should be able to explain it to others.

Thanks for your advice! The reason I had this question was that I was preparing with my mom and she said it was not a good idea to tell this. I did not necessarily agree with this but she has been right a lot of times. I have been thinking about some of these questions already but I guess it's good to have the answers to most of these clear in my head both for the interview and for myself.

Its worth noting that a well supervised PhD could possibly end up being less likely to cause burnout than a poorly supervised masters. A supervisor who understands your needs, and puts those first, including providing you with the support you need will be critical.

This is a judgment call that you might consider making at the time it might seem advantageous or not to do so. I wouldn't decide in advance to do it, but would retain the option.
Burnout is pretty common and the reasons are varied. I had the same issue and know that my own reason was overextending. Too many courses, too many important outside interests. Not health, per se, but just exhaustions with some loss of focus. In my case, however, the issue never arose and I was lucky to have advisors who recognized the issue but still supported me. You might have that same advantage.
There shouldn't be any "shame" around burnout, but it can also seem like a facile excuse for poor performance.
I wonder, also, how common it is for students to take an extra year where you are. If it is moderately common then it probably isn't an issue.

"There should be any shame around burnout" is there a word missing here?

Fixed thanks, @astronat. I have old fingers and the spelling "corrector" sometimes doesn't.

Thanks for the advice. I guess that only mentioning it if it comes up would be a good way to go about it. In my master's (theoretical physics) I think it is common to have at least some delay but I couldn't find any statistics on it.

I don't think there's a right answer for how to proceed, just different strategies, and you have to pick the one that feels best to you.
An alternative to the "completely honest" strategy, is the "selectively honest" strategy. You want to be honest (and of course you must not lie), but you aren't obligated to go into details of your personal life in an interview.
Taking one extra year to finish a master's degree seems fairly innocuous to me. I don't think a big explanation is required. I think you could say that due to a personal matter, you were delayed in completing your studies. Or you could say that you decided to take an extra year to complete the program, rather than rushing, to ensure that you achieved your best possible performance. I think these are true statements that should sufficiently explain a year gap to an interviewer, without revealing details of your personal life that you might not be comfortable sharing.
One last piece of unsolicited advice... it's good to have a strategy for questions that could come up about sensitive topics. But, don't overfocus on your response to the point where you neglect to prepare in other areas. If this issue really is a big deal to the PhD program, then maybe that program isn't a good fit for you. If it is not a big issue (which I suspect it probably isn't), then your performance on questions they will ask you about your knowledge of the material and field, and your interest in their department, will be much more important for how your interview performance is judged.


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Humanities Research with Professors as a High Schooler?
I am a high school student (legally old enough to work) looking for opportunities to work with professors in political theory. The way research is done is quite different from many folks in STEM, so how could I be of use to a professor while deepening my own passion for the field?
COVID has definitely restricted travel, but I won’t have limitations when it comes to being geographically closer to professors I’m working with (living near a major international airport, free schedule during breaks).

I did some googling ("opportunities for high school students in political science"), and came up with this for example: https://www.highland-k12.org/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=295&dataid=941&FileName=political%20science%20summer%20programs.pdf   I would guess that trying to participate in some organized program would be a better bet than asking individual professors to supervise you.

Do you live near a university that teaches the subject you are interested in? Large or small.

@Buffy Yes, I live close to a large state university. However, I may be away from home this summer in another major city (East Coast) so I'm trying to see how to go about contacting professors there.

Let me suggest that you contact, first by email, some professors at the universities, both the local one and another where you will be co-located. Explain something about your interest, but also why you think you have enough background to make a relationship interesting to them.
A local professor might be more help and you might be able to work through a secondary school instructor to make the contact.
But, I think you will have a hard job to convince anyone without some support from somewhere. Interest isn't enough. If you are widely read in political theory it will help.
I worry, of course, that if you are merely driven by the current political situation and have "opinions" about it, then you won't be successful. So, examine your motivation. Political theory is about theory and only incidentally about "politics" as popularly understood.
Have you read Plato's Republic, for example? Anything by John Locke? If you have some of that background then you might have a chance of success.

Maybe, if the university offers a summer internship program.
I would recommend focusing on your high school studies, but I applaud your desire for learning. Some universities might offer summer internships to allow undergraduate or high school students to work with their postgrad students; if the university you're interested in offers a program like that, feel free to apply for it if you qualify for its requirements.
Otherwise, I would simply state that professors are very busy people whose time is quite valuable, and if helping you isn't a part of their job, then they may not be interested in adding you to their responsibilities without a suitable monetary incentive (e.g. businesses paying a sizable amount of money to get research done on their products).

Not sure why you were downvoted; summer internships are by far the most likely way for high schoolers to get engaged.


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How to get published research covered by science magazines so as to promote the research among the community?
I am a researcher in the early stage of my career with a few publications. I work on High Energy Physics and published papers in top ranked journals with relatively high h-index. My query is regarding how to promote my research among other researchers working in the same field.
I often read various science magazines like Scientific American, New Scientist, Science News, etc. where articles are published that summarize research papers. Naturally, this makes their research stand out from the crowd. I want to know whether our research can be covered by such magazines, too, provided the research is fundamental and important to the community. If this is possible, I would like to know how to approach the editors or science journalists to get our research covered by them.

I don't know the answer to the question (and it would be interesting to know), but I think the primary audience of things like Scientific American and New Scientist are the lay public, rather than other scientists, so they are most likely to cover things that would be of interest to the general public. (I don't know if you research fits that category).

Similar. Your institution might have an office dedicated to the press. Once you have results that you feel of general interest, or "catching" for some reason, one could refer to them if they don't make the first move. Cover article helps, in that respect. In that case they will automatically make the first move (but I am in a huge public institution - likely not existing in small universities). Local press can be contacted. This can also results in some benefits. At least for local prestige.

There may be better ways to promote your research to other researchers (i.e., ResearchGate, specialty Listservs, Science Twitter, etc.). However, if you want to have articles in popular science magazines, here are a few options that come to mind.

Reach out to writers of those magazine articles and see if they would be interested in writing about your work. However, have an idea in mind on how you'd frame it for the general public. You need a hook. A "so what". In some instances, the writers are freelancers, so they may also have suggestions for alternative magazines. (They often shop articles to multiple magazines.)

You could consider submitting your own article if you find a magazine open to submissions. But again, you need to be able to sell your science. It should have relevance and interest to the general public. Consider co-authoring an article with someone with clout to get it in front of the right people.

Work with your communications office (if you are affiliated with an institution) to send out press releases.

Apply to do a Ted talk. Some universities host these, and others have open calls to audition for an event. Even if you don't make it to the final round of presenting to the live audience, it is still good practice in public speaking and the judges may pass your name and topic off to other friends in the scicomm community that could touch base with you later for articles and the like.

Maintain a social media presence. Documentarians from Plimsoll Productions to Nat Geo monitor Facebook pages and Instagram accounts for their upcoming docuseries. If your work matches what their next show is going to be about, you could get cold-called to be a featured scientists. I've been approached this way for two docuseries and two podcasts.

Finally, give interesting talks with catchy titles at conferences. I've been approached for multiple magazine articles at major conferences that way.

Good luck!
I hope others weigh in on this too. It's a great question.

I agree with both of these answers but would add that the time to do this is when the work is brand new. Writers want to cover new articles not those that are months old. So working these angles as soon as a paper is accepted is a good idea

Make your journal articles available in easy to digest formats (e.g. video abstracts, web stories, blog entries), and then publicize those. In addition to your organizations communications team, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc. are all your friend in getting the word out.
I agree with @Angie_Zorka's suggestions as well, and support following and reaching  out to science writers who regularly cover topics related to your research.

I agree with both of these answers but would add that the time to do this is when the work is brand new. Writers want to cover new articles not those that are months old. So working these angles as soon as a paper is accepted is a good idea.

Sorry to be a bit of a downer but there must be 1000s if not more people in your situation.  It is one of the biggest challenge of any researcher to get their results to “breakout”.
Try to get on the seminar circuit.  One way is to invite people to where you work so they get to know your stuff, and might invite you back at their place later on, especially if the discussions around the seminar or colloquium was productive.
Get involved in APS.  This will help with name recognition, and (hopefully) academic recognition will follow.
Go to conferences: it shouldn’t be this way but if you don’t promote your own stuff nobody will hear about it.


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How to quote from a source in a different language
I'm writing an essay in English, but much of my source material is in Spanish (my first language). I know how to reference my sources in the bibliography, but how do I quote within the text? Do I translate it myself and still use quotation marks?

Exact citation standards differ from field to field. As a general principle, you should make it clear that it's a translation and who translated it.

Your method sounds good. Indicate somehow that you translated, either by saying so once at the beginning of your essay, or individually with each quotation.
General advice: Who are you writing this for?  If for a a class, ask the instructor.  If for a journal, consult the editor.

In APA 6th and 7th editions, translations done by the author (you) are considered paraphrases. To cite these in-text, you add (Author, Year). at the end of a sentence as you normally would.  These in-text citations do not require quotations.


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How to reach out for research collaboration?
I am an early career researcher (pre-PhD) and planning to work on research articles before applying to PhD studies. May I ask is there any clear cut method to approach well-established scholars to ask for collaboration? or our options are only limited to the professors we worked previously? Thank you!

Welcome to academia.stackexchange. You should not ask two questions in one post. Moreover, I believe that we have definitely answered the second question here before - and plausibly the first question, too.

@Buffy, I mean once you have a research idea and to make your article more visible to ask for contribution from other scholars rather than single authorship.

@Arno, thank you for the notification. I could not find the answer therefore had to submit new one. May I kindly ask if there is a link to it so I can check? Thank you!

Just search for "single author" in the search bar at the top, and plenty of relevant questions will come up.

@Buffy, yes! I meant collaboration.  Thanks for the modification

Wide circles of discussion and collaboration are a good thing in academic research. If your research is close to that of some distinguished "elder of the tribe" then it is fine to reach out to them.
But, it might be better to go about it a bit indirectly. Introduce yourself with a few words about your research, and the new idea. Ask the person if they are interested in it and (most important) are there others who might be interested enough to collaborate going forward. You aren't directly asking for the professor's help/collaboration, but are seeking to build a circle of interested parties, a research group. It may be that the professor will suggest themselves, but they may also suggest others, even their own students.
That may not be exactly what you want, but in the longer term might be quite valuable. You seek to become part of their circle so that they think of you when new ideas arise. And introducing you to others is less of a commitment on their part and so might be more likely to be treated positively.

Note: "elder" is an honorific. It has little to do with age.