American Students - I need your help (easy)

[Pekka]

Ok.. I've been invited to a meeting with my lecturer (who is American) to further discuss my work that is about to start. The lecturer himself is pretty known in his area of work wich I'm not getting into, it's irrelevant. But let's just say, in his particular expertise field, I seriously doubt we haven't got a single person like him in our country, that's how highly I would regard him.

Anyway.. so he e-mailed me for a meet, I'm doing my term paper for his course which is interesting and one of the best, maybe the best I've ever had the pleasure to take part... so yeah I suggested a topic for my term paper and he would like to discuss about it and explore the idea more and he says it might be worth further exploration and that it is interesting.

So. How is this done? This is not culturally how we do things in here. I'm supposed to meet him and discuss about this. I've never done this with a lecturer before, and better, a real author and world expert.

So at the same time as I am flattered that he found my suggestion interesting enough for this, but at the same time I am a bit intimidated about it. I see this as a chance for me. Let me explain..

the course I'm going through is something that I have dreamed of, I mean, this isn't regular course, it's held because the lecturer happens to be in our country now doing other research so he agreed to do this course I guess the same time for our students. It's not small caliber, most 'students' there are actually lecturers from our Uni, or people who are preparing their PhD. But the subject was intriquing to me and I haven't regreted a single day I took the course as an extra, just out of pure curiosity. But I'm excited about it, it has opened up a box of dreams for me.

The term paper is actually a research suggestion. So should I complete this assignment succesfully, I might have the opportunity to do my thesis on this, do the actual research. And the research would be extremely valuable IMO, it has not been studied a whole lot academically, and it is something I would greatly enjoy doing. It's like you would get to do it from your hobby or childhood dream. So I have high hopes, this might be career changing opportunity, really.

So now I have this meeting. So I'm intimidated because this is important for me. I think he realizes that I am 100% interested about this and is now helping me explore this and give his input. It would be so much help, not only because he is known in his field everywhere, but also because it would give my study more legitimacy now and maybe I could ask for his opinion for my thesis work later on if he wants to further help me a bit. Which I think is a possibility, giving my possible thesis an excellent starting point, something that only few people would get.

So that's why I'm kind of nervous. I mean, it's nothing, but the implications of this could have big impact for myself later on.

So American students, I assume you guys do this with your people. How is this done? And I don't think he has an office in our Uni, he didn't come here for that.. so I don't know where we even meet. Is this formal or semi-formal? How should I prepare myself for this? How are these things conducted? I have absolutely no idea, but I want to put on my A-game.

Please don't spam, this is of great importance to me. I want everything to go smoothly and I want to impress him. He has already indicated some interest so I want to exploit that. All my threads about business ideas, my trainee positions, everything diminishes next to the possible implications this could have on my career. It could really jumpstart stuff and make me ride fast lane...

And for privacy reasons I will not tell who this person is, so don't bother asking. Also I won't tell my topic either for security reasons. If it shall be my thesis later on, I will tell about it then.

[SlowwHand]

It's not going to be formal, and you can only prepare so much. Let him guide you. He's the go-to guy, you say. He'll let you know what his thoughts are.

Congrats and good luck.

[Cyclotron]

Well Pekka, it is much more common - at least in smaller American schools - for professors to meet individually with students, especially for projects and papers of importance, or simply because they find a lot of merit in the student's proposal. I'm not sure what the conventions for this are in Finland, so I can't make any useful comparisons, but I congratulate you on coming up with something interesting enough to get his attention.

If he doesn't have an office - which seems strange to me, but then again, what do I know - you could probably e-mail him back saying you'd appreciate a meeting, and ask him what place and time are good for his schedule. As far as formality, here in America (in my own experience, of course) it's not formal at all - wear what you normally would to class, and speak how you normally would to a teacher.

As far as your A-game, I think you're the best judge of that. If he was interested in the first place, it means there's something to your proposal, and I'm sure you've put a lot of good thought into it. Know what you're talking about and demonstrate your enthusiasm for the subject; if it's anything like the similar discussions I've had at my college, it's really just a conversation, nothing to get too anxious about.

Also, if your conversation goes well and the prof heads back to America, it would be really positive to keep in professional contact, by e-mail or something. Having a professor who knows your work and thinks you're doing interesting things, and being able to ask him questions and get comments and advice, is extremely valuable. He might be able to help you with advice on getting into whatever field it is you're looking at, or conducting further research, if you stay in contact.

[Pekka]

yes, it's .. it's not like a job interview But .. I'm new to this kind of thing so I have no idea what to expect, or how I should prepare.

Thanks for the input though, this is pretty much what I would guess myself too but I just want to make sure from you guys because you must have experience with this kind of thing.

Umm, I also want to impress him, I mean, I want to do it so well, that he will genuinely be interested in the possible follow up reasearch (that would be my thesis). So it's all about how the meeting goes, and how my paper then shapes up after that.

[Pekka]

Cyclotron, yes exactly. I am passionate about the subject. The reason I have never pursued this particular field or topic is because I thought it might not be feasible to me. For simple reasons like no access to people who could mentor me in this. We have NO mentoring of this particular subject in Finland. It's quite rare research topic and therefore it is also interesting. There's lots of things we don't know about it.

I have already e-mailed and said I want to meet, and we have a day already settled I think. The time and place is something we will work on. Actually he followed up my proposal with 'explain what you think x means'. Then I e-mailed back and told what it I think it means. He then got back to me with a longer e-mail saying he wants to meet with me, talk about it more, then suggested few authors I should get into.

Ironically enough, I got interested in the first place reading those authors . So I think we clicked in some level from there on and I was able to recommend him something in return. The great thing is, he has met and knows thme people I read and got the spark for this.

Now that there seems to be an opportunity, extremely rare one, I'm going after it. It's crazy, I mean I live here next to the north pole and I get to meet this guy, totally out of pure coincidence. It must be a sign for me to pursue this particular topic, I feel it strongly.

Not only is this interesting to me, this is something that has interested me before I started in the Uni. What was not feasible might actually become feasible. I might be able to pursue a real dream, plus if I should be able to do that, it is undoubtelty a very lucrative field. I want to become an expert on that issue and do reasearch, possibly educating people on it etc.

Wow. I can't sleep now, I got excited again. But rest assured, I am passionately interested about this stuff, more than anything on my field right now, it is a rare topic with few experts and I want to become one of those few. It's something I'd love to wake up researching and doing, even if no one paid me. And it came to me in my spare time, not something I had to learn. So this is natural and I'm not sucking up anyones butt here.

And YES!! I want to impress him by doing this paper and research so good, that he wants me to keep him updated and possibly I could ask for his advice later on when he gets back there, which is soon.

[DanS]

Don't y'all have prof office hours in Finland?

From what I know in the arts in the US (not the sciences), this would be a very informal meeting. Don't waste his time, but... trying to impress him in the meeting seems like it would be counterproductive. You are there to explain your project to him, but in the end the meeting is about him teaching you and offering you guidance. Every prof has his style (some are more open, available and sociable than others), but likely he sees meeting you as part of his normal duty in his job as lecturer. IOW, he's not going in expecting to you to perform for him or enlighten him with your brilliance.

[Pekka]

Sure we have guidance etc. but it's usually handled pretty much differently, and it's always initiated by the student.

And no, I don't have a project yet. THat's the thing, he want's to discuss about it and explore it with me. I do not have a set project. I just have the field. Which doesn't 100% fit the course he's doing, but it turned out he is interested in the field I suggested.

[KrazyHorse]

Don't worry about things too much. Set up a list of a few more specific things you might want to do. Do a bit of light reading on these subjects. That's all the preparation you can really do at this point.

[Pekka]

Set up a list OK hmm...

1. want to kill communists
2. have lots of money
3. .. and sex with 19 year old girls (with big boobs)
4. eat like a king
5. discuss about the paper

Maybe we can get to one of these things I hope

[KrazyHorse]

A list of academic topics, you barbarian.

[Pekka]

yeah... because I want to have some input as well and not be like the kid who came to the meeting and totally didn't have anything to say. I know he is here to help me, but so far he has innovated me and kind of rejuveniled my interest. So.. I just don't want to go there adn 'ohh the course is great' and suck up. I want to talk issues that matters, and help him help me. You know, I have to have input.

BUT my INITIAL worries where more about what are these things like... that's pretty much covered now; casual.

[DanS]

He's probably just looking for your man-love anyway.

[Pekka]

yeah you know that's what I thought too.. Then I feel used, "I thoughjt you just wanted to talk about this paper.." ..

[Barinthus]

Others pretty said it all. It's likely not informal and if you're not sure what to do, I'm sure he'll help you out by asking questions or whatever.

You'll be fine. Americans generally are an informal lot.

Cyclotron said it very well - do keep in touch with him especially if he expresses interest in your project. If he is well known as you said, a reference from him will be golden.

Curious, how is this typically done in Finland?

[Pekka]

Right.

Well first of all this course mode is not typical for our Unis. Everything, from grading to saying hello and asking how are you is American.

So, we wouldn't do this at all because we wouldn't have a term paper to begin with. If it was an essay, you know, write it and return it. If it was a project, say some kind of ... task, demonstration or what ever work, then the course is assigned with an assistant most likely so you take it up with them IF YOU ARE IN SUPER TROUBLE. Otherwise you work it out yourself or with your friends. You don't bother people.

For example if someone would say my office doors are open for you, it's 50/50. They are but not unless you really have heavy issues.

There are few types of things where I'd get guidance directly from the big chief and that's when I'd be doing my thesis. OF COURSE I can get it now as well, but it's not set up like this, it's not handled like this. And the student is ALWAYS the initiator, no matter how much you suck or rule.