Timeline for How do you think about volunteering helpers and two-body problem for PhD
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
14 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Apr 14, 2017 at 9:05 | history | tweeted | twitter.com/StackAcademia/status/852809913784872960 | ||
| Mar 21, 2017 at 13:52 | comment | added | aparente001 | I'm guessing the director of your PhD program. Unless your partner is in the same field as you, that person will not (likely) be helping her directly, but will rather introduce you to someone else, in a better position to help her. Before you write the letter, have your partner look over all the possible departments that she might fit into well, so you can list them all. Sometimes a person with research interests in X field is employed by Y department. | |
| Mar 21, 2017 at 13:47 | comment | added | John | @aparente001 Thanks for your detailed answer to Q2. Actually for Q1, I am asking to whom I shall send the email, my potential PhD supervisor or the director of my PhD program? | |
| Mar 21, 2017 at 13:33 | comment | added | aparente001 | Q 1: How have you been communicating with them thus far? (I'm guessing email?) Perhaps you could continue in the same mode. (Or are you asking what you should you say in an email to them on this subject?) // Q 2: Actually, she should mention your situation, e.g. Dear Prof. X, I am a trailing spouse, arriving in Elite University Town in <month>, looking for a research opportunity (paid or unpaid). I received my PhD in 200x at <Univ> in <field>, working with <person or group>. I am interested in <area>. She can mention lab skills, publications, and she can ask questions about X's research. | |
| Mar 21, 2017 at 6:01 | comment | added | John | @aparente001 Many thanks for your kind helps. May I know do you suggest me contacting my potential supervisor or the program's director? Also in my opinion, when she contacts the faculties with overlapping interests, she only needs to introduce her research backgrounds and technical skills without mentioning my situation. How do you think about it? | |
| Mar 20, 2017 at 5:07 | comment | added | aparente001 | ... research group without pay. In the U.S. this might be called an "unpaid internship." Not sure what it's termed in the U.K. // At the same time, she can peruse faculty bios at your target university as well as nearby institutions, and reach out directly to professors with closely overlapping interests. | |
| Mar 20, 2017 at 5:05 | comment | added | aparente001 | I don't know about the UK, but I've seen this work in the U.S. And even if the answer is no, I don't see what harm is done by asking. I would skip the introduction you gave here. The two-body problem is so well known that all you need to say is that you were thrilled to get the offer, and you were wondering if there might be any help available to solve your two-body problem. Then jump right into a brief description of your other half's area of interest, educational level, research experience -- really brief at this point. You may certainly say that she is willing to work in a ... | |
| Mar 19, 2017 at 9:51 | comment | added | David Richerby | @MichaelSeifert At a more basic level, it would violate minimum wage law. This idea is a total non-starter. | |
| Mar 18, 2017 at 18:07 | comment | added | Rüdiger | In your position I would just accept the offer and not bother the university with this. As you can imagine, Oxford has other formidable candidates, and so they will be able to replace you if needed. I actually rejected Oxford, so you might very well be the one that obtained my spot. | |
| Mar 18, 2017 at 16:16 | comment | added | Michael Seifert | Before you pursue this exact plan, I would strongly encourage you to ask about this on Expatriates StackExchange as well. In many countries, a foreign citizen cannot "volunteer" for a job that would normally be a paid job; their rationale is that if a foreign citizen does this, it deprives one of their own citizens of an opportunity to work. I'm not sure of the precise rules in the UK, though, which is why I'm posting this as a comment rather than an answer. | |
| Mar 18, 2017 at 15:29 | comment | added | 101010111100 | Sure, I don't see why not. | |
| Mar 18, 2017 at 15:14 | comment | added | John | @101010111100 Thanks for your advice. Do you think it is proper to ask my (potential) supervisor at this moment before I enroll the program? | |
| Mar 18, 2017 at 14:47 | comment | added | 101010111100 | Elite universities in the UK try their best to support their students (and in my experience, they are excellent at it), which includes all kinds of help. So my suggestion would be to get in touch with your supervisor and explain the situation. They can then advise you further and even get you in touch with the right people. | |
| Mar 18, 2017 at 14:28 | history | asked | John | CC BY-SA 3.0 |