So… have any other senior folks figured out the gentlest, most polite way of informing the undergrad explaining their poster to you that you are the Ford from the ‘Ford et al.’ paper they’re explaining to you? 😳🤷🏻♀️😂
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To be clear: they did a fine job… I just felt like I should say something? Idk?? Like I’d think it’d be worse for them to figure it out after I walked away?
It happens to me occasionally with junior engineers. I try to latch onto one of their observations and say “ I’m really glad you picked up on that, it was hard to nail the final design there.” I’m encouraging them and acknowledging I’m the author in a way where I assume they know who I am.
This is more or less what I did and I think I kinda terrified her? I think she felt embarrassed that she’d explained my paper to me, even tho I said she did great? Idk, maybe there’s just no graceful way out of that situation 🤷🏻♀️
I like stuff that centers students & gives the feeling of being seen as a colleague. Like "listening to people like you who are going to be the next stars of [whatever topic] warms my heart. That's our paper & I know my co-authors would agree you've done a great job connecting it to [topic]"
I remember my very first scientific conference I went to as an undergrad and I did not know what a poster session was 😱😭 and printed out my little paper on regular letter size paper 😱😭 I was so mortified but then real life professors still stopped and asked me about it. Meant everything!
Congratulate them if they do a good job and then let them know at the end what your thoughts were and are from the discussion. Would be some great tier feedback. Congrats to you as well
One year at DragonCon, someone in SpaceTrack couldn't wait to talk about the discovery and understanding of Hanny's Voorwerp and how cool it all was. The best I could do was agree that indeed, the whole thing was So Cool.
I feel like trying to start the interaction with something like “I’m excited to hear about your research , especially since my lab has done some work in the same area” is good.
If I cited someone and realized I was talking to them, I'd be pumped to know. Short of super duper famous people, I can't say I know what almost anyone I've ever cited in a paper looks like. "Oh, I wrote that, I'm glad you liked it/found it useful" is probably safe.
The replies here are good. I used various forms on these, and in several cases students were embarrassed- and one was apologetic, so be prepared to follow up with “really - thanks. You did great and I didn’t mean to o embarrass you. Please let your advisor know that I enjoyed your work …”
I co-founded NPO for fams affected by rare genetic disorder. Scene: Dr's office. Intern assures mom he's well versed in disorder, excuses himself to quietly Google it. Returns, hands mom paper with web address for "great resource he found." Child looks, says "Mom! Look! He found your website!"
Nothing to offer on this, but when I was in the photog. section of the UK Schmidt Telescope Unit in the 80s, I heard that my manager had been introduced to Bart Bok, and without knowing anything about Bok, started explaining stuff about the Milky Way, in relation to some of the work of our labs.
🤦🏻♀️ right? I think this is the problem. I’d be mortified if I’d started explaining the Milky Way to Bart Bok, only to realize later I was talking to Bart Bok… clearly the correct solution is to never explain anything to anyone… oh wait…
Recently met my 20yo daughter's 27yo boyfriend
PhD student in AI on neural networks.
I excitedly tell him that's my thesis focus in 1991
He actually sneered before ignoring me because I wouldn't understand his work! I'm a retired teacher of Comp. Science
He's deeply religious,
One of us is a schmuck
Thank you for acknowledging my laboratory’s work in your poster. (Then discussing your thoughts and where you agree or disagree with their interpretation).
Great teachable moment for her. Sounds like u were great. I’d say something like “I’m really flattered u cited our work” @ the end: “u did a great job &I love your enthusiasm. I know when I did these, I always wanted to get a little context on who my audience was before I delivered my content”
Depends... are they doing it well? Because, if I was the undergrad and you said "exactly!" and handed me a business card, it would make my day. If they're doing it badly... I've got nothin'.
I try to mention I'm an author as early as possible since the longer they talk, the more awkward it is. The challenge is less letting them know & more, once they know, they might take interactions and body language even more personally. I try to engage positively and respectfully.
Yeah… this was one of those situations where she’d launched into her spiel at enthusiastic high speed so… hard to stop her? 😂🤣😂 Like, she did a great job, I’m not offended, just trying to figure out how to step in BEFORE it gets pretty awkward. Maybe it just is. Ofc I was happy & kind, so I guess 👍
It may depend on how you've been introduced. If they don't know you from Adam's housecat it's not awkward at all to say, "Hey, you did great. Did you know I'm the Ford from that paper?" It may actually make your praise mean that much more to them. If they should know who you are...that's harder.
But that’s a compliment! If the journal uses proper double-blind review, the reviewer did not know who the authors were.
When it happens to me, I just explain why that paper - while being a very good paper! - is not really relevant to this specific study.
Is this a problem?
I have just said ”yep, that’s my work. Glad to see you found it useful”.
Surely no one would expect anyone to know researchers by sight?
I can almost never read those 🤷♀️ Either the text is in too small font or the tag is hanging downwards the stomach with arms being in the way.
Anyway, I’m sure anyone who referenced you would be delighted to meet you in the flesh.
I’m glad you found the paper insightful/helpful. My coauthors and I always love to know that people are using our work. It something. Most of us are grateful that anyone reads papers.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OF5wKVA6k4
Dr. K. E.* Saavik Ford
*Evil Astronomy School
(Last line in fine print)
PhD student in AI on neural networks.
I excitedly tell him that's my thesis focus in 1991
He actually sneered before ignoring me because I wouldn't understand his work! I'm a retired teacher of Comp. Science
He's deeply religious,
One of us is a schmuck
Make sure they they know that YOU know that they're an ass.
But I'd just point at my name tag and say, 'Good Job.'
When it happens to me, I just explain why that paper - while being a very good paper! - is not really relevant to this specific study.
(We needed that photo-opportunity)
But I am not super frequently cited so I always AM happy. Like wow you read that? THANK YOU!!
I have just said ”yep, that’s my work. Glad to see you found it useful”.
Surely no one would expect anyone to know researchers by sight?
Anyway, I’m sure anyone who referenced you would be delighted to meet you in the flesh.