Research student in Japan here.
Recently, my professor (Japanese but studied in the U.S. for long) introduced me to his friend who was a guest lecturer. I got the guest’s contact information and communicated with him through e-mail. When I reported that at the next weekly meeting, my professor gently advised me that it is generally considered “rude” if I didn't CC my professor when I contacted someone he introduced me to.
But that confused me, because back in another university in the U.S, when I CC’d my professor to contact another researcher, my American professor told me nicely, “Let me give you a general advice. Professors don’t want the inbox clogged up. You generally always want to save your professor’s time. Simply report to me in our weekly meeting when there is a meaningful progress”
In both scenarios, I met the guest lecturer in person, and I was given their contact info directly from them, not through my professors.
While I will follow my current professor’s direction (to be safe), I was genuinely confused by what is the norm or standard in these situations.
Can anyone tell me what is the norm? I assume it is safe to CC professors from now on?