Questions tagged [academic-life]
Questions related to academic culture, academic communities, and the coexistence of "life" and "academia."
570
questions
10
votes
1
answer
333
views
How can I recover (academically) from a significant (physical) injury?
I am a young academic – I accepted a permanent academic position at the start of this year. I wrote a very large number of grant applications, and got "my big break" with a large, multi-...
- 664
3
votes
2
answers
1k
views
My paper has advanced into the 2nd phase of a 2-phase review process in a top conference, does it in itself help in a PhD application?
So, I just finished my master's in Computer Science, and I plan to apply to some PhD programs later this year.
The review process works in 2 phases: during 1st phase the paper goes to a group of ...
- 689
2
votes
2
answers
658
views
How to politely ask for at least acknowledgement when I help people?
In recent years, as a PhD student in West Africa, I have helped several undergraduate and PhD students who were stuck with some particular problems to the point where they were barely to leave (I can'...
user148016
6
votes
2
answers
1k
views
How to Deal with Demanding Parents
I am currently a 5th year PhD student in math at an American university. I was talking with my parents recently and I told them that I had come to terms with the possibility of me not graduating with ...
21
votes
5
answers
5k
views
Is it normal for a professor to schedule a late night exam?
I'm in my first year of a PhD program in the U.S. One of my professors scheduled a midterm exam for 8:30-11pm at night, and I think it will be very hard for me to stay up that late for an exam. I'm ...
- 1,710
1
vote
1
answer
324
views
Does the Tech Industry outside Academia know which Journals are predatory and which aren't?
The question is pretty simple:
Are HR/interviewers/recruiters outside of academia who parses through your CV/resume, aware of which journals are predatory (say, from Beall's List) and which are not (...
- 123
0
votes
1
answer
439
views
Effects of having a few publications in predatory journals in the beginning of my research journey?
The question might feel a little common out here, but allow me to explain more.
I am a Junior Year CS Student and in my early days of getting involved in publishing conference papers, research ...
- 123
-1
votes
2
answers
389
views
Is it fine to inform my professor that I'm not able to follow his class?
I'm a student in an Integrated Ph.D. course in Physical Science (Physics). Currently, I'm in the first year of this course where I'm taking core courses. I'm doing this course on Fundamentals of ...
- 829
55
votes
8
answers
12k
views
Math Ph.D. does not know what to do with life? [closed]
Background: I am a Math Ph.D. student in the U.S. (originally from a developing nation) in partial differential equations (PDEs) but on the theoretical side of PDEs (no simulation, no numerical). I am ...
- 599
3
votes
1
answer
321
views
University is allowing PhD students in campus again - any advice for a first year? (UK based)
I went to this uni for my undergrad so the staff/layout of buildings isn't a problem - I've had my introductions.
The problem is I've been made to work from home, so I've never had on-campus ...
- 1,163
0
votes
1
answer
316
views
How to overcome "reader's block" as an undegraduate student?
This semester I am reading lots of textbooks. In the beginning I learnt a lot by reading books but soon after, the amount of my learning started to decline. I feel like I have hit the reader's block ...
- 23
2
votes
3
answers
481
views
How to deal with too many interfering unnecessary questions from professors about my career plans?
In my department, there is a professor who is not my advisor who constantly asks me about my career plans and how is it going with my research, how far I went in my research, and what did I do in that ...
- 135
2
votes
3
answers
2k
views
Seriously considering quitting my current PhD program after 1 week of starting - any advice?
Edit #1:
Thank you all for the comments. After sorting out some messes in my recent life and thinking things through. I do realize quitting isn't just a "magic bullet" to make world perfect. ...
- 31
0
votes
2
answers
254
views
What are the pros and cons of different research career paths? [closed]
As a student thinking about a career in research, more precisely pure or fundamental research, I would like to know more about possible careers. I haven't decided on the field yet, so I'm interested ...
user145462
25
votes
3
answers
6k
views
How does the Dutch academic culture compare to other countries in Europe?
I am Dutch, but have only studied in the Netherlands for my undergraduate degree. I am now applying to assistant professorships. The places where I have been for my PhD and afterwards were quite ...
- 361
20
votes
3
answers
7k
views
Is it normal for a full-time instructor to be required to be present physically on campus 40 hours a week?
I am a new Instructor, started during the pandemic and am only going into my second year. I work for a smaller local college, full-time. The college is a located in the U.S. in the Mid-West (Ohio), it ...
- 311
2
votes
0
answers
149
views
Is working from home a sustainable model for PhD students and academia as a whole? [closed]
I suppose it has its advantages but I’m really starting to struggle with the lack of social contact that working from home entails.
I’d very much like my university to start considering options for a ...
- 1,163
0
votes
4
answers
1k
views
How to deal with a PhD advisor who makes mean comments?
I’m one year into my PhD program, and I recently drafted my first review article. I’m a native English speaker, and was often applauded for my writing during high school and college. My advisor made ...
- 9
-1
votes
2
answers
421
views
Are private US universities just a OPT mill, without much concern to teaching quality?
I started a Master in Engineering Management in Santa Clara University, a quite respected university in the Silicon Valley, in order to have a degree better recognized in the US as I've just studied ...
- 130
25
votes
3
answers
8k
views
Why do pure mathematicians tend to start publishing good papers a bit late?
Why is it so common for pure mathematicians to start publishing "good" quality paper a bit late? Maybe towards the end of PhD or start of Post-doc. Whereas in some fields people start ...
- 2,134
-1
votes
5
answers
1k
views
Are mathematicians paid enough? [closed]
I am a first year PhD student. The amount of funding that I receive, in my opinion, is bare minimum. After covering all of my expenses, I'm hardly left with anything or in some of the months, nothing. ...
- 2,134
-1
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Is dating other PhD students a terrible idea if I want to stay in academia longterm? [closed]
In his book “Good work if you can get it: How to succeed in academia”, Jason Brennan advises aspiring academics against dating other PhD students while on graduate school.
Of course, I know that ...
6
votes
0
answers
523
views
Is there a book equivalent to « Good work if you can get: How to succeed in academia » but for European / UK academia?
I found Jason Brennan’s book very useful when applying to my PhD and planning long term about my academic career.
However I am doing my PhD in Europe and although I’d like to explore US academia at ...
6
votes
2
answers
5k
views
How to negotiate salary raise after promotion to associate or full professor?
Several posts on this website discussed the negotiation process and tips for new faculty in US. However, I wonder if there are any possibilities or tips to negotiate the salary after being tenured and ...
- 4,980
0
votes
1
answer
385
views
Grad School Failure and Drop out
During the end of my first year of grad school we have to take a comprehensive exam (I am majoring in Microbiology and Immunology) Due to personal problems I failed my exam, now I get to retake it but ...
- 9
0
votes
0
answers
83
views
Should I switch majors? How will this look on grad school application?
At the school I study at there are several majors for life sciences. I am currently in a program called Life science - origin of diseases specialization. This program is very similar to the general ...
- 9
0
votes
1
answer
542
views
Sending a follow up email to prof and ask for the data availability
I sent an email to a professor to share the data they published a paper on (and they are obliged to do it). It's been more than 2 weeks, he has not replied yet.
Should I send a follow-up email under ...
- 513
1
vote
1
answer
1k
views
Mature PhD maths student going through a crisis and feeling pretty anxious and depressed about future - advice needed [closed]
So, to provide a bit about my background, I did an undergrad degree in mathematics from 2010-2014, and started a PhD immediately afterwards and dropped out after 9 months due to it not being a good ...
- 299
3
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Why is it not the norm to pay for travel expenses for academics moving to new jobs? [closed]
In industry, when someone is hired, it's typical for the employer to pay for the flight costs of the new employee. But when grad students and postdocs are moving to different countries, typically they ...
- 2,082
36
votes
7
answers
10k
views
What is the hardest part of transitioning from a PhD to a full-time career in academia?
Multiple users on this site have stated that only around 1 in 10 (or maybe an even smaller ratio) PhD students are able to successfully continue in academia, beginning with an Assistant Professor ...
user136193
3
votes
1
answer
340
views
What's the proper response after receiving an email from an unfamiliar sender accusing an academic of my discipline of misconduct with evidence?
I have recently received an email from an unknown source where an academic (who I don't know) is accused (backed by some evidence which I haven't examined in detail) of misconduct, particularly ...
- 33
11
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Is it considered bad if a student replies late to a professor?
We know that professors are busy, and more often than not we (students) do not receive quick replies from them. However, the tables have turned (sadly, and just once).
This summer, I'm working on some ...
- 1,875
0
votes
2
answers
723
views
Are there reasons to revoke my degree if I shared old notes with a current student who was caught plagiarizing my work? [duplicate]
I graduated university (UK University) a couple of years ago with a first. My friend is currently enrolled at the same university and was struggling with an assignment I had completed and still had a ...
3
votes
1
answer
759
views
Academia vs. Industry for Machine Learning [closed]
For PhD students in machine learning, academia vs. industry is an increasingly strange choice. Getting a faculty job at a good university is still quite hard, but the pay is hugely lower than in ...
- 31
0
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Sending a follow up email for a research assistant position
I have submitted an application for a research assistant position in field of psychology and neuroscience in the USA. The person to whom I submitted my application seems to be the lab manager (not ...
- 3
9
votes
2
answers
899
views
Without any contribution from my supervisor, is it reasonable to write my papers all by myself?
Background: I am finishing up my PhD. I'm lucky to be at a good school and my PhD was funded by a competitive scholarship. I have published work from my master's in humanities as a solo author, and as ...
- 171
2
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Seeking advice: Failed PhD due to academic + psychological reasons. Should I apply two years later?
Failed my PhD in Physics after 3 years in graduate school. I spent the whole first and a half year on foundation (courses and some learning projects) since I jumped in from a completely different ...
- 119
30
votes
9
answers
14k
views
As a PhD student, should I attend group meetings when they just make me feel bad?
Should I attend group meetings? In our group meetings, scientific issues (experiment or results) are not discussed, participants only tell their situations (I will have a paper) or material, economic ...
- 541
15
votes
4
answers
7k
views
Are Asian-Americans considered an "underrepresented minority" in academia in the US?
As an Asian-American I sometimes feel as though I am "stuck." There are certainly many Asian academics, but only a few Asian-Americans. This is complicated by the statistics. In absolute ...
- 2,082
5
votes
3
answers
3k
views
I feel left out from the group
My supervisor had a surgery. She notified the other doctorate student other than me and the other members of the group. I have no information. No one in the group said this to me. I feel like an idiot ...
- 103
10
votes
4
answers
2k
views
Dealing with unpleasant people in conferences
My current strategy when seeing unpleasant, toxic academics in conferences is to ignore them, but I'm wondering if people have other suggestions.
When I was a grad student, I spent a few months at a ...
- 2,082
-4
votes
1
answer
207
views
Is My Mentality Good for Academia / Grad School? [closed]
I am wondering if my mentality is good for an academic. Or does my mentality mean I should not go to academia:
(1) I am not an avid reader and I do not read for leisure. I do not read in the free time....
49
votes
9
answers
7k
views
How to reconcile desire to succeed in academia/willingness to prioritize research with ethical concerns about fair work practices?
I'm not 100% sure how to phrase my question, but I've been grappling with this for sometime and thought maybe the responses would provide me some insight.
I'm currently at PhD student soon to be on ...
- 1,853
3
votes
2
answers
10k
views
Faculty hiring after campus interview
I did a campus interview two weeks ago (US universities, R1, Engineering). I was not the last candidate, so, by considering the last one, the search was closed one week ago. In the last meeting with ...
- 329
30
votes
14
answers
26k
views
What to do with students requesting deadline extension due to the death of a relative (but without a doctor's note)?
I am currently working as a teaching assistant for several courses in STEM in the US at the college level.
During the past two semesters since Covid19 started, I have noticed that whenever a deadline ...
- 1,013
2
votes
0
answers
135
views
Taking an applied internship postponing the end of the PhD
I'm a PhD student in Europe, currently in my 3rd year of pure mathematics. It was supposed to be the final year of my studies before finding a position either in industry or in academy. However, the ...
- 155
2
votes
7
answers
3k
views
I believe I have a clever idea/tool that should be widely adopted by the research community. How to interpret a lukewarm response?
Related to this question, except I do not believe (and have not claimed) that I have solved an open problem, famous or otherwise.
I came up with an idea (specifically, how to pronounce numbers in ...
1
vote
1
answer
220
views
What is the least amount of effort needed to ensure no copyright issue of using online pictures in lecture notes/slides
I have noticed that in many university's course notes/slides, particularly those in the CS department, and in particular those dealing with computer animation/graphics, a large amount of instructors ...
- 1,342
0
votes
1
answer
196
views
Working as an Academic researcher difficulties [closed]
What do you do if you have to perform research in a field that you didn't like, as I'm currently passionate about computer vision stuff, but my research is about Android security. More than that the ...
- 13
2
votes
1
answer
556
views
How to gracefully leave a lab due to poor infrastructure and aiming to move into a new field of research?
I am an early career postdoc in a prestigious high-ranking university in US. I did my PhD in from a good state university in US and published a decent number of papers. My current PI has no expertise ...
- 21