Did you try to use free emails?
Did you try to use free emails?
Just curious, why can't a youngish woman not afford to be called by first name?
professor and runner wrote:
yes. I am a professor and I never sign my emails to students with my first name or use my first name in class. I have students call me Prof Runner. Your prof is sending a signal so no worries for you. (I am a youngish woman so I can't afford to go with the first name, but maybe when I get old I'll loosen up.)
junior undergrad wrote:
Say the professor is Dr. John Smith. I would always just call this person Dr. Smith, but many of my professors sign their emails simply using their first name. Does this mean I should just call him John?
Just curious, why can't a "youngish woman" "afford" to be called by first name?
Adding my $0.02 worth to this old thread...
I'm a chemistry professor, female, 60-ish, and I long ago gave up caring how students address me as long as it's not downright insulting. I sign e-mails to undergraduate students as "Jane Roe" and I prefer that they address me as Prof. Roe or Dr. Roe, but if they call me Jane or Dr. Jane that's OK too. Graduate students are in a different category, closer to being my peers. I typically sign e-mails to them as "Jane" and prefer to have them address me as such. Grad students doing research under my supervision are definitely on a first-name basis.
I think this is similar to the trap of a woman telling her husband or SO that she doesn't want a gift for Valentine's Day or her birthday. You do it anyway just to be safe. So always address them as professor or doctor. It's much better to be safe than sorry....
amkelley wrote:
Adding my $0.02 worth to this old thread...
I'm a chemistry professor, female, 60-ish, and I long ago gave up caring how students address me as long as it's not downright insulting. I sign e-mails to undergraduate students as "Jane Roe" and I prefer that they address me as Prof. Roe or Dr. Roe, but if they call me Jane or Dr. Jane that's OK too. Graduate students are in a different category, closer to being my peers. I typically sign e-mails to them as "Jane" and prefer to have them address me as such. Grad students doing research under my supervision are definitely on a first-name basis.
I agree with this. As you move up in degree programs, the familiarity increases and so there is less of a power or respect distance. PhD students work closely with professors and are seen as colleagues (almost), to the point of going out to eat together and having informal get-togethers, like a BBQ, at the professor's house. It would be awkward to refer to them as Dr. given that relationship. Undergrads should use the title, PhD students generally use first names, and masters students is where it is less clear.
Best advice is to call them Dr. or Professor and let them tell you if they prefer being called by their first name. I will say that one thing that feels really weird is if the professor refers to themselves as "Dr." outside of academia or professional situations (think Jill Biden).
amkelley wrote:
Adding my $0.02 worth to this old thread...
I'm a chemistry professor, female, 60-ish, and I long ago gave up caring how students address me as long as it's not downright insulting. I sign e-mails to undergraduate students as "Jane Roe" and I prefer that they address me as Prof. Roe or Dr. Roe, but if they call me Jane or Dr. Jane that's OK too. Graduate students are in a different category, closer to being my peers. I typically sign e-mails to them as "Jane" and prefer to have them address me as such. Grad students doing research under my supervision are definitely on a first-name basis.
I do the same. There are times that I don't mind if students call me by my first name or 'Mr.' because they simply don't understand the meaning of the various honorifics. I do not like it if students are excessively familiar or are taking liberties. As long as students are respectful, I don't care. I am always respectful of them as well.