To Emily and other potential graduates: Aaron's response is exactly why I feel so compelled to be in academia. I believe that teaching and research is one of the most rewarding careers for anyone's life, and I intend to share my passion for knowledge and wonder about the natural world for the rest of my life. To me, there is nothing more rewarding than being able to learn about nature and inspiring others about the world around us. Sure, academia has some issues, but so does every career and every facet of life. If you love research and/or teaching, do not give up on academia.
I have met some wonderful people in graduate school. I am only halfway through my Master's, and I cannot wait for my Ph.D. I am very thankful for those who I have met and who have helped me on the road to where I am today, and many of these people are also on this very listserv. As for seeking potential faculty: bring them your ideas. If they respond with interest, enthusiasm, suggestions, and other questions you could ask about your system, then you've found a great match for a lab. If they don't, then keep looking. All the best, --Joey Joseph Smokey WSU Vancouver Graduate Student Conservation Biology Laboratory (VSCI 217) 14204 NE Salmon Creek Avenue Vancouver, WA 98686-9600 360-/-921-/-6070 northwestbirding[at]gmail[dot]com On Wed, May 27, 2015 at 11:21 AM, Emily Mydlowski <emilymydlow...@gmail.com> wrote: > Hello all, > > I'm delving into the graduate school search (MS and PhD programs) quite > heavily and am seeking advice regarding approaching faculty with a research > project. The system I'm interested in working on is that which has many > unanswered, interesting questions I would love to pursue. From a faculty > perspective, is proposing a project topic (too) bold of a move to a > potential advisor? > > Any advice would be much appreciated. > > All the best, > > Emily Mydlowski > Northern Michigan University >
