Guys, I was asked by a professor whom wishes to extend an invitation to me to attend his university as a 'visiting scholar', if I would like to take part in seminars or if I am more of a residential scholar?

Would you please explain to me what that is exactly?

Bonzo, hi :) I have to tell you that your response made me smile hehe!

I actually emailed her last night. The reason being that I was feeling bad that I emailed her about the US prior and another academic in my same uni whom she knows. She didn't reply but he did and it seems he thought I want to leave my university. I also did not want her finding out through someone else or one of the professors in the US emailing her about it.

So I felt that I need to act ASAP and explain to her HONESTLY why I am so eager to go to the US. I wanted her to know that I intend to remain at my uni, that I want to graduate from it, that it brings me pride and so does she. Then I moved on to explain my position with my boyfriend. I explained that since my 4th and final phd year needs to be spent in London, maybe she could support me by allowing me to go this year (3rd) to the US. I hope she takes it well and does not think that I am not committed enough, which on the contrary I am.

I like the way you see things. I hope she sees it as an opportunity to forge links. Actually, in my first year, I was one of the reasons she forged a good link with another professor at a London university and they conducted seminars together through out that year.

Answering your question, of course I am not leaving her entirely and I need her supervision. She is awesome. As a person, a teacher and a historian. She knows her shit and she knows how to get it across. Plus, she's easygoing with me on deadlines taken that I am so late sometimes.

So you say it is a great opportunity, but why? I mean is it THAT good that I get to go as a visiting student to a US uni? I am not familiar with these things. I know it's important to attend conferences and have publications and do a POSTDOC, but I have no idea about being a visiting researcher/scholar in the US.

Why are you going through all those shades of green with envy? lol I mean is your girlfriend in another country? If so, why don't you attempt what I am doing.

Finally, thanks a lot ;)

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Missspacey, Hi :)

I remember you cause you had answered one of my previous queries, so thanks again!

I mean I am not that into brands. Allow me to explain. I am at a uni renowned for its history departments and its scholars and this renown is the result of hard work, publications, state of the art research and expertise in the field of history. If I were to leave my department to visit temporarily another institution, it should be equal or better in these criteria in order for it to be able to offer me something better than what I already have. Otherwise my supervisor and department will be like: "wtf are yo going to do there that we cannot offer you?". For example, the professor willing to sponsor should be able to offer genuine and expert advice and maybe add something new to my thinking that my supervisor hasn't. However, I am definitely not a brand kind of person. I am more for the quality. I know some specialist schools that do not rank high due to their small size but in certain fields they are top of the tops.

So I definitely do have more reasons to go there other than just wanting a good US uni on my CV.

Yes, well I was really not too interested in the US. Now, that my bf may be there, I would need to make certain compromises. It's not that I don't like the US, I do but I prefer the UK. I am more of a London kind of girl. But, the heart wants what the heart wants ;)

Thanks missspacey xoxox

Wow, I have to thank you for your detailed response. I actually thank you for that idea of 'preliminary homework', which is exactly what I was doing. I really really did not mean to sneak behind her back or anything. I just thought I'd email the unis and once I have an invitation, I'll take it to my supervisor and hopefully get it approved (or not).

I have always been honest with my supervisor and this is a genuine mistake. I just didn't think much of it until my friend (a phd student) asked me if I'd had informed her. So I endeavored to email her about it but she never responded.

I am paying for my PhD you know... This is the UK ;)

As for going to be with my bf, well I guess I should be honest with her. I can be cause we have that kind of rltp. I just don't want her to be disappointed. On the other hand, she has allowed one of her other students to spend his first year in London and then the rest of his PhD in his home country cause he told her he cannot afford London. He explained to her why... He is now a teaching assistant at a local university here while he writes up his thesis.

Visiting a good US uni would not significantly alter my CV, but it would be better than nothing. I mean I could have easily told her that I cannot afford london and then went to my bf in the US. But I actually want to do something constructive (apart from writing up my thesis) while in the US.

I definitely need to tell her. But I am not sure when. Since I have already emailed her and she ignored my email, I am worried to email again. I prefer to tell her everything face to face because remote contact can sometimes add more damage than needed...Maybe next month when I visit london. Is that okay?

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Basically, I am a 2nd year phd student at a top university, part of University of London. I have an interest to affiliate myself with a good university in the US. I have received several invitations from good universities in the US to visit them for any suggested period of time (ideally a year) as a "visiting scholar/researcher".

However, I have contacted these universities prior to informing my supervisor. I did not do it on purpose. I just thought that what is the point in bothering her with this issue if I don't have any invitations. Plus I am on fieldwork now so we communicate via email.

Now that I have a few invitations, I am afraid to tell her. I don't think she will like it. I don't want her to feel that I am betraying her. But I feel that visiting a US uni would be a good thing to add on my cv especially that I don't have any publications to my name yet.


Also, another reason I want to go there is cause my bf is there. And we really want to take it to another serious level and I want to be there near him and see where it goes...

Did I **** up by not telling my supervisor prior to contacting US universities?

How do I tell her that I REALLY want to go?

Could my department not support me and stop me from going to the US?

Should I be honest with my supervisor and tell her the real reason why I want to go? But I don't want to come across as someone who cannot commit...

Help!

What does the title "Professor of the Graduate School at the History Department" represent? Does it represent the dean/head of a department?

This is a title I found on the website of a certain top 20 US university. I searched for the title 'dean' at the department but was unlucky. I found instead "Professor of the Graduate School".

HELP!

Missspacey, I know about the formal application. However, shouldn't I have the support of a professor there who would be willing to have me? Or do I go ahead and apply? I also can't find deadline information with regards to applying as a visiting student. I understand from you that I cannot apply to go this coming year? like maybe Jan or Feb 2010?

Hi.

Thanks a lot for your helpful response. I just wanted to say that I actually contacted Stanford and Berkeley without informing my supervisor. Does the etiquette or procedure of requesting to visit an outside university as a visiting student have to happen through the supervisor? I did not do it on purpose but I thought I'd see how Stanford or Berkeley respond and if there is a green light, I would then discuss it with my supervisor. However, I am worried that this may be the reason why Stanford or Berkeley did not respond... Anyways I wrote to my supervisor (I'm currently on fieldwork) about the issue, and she totally ignored it. So I am not sure what to do...

Hi. I need lots of advice on this.

I am entering my 3rd year (not my last) doing a PhD in History of Middle East at one of the top UK universities. I am interested in experiencing academia in the US and particularly in California for specific reasons. So this leaves me with Stanford and Berkeley.

I wonder if it is possible to actually go there for a term or semester or even a month as a visiting student. I have contacted necessary Professors in both universities but received no responses. I then endeavored to contact the department. I don't want to appear pushy but I really want to go there.

Is it actually possible and what are the procedures I could do to enhance my chances?

I would appreciate any kind of input or advice.

Thanks everyone.

Well, both ways I have been taking French courses and will continue to do so until I go to France. However, I still feel that because the documents I will be consulting belong to the 1920s/30s and are official documents, the French used is going to be quite difficult for me alone. I was thinking of asking my mom, who is french educated, to come along with me but am not sure how long she can stay out there with me.

With regards to translation done by others and whether it's allowed or moral, yet it is. But on the other hand you are taking a risk with regards to the truthfulness or accuracy of the translation as you are placing faith in the translator. Moreover, my friend is disabled and has no eyesight and he has a personal assistant for the archives he will be consulting.

Basically I have research in France at the archives of the ministry of foreign affairs. My french is quite limited and I am in a limbo because these archives constitute a main part of my research. Do you have any idea of any companies that outsource translators for a few weeks with an economic price? Or do you know much about the book scanner and if such items are allowed in archives?

Yasser,

Doctoral Programme Member --- for real? Your friend's funny!

I am still in my first year of the PhD program and my upgrade will be in June (quite soon). So I feel the term "researcher" is too profound a definition for my current status. I feel more of a student and I feel humbled by it. I guess I'll start referring to myself as a "researcher" when I start my fieldwork in a few months. I'll be more deserving of it. But, then again, as a PhD student you're constantly doing research and thus you're a "researcher".

Interesting diary. Keep up the work.

jola,

nice blog. Keep it up as I will be visiting.

Olivia,

I hear you!

Rosy,

I will but give me time. I have been suffering a very bad cold and cough for the past 2 days. It seems it's going to stay for a week. It's one of them ones. I just quit smoking last week, so I think it's because of that. Once I recover, maybe we could support each other.