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2 years ago in Research Networking By Vipul

What should I talk about with a senior scholar after their talk if I haven’t read their work in depth?

A famous professor just gave a talk at our department. I want to introduce myself but haven't read their papers. How can I have a meaningful interaction that doesn't make me seem unprepared or waste their time?

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By Gowtham Answered 3 weeks ago

You don't need to have read their papers; you just listened to their talk. That's your entry point. Approach and say, "Thank you for the fascinating talk. I had a question about [specific point from the talk]..." Good options: 1) A methodological clarification: "You mentioned using X technique; what do you see as its main advantage over Y?" 2) A future direction: "Your finding on A was intriguing; do you think that opens up possibilities for B?" 3) A contextual question: "How does this challenge the prevailing view of Z in the field?" Avoid vague praise ("Great talk!"). Have a brief, prepared self-introduction: "I'm [Name], a PhD student here working on [your 5-word topic]." This shows you're a serious junior colleague, not a fan. Most scholars appreciate engaged listeners.

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