{"id":188,"date":"2009-04-28T15:07:27","date_gmt":"2009-04-28T19:07:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mathgradblog.williams.edu\/?p=188"},"modified":"2009-04-28T15:07:27","modified_gmt":"2009-04-28T19:07:27","slug":"choosing-an-advisor-part-deux","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.ams.org\/mathgradblog\/2009\/04\/28\/choosing-an-advisor-part-deux\/","title":{"rendered":"Choosing an Advisor: Part Deux"},"content":{"rendered":"

By David Shea Vela-Vick<\/a><\/p>\n

Choosing an academic advisor is never an entirely straightforward process. \u00a0It takes a lot of effort find someone who is a good fit both mathematically and personally. \u00a0A good choice can lead to some of the most productive and enjoyable years of your life, while a bad choice can obscure some of the joy in doing and teaching mathematics. \u00a0In most cases, the process of choosing an advisor will terminate on a someone down the hall. \u00a0In a minority of cases, however, the most natural choice might be an individual at an entirely different institution. \u00a0As one might expect, such a choice has its plus’s and minus’s. \u00a0This post is about my experiences choosing such an advisor, and the effect this choice has had on my life.<\/p>\n

Right off the bat, I’ll tell you that having my advisor, John Etnyre, at a different institution had a net positive effect on my life as a mathematician. \u00a0Sure there were many logistical hurdles, but there were also many hidden benefits that I’m only now coming to truly appreciate. \u00a0I’ll start by talking a bit about these “hidden benefits”.<\/p>\n

First and foremost, this arrangement encouraged me to travel a lot and made me aware of how important it is to interact with other mathematicians while you’re in grad school. \u00a0Conferences and workshops are where you learn the latest and greatest theorems and techniques in your field. \u00a0They also provide a fertile ground for asking questions and getting help with your own research. \u00a0This is also where you meet most of your future colleagues, and develop the relationships that may help you in later years when you’re on the job market. \u00a0Given the many resources out there to help defray the cost of attending these events, it seems almost obligatory to attend as many as reasonably fit into one’s schedule.<\/p>\n

In addition to attending conferences, it can also be possible as a graduate student to arrange spending a month or more at an institution different from your own. \u00a0Some institutions have exchange programs set up that allow graduate students to spend a semester or even a year away from home. \u00a0My time visiting John in Atlanta allowed me to substantively interact with various professors who share my research interests at Georgia Tech and at the University of Georgia. \u00a0I’ve come to deeply value these relationships, both for the effect they have had on my own mathematics, and particularly now that I’m graduating and about to start a postdoc.<\/p>\n

Having my advisor at another institution also encouraged me to develop stronger relationships with other professors back at my home institution (Penn). \u00a0Most notably, whenever I was back home, I regularly meet with Herman Gluck and his research group. \u00a0This turned out to be an incredible blessing in disguise. \u00a0By interacting with this group I learned some deeply interesting mathematics. \u00a0This, in turn, helped add a level of breadth to my own research that otherwise wouldn’t have been there. \u00a0Also, like John, Herman is a strong advocate and an incredibly supportive mentor.<\/p>\n

I also learned a lot about communicating mathematically over great distances. \u00a0For the past three years, John and I have been meeting regularly each week over Skype. \u00a0The value of Skype as a collaborative resource for academics cannot be overstated. \u00a0Given a decent high-speed internet connection, the video quality on Skype is amazing. \u00a0Oftentimes I would simply point my webcam at the whiteboard and present things as I would if I were in John’s own office. \u00a0It picks up colors just fine, and even a small font size is not too much of a problem. \u00a0I highly recommend this as a tool for individuals who are interacting over long distances.<\/p>\n

Now that I’ve sung a few of the praises of the long-distance advisor, I’ll tell you about a few of the challenges.<\/p>\n

While meeting over Skype works generally quite well, it’s really not the same as meeting face to face. \u00a0You also can’t just pop by to ask a quick question, and you miss out on a lot of normal day-to-day interactions that would otherwise take place. \u00a0Luckily, John was also able to arrange for me to spend the first semester of my third year down in Atlanta on a fellowship. \u00a0A fellowship provided to all fourth year (math) grad students at Penn also made it possible for me to also take several extended trips down to Atlanta to work with John that year.<\/p>\n

Traveling between cities also brings up the obvious issue of housing. Each time I went down to Atlanta for more than a few days, I had to find housing and either pay double rent, or find someone to sublet my apartment in Philly. \u00a0This was admittedly a somewhat challenging issue to navigate. \u00a0All I can really say is that Craigslist is a profoundly useful tool when it comes to short-term housing needs.<\/p>\n

It’s also worth noting that an advisor at a different institution may not have the same “pull” within your department. \u00a0This was less of an issue for me, because John had a preexisting relationship with Penn when I chose him as an advisor, and because I continued substantively interacting with other professors back home at Penn. \u00a0I have heard form other graduate students in similar circumstances that this can sometimes be a rather sticky issue. \u00a0In particular, getting relief from teaching to travel and visit your advisor may be troublesome.<\/p>\n

For me the benefits far outweighed the challenges. \u00a0In the end, I was able to do exactly the type of mathematics I enjoy most under the supervision of a great advisor. \u00a0I can’t say things would always turn out so rosy. \u00a0The best advice I can give is to encourage all graduate students out there to work hard at finding an advisor that fits you on a mathematical and personal level.<\/p>\n

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By David Shea Vela-Vick Choosing an academic advisor is never an entirely straightforward process. \u00a0It takes a lot of effort find someone who is a good fit both mathematically and personally. \u00a0A good choice can lead to some of the … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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