As a future graduate student to find academic supervisor abroad: advice from the lecturer at the University of East Anglia

We talk to the teacher the University of East Anglia Nicholas Pedenchuk. Before joining UEA Nicholas has long studied, taught and did research at various U.S. universities, received a PhD at the University of Pennsylvania. We asked him to tell me what to do to the graduate of a Russian University, which wants to continue her education and to pursue science abroad.

Nicholas, we often receive questions from students who want to do research abroad, to conduct research, defend the dissertation. Please tell us how to find a University and a scientific Advisor, where to start, where to get information.

The main thing is of course to determine the topic. From it will depend on the first steps in search of the teacher or of the supervisor, and the faculty and the University. When the theme and find the place where you want to study, many problems if not be easily solved, then at least understand how to approach them. Speaking about the doctorate, should be the first thing to go to a specialist who deals you are interested in the topic. Specialists specific to the University know the situation better, the opportunities are there funding.

Before, when couldn't access the scientific article search of the supervisor was more difficult. Now even if your faculty in a Russian University/Institute can't recommend someone specific, you can just go to Google or any other search engine (Yandex, etc.) is one way. And the second is to search for scientific articles. There are specialized scientific journals in your subject area. When you close an article, for example, to the term paper or master's thesis – write to the author. Tell us what you do, what are your research interests, let them know you are interested in exactly the topic addressed by the article. It often happens that people don't respond, or no time, or desire to spend it, but if the answer is a very good sign. That is, to search or via a search engine, or through publication.

In addition, there are academic social networks for example Ryze and Academia.edu. They can easily register even without an own scientific articles or scientific degree. There is, first, it is possible to leave information about yourself, place of publication, if any, abstracts of conferences - so that people can see that you are. Yet these networks are convenient because you can monitor the publications or even the scientific activities of a particular scientist that interests you thanks to follow.

That is, you can use Ryze to search for research Manager?

Yes, of course. First, the one to whom you say you follow, also receives this information. Yourself useful to promote other people to give information about yourself.

There are also social network Linkedin, it is best to use it in parallel. There's more commercial approach, in Tagged - more scientific. The functionality is different, but in some extent overlapped. And that, in other networks there is information about the companies and jobs in the science, and it is possible to track exactly the specialization which you are interested in.

You can also use Google Scholar, but you have no control over what happens. You just register, write, who you are, what the University – and all you have no longer control over what happens, you have to find this search engine. In Ryze and Linkedin you information control.

Almost everywhere, in each University, the researcher and the program have their own page. For example, is devoted to administrative responsibility, teaching or something else. Plus there is a long list of publications and won grants is usually the most important parameters through which every researcher touts himself. Thus, to find who does what is easy.

And students who want to find a grant? What would you advise to start? For example, in the UK?

For those who don't live in the UK or the European Union stands out a bit from grants, and it depends on the solution of specific University and a specific program. There is virtually no nation-wide systems of support that allow foreign graduate students to get money from the government for training. Universities sometimes give money, but it's not very common and it is necessary to work with specific University.

Generally it is better to reach out directly to the person with whom you want to work. After all, people in this position or this level just have the most complete information about different sources of support. Or, if they can't, you will always find those who have the most current information. Now the UK is rapidly changing the conditions of receiving grants because of the constant changes to migration law and the rules of admission of foreign students, especially over the last three to five years. They must be constantly monitored and for this it is best to communicate with the future supervisor. The situation with Brexit naturally brought more uncertainty.

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