Superstar Professor
Recently I've been setting up campus visits and getting in touch with professors I've identified as potential advisors. At one of those schools, there are two people who work in my subfield. The one with whom I've been in touch is a fairly new addition to the faculty. The other professor is a serious superstar in my field (not just subfield). He's been influential in shaping my entire discipline.
The professor with whom I've been communicating about my visit suggested that needed I meet with this superstar, and I got kinda nervous. I spoke with two of my MA professors about meeting with him; one said she would be a little scared and overwhelmed to meet him, but didn't have much advice for me. The other, my advisor and a well-respected art historian, offered to let me take an incomplete in her seminar class this semester so that I could spend the next few weeks before the visit reading as much of this superstar's writing as possible. Way to make me more nervous. ;)
I'm really applying to work mostly with the currently-not-as-starry professor, but I can only imagine that the superstar has a say in the admissions decision within my subfield, so I'd like to make as good of an impression as possible. While I'm doggedly going through his numerous publications in the next few weeks, I thought I'd put this out there just to see if anyone else has any like experiences. How nervous have you been meeting some of these important people? How have you handled it? Any good stories to tell?
The professor with whom I've been communicating about my visit suggested that needed I meet with this superstar, and I got kinda nervous. I spoke with two of my MA professors about meeting with him; one said she would be a little scared and overwhelmed to meet him, but didn't have much advice for me. The other, my advisor and a well-respected art historian, offered to let me take an incomplete in her seminar class this semester so that I could spend the next few weeks before the visit reading as much of this superstar's writing as possible. Way to make me more nervous. ;)
I'm really applying to work mostly with the currently-not-as-starry professor, but I can only imagine that the superstar has a say in the admissions decision within my subfield, so I'd like to make as good of an impression as possible. While I'm doggedly going through his numerous publications in the next few weeks, I thought I'd put this out there just to see if anyone else has any like experiences. How nervous have you been meeting some of these important people? How have you handled it? Any good stories to tell?