Interdisciplinary Programs

[in_themargins]

Is it wise to mention affiliated faculty in SoPs for interdisciplinary PhDs, considering that they probably won't be on the adcoms?  I'm mentioning several core faculty as well, if that matters.

Thanks, all!

Comments

[tisiphone]

What do you mean "mention"?

[in_themargins]

As in, "I'd like to work with X and Y, and also affiliated Z, P, and Q."

[tisiphone]

Oh. I'd mention them - it's not like the adcom hogs all the new students themselves, anyway, right?

[aonde]

I mentioned them on many of my applications, though usually phrased more along the lines of "my interest in x is in line with dr. so&so's research". I thought that sounded more like they're someone I would like to colab with, but that I was aware that affiliated faculty often don't take phd students.

[greekdaph]

I'd mention them, as doing so shows that you've thought about your interests in an interdisciplinary manner and researched what resources will be available to you outside your home department. Mentioning these affiliated faculty is a way of showing that you are embracing the programs' interdisciplinarity.

I like aonde's phrasing above--it sounds like it allows for a little more depth than the wording you proposed.

[roseofjuly]

I mentioned affiliated faculty, but less as if I thought I'd be working with them full-time and more like I'd love to learn at their feet and I am really interested in their research. I think as long as you mention plenty of core faculty and add the affiliateds as sort of a bonus, you should be fine.