Good news and bad news

1
Good news and bad news

• Good news
• Many very distinguished highly regarded faculty.
• Bad news
• Tend to be very busy grad students, teaching
  research writing proposals sitting on grant
  review panels federal advisory committees,
  international committees invitations to speak
  etc.
• This does not mean they are unavailable, though
  it can be difficult to get their attention at
  times.
• Does place an onus on you in the way you interact
  with them.

2
Interacting with faculty

• JT

3
Some useful protocols

• Differences between your advisor and other
  faculty
• but same basic rules apply.
• Make appointments and be on time.
• Indicate concisely via e-mail why you want to
  speak with them and be as precise as possible.
• Not just to talk about my research.
• Have your thoughts together before the meeting.
• Sometimes it can help to have a small PowerPoint
  presentation to be shown on your lap top.
• Take notes during the meeting.
• After the meeting,
• if appropriate, send a concise report summarizing
  the conclusions and identifying any actions and
  ask if the faculty agrees.
• If you have agreed to do things then make sure
  you do them!

4
Know your faculty

• Make sure you know the faculty with whom you are
  making contact, so you can get the most out of
  them.
• Departments web site contains a lot of
  information. Look
• If your question relates to one or more of their
  published papers then make sure you have looked
  at it/them.
• Also faculty can be useful in helping you gain
  responses from faculty in other departments.