Hassan Nojumi
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 Frequently Asked Questions about

 Consultation and Project Supervision

  • What are the conditions for you to accept supervising my project?

  • You must have formally taken or have fully audited (attended as listener) at least one course with me, so that I know your attitude, personality, and work habits, to be able to determine whether we can smoothly work together.

  • What are the work habits you expect me to have?

  • You must have a strong commitment to your project to finish it timely (see below), must work steadily, and must be in continual contact with me during the whole duration of the project. In case of your absence for a considerable time, I will have your project cancelled. And, you should accept that I am the boss; you must do the things I ask you to do at the times I specify, and I will decide when your project is complete.

  • I have already started working on my project, and its topic is related to your expertise and fields of interest. In case I come up with questions or problems, can I contact you to ask them?

  • My time, energy, knowledge and consultation are valuable. I answer inquiries about your project only if my involvement in your project has been formalized by your department/university (this includes students in the Mathematical Sciences Department of Sharif University).

  • I and my friends like to do "project-like" things in our spare time. In case we come up with questions or problems, can we contact you to ask them?

  • My time, energy, knowledge and consultation are valuable. I don't get myself involved in "casual" projects. My involvements in projects is mostly in the form of graduate  or undergraduate projects. In rare cares, I may accept involvement in other projects provided they are serious and worth my time and effort.

  • I have not taken or audited any courses with you. Is it impossible that I have you as my project supervisor?

  • If for some reasons, you strongly feel you are qualified and inclined to take your project with me, you can send me an email stating all your reasons. I will consider it. However, I emphasize that in selection of students to supervise, I strongly favor those who have attended my classes.

  • I am a student at another department of Sharif University. Do you accept supervising my project?

  • I highly welcome having connection with colleagues and students in other departments. However, my time, energy, knowledge and consultation are valuable. My involvement  in your project must have been formalized by your department. I don't provide "casual" consultation. So, yes provided you have formally taken or have fully audited (attended as listener) at least one course with me, so that I know your attitude, personality, and work habits, to be able to determine whether we can smoothly work together, and provided your department formalizes my involvement in your project.

  • I am a student at another university. Do you accept supervising my project?

  • I highly welcome having connection with colleagues and students in other universities. However, my time, energy, knowledge and consultation are valuable. My involvement  in your project must have been formalized by your university. I don't provide "casual" consultation. So, yes provided you have formally taken (as guest student) or have fully audited (attended as listener) at least one course with me, so that I know your attitude, personality, and work habits, to be able to determine whether we can smoothly work together, and provided your university formalizes my involvement in your project.

  • Do you accept project consultation for organizations and companies?

  • I highly welcome having connection with colleagues in organizations and companies. However, my time, energy, knowledge and consultation are valuable. My involvement and consultation on my part in your problems/projects must have been formalized by your organization. I don't provide "casual" consultation. So, yes if your problems/projects are along my knowledge and interests, and provided your organization formalizes my involvement and consultation.

  • How long should I expect my Ph.D. dissertation project to take under your supervision?

  • Taking the Ph.D. dissertation project with me will mean that you agree to work on it full-time for two full years (two years after you have passed all your courses and qualifying exams successfully) and finish it in two years. If you intend having your Ph.D. project done quickly in less than two years, or delay doing it for many years, I cannot help you. You must have full-time, strong commitment to your project to finish it in two years, and I will not accept that you delay it for more time.

  • How long should I expect my M.S. thesis project to take under your supervision?

  • Taking the M.S. thesis project with me will mean that you agree to work on it for one full year and finish it in one year. If you intend having your M.S. project done quickly in a few months, or delay doing it for many years, I cannot help you. You must have strong commitment to your project to finish it in one year, and I will not accept that you delay it for more time.

  • How long should I expect my B.S. project to take under your supervision?

  • Taking the B.S. project with me will mean that you agree to work on it for one full semester and finish it in one semester. If you intend having your B.S. project done quickly in a few weeks, or delay doing it for many semesters, I cannot help you. You must have strong commitment to your project to finish it in one semester, and I will not accept that you delay it for more time.

  • Of the available communication media, which one do you prefer as mode of contact between you and your student?

  • Personal note on paper given to me or slipped under the door of my office: Any time I ask you for one, and any time you want about any matter. Email: My favorite mode of communication for extensive correspondence between us during your work on your project. Phone call: My least favorite mode of communication with my students. I typically do not give an answer to a question you have posed by phone call, and will ask you to give me a personal note or send me an email. Phone call should be used only in emergency situations to inform me of a matter which I should know right away. Mobile SMS: Good for asking very short questions, or conveying short important matters and academic news.

  • How about Yahoo Messenger and Windows Messenger chatting programs? Can I use them to communicate with you and discuss my questions?

  • I don't use Messenger and other chatting programs because of their high vulnerability to computer virus propagation.