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crazyfrog
Kermitologist
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Joined: 31 May 2003
Posts: 7610
Location: atlanta
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 Posted: 09/04/03 - 23:23 Post subject: should i be offended
so my advisor sent me an advert for a graduate assistantship with a woman at auburn univ. here is the corespondance weve had over the last few days...
Hello
My advisor, Matthew Grober, forwarded me a message about openings in
your lab for this spring. I was wondering if you could tell me a
little more about your lab and what you are looking for in a graduate
student.
I am currently working in Dr. Grober's lab, studying endocrine disruption
in medaka and zebra fish. I have also done some behavioral work with
blue banded gobies, including some field work at Catalina Island.
The technical concetration for my degree is neurobio and behavior, but I also have a strong ecology background as well since that is an area where I have the most interest. I will be gradutating from Georgia State with a B.S. in biology and I am looking for potential graduate programs.
Thank You
Elizabeth Stokes
Elizabeth:
I am looking for field - oriented students who can work independently.
Although one area I mentioned for project development is behavioral
ecoloy, the GRAs I have all deal with stream/coastal fish surveys (many
of my students 'work' on GRA projects that are not their thesis).
Please see my websites :
http://www.ag.auburn.edu/faa/ichthyology/index.html
If your research interests still match mine, please get back in touch
with me with specific questions
Hi Carol,
I took another look at your webpages and I do have a few questions.
I would like to do my graduate work with herps and I assume that your
lab deals primarily with fish. Would there be any possibilities of
going in a new direction?
On that note, I have never really designed and then carried out a
project that was 100% mine. Would you be willing to help me wih this
or would I need to have something prepared before hand?
If I were to stick with fish research, do you have some sort of project
in line or any that you would like to do in the future?
I think that I would like to do something with behavior, but I'm not
positive. If you have any ideas or thoughts about potential projects
please feel free to provide me with some feed back. If it's possible,
and you think that I would be a good candidate, I would like to meet
with you and check out the lab.
Thanks, Elizabeth
here is what i got back this evening:
Your interests would be better served with another program (as would mine with other candidates whose interests match my own). good luck
should i be offended? i am most definatley put off by this response and think that honestly, its kinda bitchy.
did i say something inappropriate? did i do anything wrong at all?
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keltic63
the kilted one
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Joined: 17 May 2002
Posts: 8574
Location: under the weather
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Posted: 09/04/03 - 23:30 Post subject:
it's my way or the highway. I have no room in my program for people who want to use their own brains.
cut your losses and move on. but maybe show your advisor the correspondences.
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crazyfrog
Kermitologist
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Joined: 31 May 2003
Posts: 7610
Location: atlanta
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Posted: 09/04/03 - 23:35 Post subject:
| keltic63 wrote: | | cut your losses and move on. but maybe show your advisor the correspondences. |
i thought about forwarding the message to him, but i wasnt sure if i said something wrong or whatever... i will be mentioning it to him though.
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Noley
AZhat
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Joined: 16 Aug 2003
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Posted: 09/04/03 - 23:39 Post subject:
| Quote: | | I am looking for field - oriented students who can work independently |
That first sentence right there is a red flag to me that this Prof is arrogant and not someone you would like to work for. She seems to be very stiff-necked and rigid in manor. You get some Prof's who seem to think they are "above all others" in views and philosophies. This one seems to be narrow-minded and not able to look outside her box.
Initially I would take offense as well, but in the long run be happy that I wasn't her assistant.
You were not inappropriate at all. It was her.
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TimRuns
Member
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Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 10062
Location: Coquitlam, British Columbia
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Posted: 09/05/03 - 00:05 Post subject:
| nolefan85 wrote: | | Quote: | | I am looking for field - oriented students who can work independently |
That first sentence right there is a red flag to me that this Prof is arrogant and not someone you would like to work for. She seems to be very stiff-necked and rigid in manor. You get some Prof's who seem to think they are "above all others" in views and philosophies. This one seems to be narrow-minded and not able to look outside her box.
Initially I would take offense as well, but in the long run be happy that I wasn't her assistant.
You were not inappropriate at all. It was her. |
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TriBob
Member
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Joined: 29 Aug 2002
Posts: 5771
Location: Lost in Transition
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Posted: 09/05/03 - 08:19 Post subject:
| TimRuns wrote: | | nolefan85 wrote: | | Quote: | | I am looking for field - oriented students who can work independently |
That first sentence right there is a red flag to me that this Prof is arrogant and not someone you would like to work for. She seems to be very stiff-necked and rigid in manor. You get some Prof's who seem to think they are "above all others" in views and philosophies. This one seems to be narrow-minded and not able to look outside her box.
Initially I would take offense as well, but in the long run be happy that I wasn't her assistant.
You were not inappropriate at all. It was her. |
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elkid
Member
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Joined: 18 Nov 2002
Posts: 8353
Location: hiding out in Philly
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Posted: 09/05/03 - 08:55 Post subject:
I read her original reply a bit differently: I see her trying to set realistic expectations of what she was looking for, but her final response could have been worded a lot better. I interpret this as you have a very good background, but have only some of the requirements she's looking for in a candidate, and she wants people who have the full background to work independently so she won't have to mentor them. I also interpret her rather curt final reply as she's either too busy or too arrogant to give you the courtesy of a meaningful reply.
You're very lucky to have not gotten the opportunity to work for this person.
Last edited by elkid on 09/05/03 - 09:08; edited 1 time in total
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AlaninTX
Member
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Joined: 14 May 2002
Posts: 6582
Location: Austin, Texas
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Posted: 09/05/03 - 09:05 Post subject:
My take is you did nothing wrong, and neither did she. While she was, shall we say, a bit economical in telling you no thanks, I suspect what you got back was a standard reply she sends to those who she does not see as a possibility.
Do not take it personally. The right situation will present itself as long as you keep searching.
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Maddies Wench
Flailing Homosapiens
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Joined: 12 Jun 2003
Posts: 6102
Location: Seeking out the poorer quarters where the ragged people go.
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Posted: 09/05/03 - 10:00 Post subject:
| nolefan85 wrote: | | Quote: | | I am looking for field - oriented students who can work independently |
That first sentence right there is a red flag to me that this Prof is arrogant and not someone you would like to work for. She seems to be very stiff-necked and rigid in manor. You get some Prof's who seem to think they are "above all others" in views and philosophies. This one seems to be narrow-minded and not able to look outside her box.
Initially I would take offense as well, but in the long run be happy that I wasn't her assistant.
You were not inappropriate at all. It was her. |
BIG FAT
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Sahara
Member
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Posted: 09/05/03 - 11:11 Post subject:
| elkid wrote: | I read her original reply a bit differently: I see her trying to set realistic expectations of what she was looking for, but her final response could have been worded a lot better. I interpret this as you have a very good background, but have only some of the requirements she's looking for in a candidate, and she wants people who have the full background to work independently so she won't have to mentor them. I also interpret her rather curt final reply as she's either too busy or too arrogant to give you the courtesy of a meaningful reply.
You're very lucky to have not gotten the opportunity to work for this person. |
Numero Uno
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Pug
The Movie Geek
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Joined: 21 Aug 2003
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Posted: 09/05/03 - 11:14 Post subject:
| elkid wrote: | I read her original reply a bit differently: I see her trying to set realistic expectations of what she was looking for, but her final response could have been worded a lot better. I interpret this as you have a very good background, but have only some of the requirements she's looking for in a candidate, and she wants people who have the full background to work independently so she won't have to mentor them. I also interpret her rather curt final reply as she's either too busy or too arrogant to give you the courtesy of a meaningful reply.
You're very lucky to have not gotten the opportunity to work for this person. |
I'm with elkid on this one. This person was very curt with her last reply, but was moderately clear in explaining what she wanted. She may be a little abrupt and condescending towards people who don't fit into her world, so it seems to be a good thing that you're not working with her.
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jrjo
Gone Fishin
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Joined: 15 May 2002
Posts: 16450
Location: Lake Wobegon, MN
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Posted: 09/05/03 - 11:19 Post subject:
| cf wrote: | Would there be any possibilities of going in a new direction?
Would you be willing to help me wih this...?
If I were to stick with fish research, do you have some sort of project in line or any that you would like to do in the future? |
My guess is these questions really rubbed the wrong way and although the rejection verbage could have been fluffed up, it's obvious there wasn't any room for compromise. Just my guess but being a researcher is where the creativity is at and the assistants "do all the dirty work", no?
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akern
Member
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Joined: 31 May 2002
Posts: 17149
Location: CTU
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Posted: 09/05/03 - 11:55 Post subject:
Sorry for your disappointment, but I guess you weren't what she was looking for. When buying shoes would you settle for a size 8 when you wear a 9? Her reply was curt, but to the point therefore not wasting any of your time or her time. Don't take offense, try again somewhere else.
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coachmarkos
my boys could swim
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Joined: 14 May 2002
Posts: 11387
Location: 1st in AFC West
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Posted: 09/05/03 - 11:56 Post subject:
| AlaninTX wrote: | My take is you did nothing wrong, and neither did she. While she was, shall we say, a bit economical in telling you no thanks, I suspect what you got back was a standard reply she sends to those who she does not see as a possibility.
Do not take it personally. The right situation will present itself as long as you keep searching. |
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Happy2tri
Member
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Joined: 02 May 2003
Posts: 1003
Location: Boston, MA
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Posted: 09/05/03 - 12:25 Post subject:
| AlaninTX wrote: | My take is you did nothing wrong, and neither did she. While she was, shall we say, a bit economical in telling you no thanks, I suspect what you got back was a standard reply she sends to those who she does not see as a possibility.
Do not take it personally. The right situation will present itself as long as you keep searching. |
not the right fit for either of you, onward and upward
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