I get really nervous about contacting potential graduate advisors. I think this stems from a lack of response by professors when I've applied in the past, but whatever the reason, I just get myself all worked up that I'm not going to get a response.
However, I found a wonderfully reassuring article today. Being the good Google user that I am, I was trying to find something about the best way to contact a potential professor. I was hoping to find something like "address this point, this point, ask this question, and say thank you."
Instead, I found this:
As a former professor, I promise that most, if not all, professors will be delighted that someone is interested in their work and happy to hear from someone who wants to work with them. Now, if you are contacting the supreme expert at MIT or Yale or something, they might have inboxes full of these requests, but most professors who aren't the grand poobah of their fields are thrilled when people are interested. Occasionally you meet a stinker, but most will be complimented rather than annoyed. So keep that in mind.
And remember, you haven't lost anything by expressing interest! Everyone likes to hear that what they do matters. You will get some no-replies, some wankers, and some great replies...just like any other situation like this, regardless of field. I think it is great you are following your bliss here, and don't let worries of sounding dumb (which you do not) scare you away from reaching out and making some new contacts. I think you will be very pleased at the conversations you are starting, and you should ignore the insecure blowhards who act like they are too important for you. After all, where would they be without students? They need you!
06 September 2011
15 August 2011
Professors
Well, it's tough to figure out which professor I would want to study with and work for while doing my graduate work. I would absolutely like to study whales. That's what I've always wanted to study, but lately, my interests are broadening to conservation models in general.
Regardless, this is the tentative list of who I'm going to try and contact to study with. **I've put in links to all the professors, so if you are interested in their research, click on a link!**
1) Dr. Samuel Wasser at University of Washington. According to his web page, he has been using hormone and DNA extraction techniques from large mammal scat. He had been using these techniques to help investigate illegal ivory trade. I've also seen him in the news for using this technique with the killer whale population in the San Juan Islands.
2) Dr. C. Scott Baker at Oregon State University. His Cetacean Conservation and Genetic Lab has been using mapping of the whale genome to improve our understanding of the impact of whaling. I would LOVE to work in this lab!
3) Dr. Daniel Roby at Oregon State University. He has many research interests in his lab, but the focus I'd be most interested in is wildlife restoration after oil spills. Brief insight into my psyche, oil spills have been troubling to me since watching Sampson and Sally when I was younger. At some point in my life, I would be interested in volunteering with veteranarians to help save animals affected by oil spills.
4) Dr. Dee Boersma at University of Washington. Now she has nothing to do with whales, but she has been doing studies on penguins for 25 years. The Penguin Project has been gathering data to contribute to the Wildlife Conservation Society, plus she has a research station in Argentina, so that's a bonus!
5) Dr. Julia Parrish at University of Washington. Her biography really intrigued me, especially that first sentence about not being able to decide what to study. I think that I'd really like her and her attitude towards science. Her lab is currently focused on seabird biology and conservation. Given my interest in teaching Concordia's tropical biology class, birds would be a great model organism to study.
So now that I've identified professors of interest, the next step is to track down recent research articles from each professor (or recent grad student of theirs) to familiarize myself with their work. My goal is to spend 1 day on each professor and give a more in-depth look at them on the blog. I'm using this blog as a tool to keep me on top of my stuff, so even if no one is reading this, I find it helpful. :)
Thanks guys!
Regardless, this is the tentative list of who I'm going to try and contact to study with. **I've put in links to all the professors, so if you are interested in their research, click on a link!**
1) Dr. Samuel Wasser at University of Washington. According to his web page, he has been using hormone and DNA extraction techniques from large mammal scat. He had been using these techniques to help investigate illegal ivory trade. I've also seen him in the news for using this technique with the killer whale population in the San Juan Islands.
2) Dr. C. Scott Baker at Oregon State University. His Cetacean Conservation and Genetic Lab has been using mapping of the whale genome to improve our understanding of the impact of whaling. I would LOVE to work in this lab!
3) Dr. Daniel Roby at Oregon State University. He has many research interests in his lab, but the focus I'd be most interested in is wildlife restoration after oil spills. Brief insight into my psyche, oil spills have been troubling to me since watching Sampson and Sally when I was younger. At some point in my life, I would be interested in volunteering with veteranarians to help save animals affected by oil spills.
4) Dr. Dee Boersma at University of Washington. Now she has nothing to do with whales, but she has been doing studies on penguins for 25 years. The Penguin Project has been gathering data to contribute to the Wildlife Conservation Society, plus she has a research station in Argentina, so that's a bonus!
5) Dr. Julia Parrish at University of Washington. Her biography really intrigued me, especially that first sentence about not being able to decide what to study. I think that I'd really like her and her attitude towards science. Her lab is currently focused on seabird biology and conservation. Given my interest in teaching Concordia's tropical biology class, birds would be a great model organism to study.
So now that I've identified professors of interest, the next step is to track down recent research articles from each professor (or recent grad student of theirs) to familiarize myself with their work. My goal is to spend 1 day on each professor and give a more in-depth look at them on the blog. I'm using this blog as a tool to keep me on top of my stuff, so even if no one is reading this, I find it helpful. :)
Thanks guys!
09 August 2011
Potential Job!
I was browsing around on my computer today after a very early Starbucks shift, and I happened upon a posted job at the Seattle Aquarium for a marine science educator. Now, if any of you know me, this is exactly the kind of job I want some day as a full-time career. Seriously. This is a dream job.
I just applied for it. I'm super nervous because I really want it! I am certainly qualified, but I know there are a lot of well-qualified, passionate people out there. I don't know what my chances are, but if you're the praying-type, I would definitely appreciate some prayers for an interview!
I know that was a lot of "I's" in the last few sentences... so perhaps we need some balance. Here is something humorous for you Harry Potter fans and Conan O'Brian fans! Silly Conan....
I just applied for it. I'm super nervous because I really want it! I am certainly qualified, but I know there are a lot of well-qualified, passionate people out there. I don't know what my chances are, but if you're the praying-type, I would definitely appreciate some prayers for an interview!
I know that was a lot of "I's" in the last few sentences... so perhaps we need some balance. Here is something humorous for you Harry Potter fans and Conan O'Brian fans! Silly Conan....
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