I think it's likely to be a polite dismissal. I've found Americans to be rather disingenuous and superficial (yes, living up to the stereotype) in a lot of cases and I think responses like this are common place. You may have found the odd one though that is genuinely interested should they get funding.

In general, US academia is very close-ranked. Many postdocs get their positions without interview, just because their PhD adviser knows their postdoc adviser or their labs have links etc.

Your best bet is to apply to advertised positions, rather than to cold call PIs, in my opinion. Or if your PI has any links with US labs, or even works on similar things so they will aware of the work, that is a potential 'in'.

Not in the UK. It's really a difficult and drawn-out process to dismiss someone for sickness, or anything else for that matter. I've tried many times to dismiss employees and it's so much work it's almost not worth it.

See this thread:

Thanks that's really helpful. I was just thinking about ways of making extra cash and was considering this. I haven't ever had any formal training but I have corrected manuscripts unofficially for friends and I think I'm pretty good at spotting errors etc so maybe I'll look into it further.

I also found myself with that problem so I just bought a really small notebook and pen that will fit in my purse, since I tend to always have that with me.

Fled, most of the time you are not going to see the reference - it is going to go directly to the person requesting it so you can't make the choice between two.

Datura, I think you should get the references from the PIs rather than the postdoc or PhD student. The PIs will probably ask their opinion anyway and it will look better coming from them rather than a PhD student or PD I think.

Hi Edwardianguy, just out of interest, when you say you are proofreader, do you do this through a company or do you advertise to get clients yourself? What's the pay like? Any other info?

Care to translate the acronyms? Many of us here don't speak Jargon.

That's a tough one because I really don't think there is much you can do! You can't help your feelings for someone.

I think you should just keep your distance as much as possible and try to keep this under wraps as best as you can. Try not to ever think about him if you don't have to otherwise you are just feeding into the fantasy.

Sometimes different backgrounds can be good as you can pick up ideas that you may not have thought of otherwise. I think if you know what you are doing and know the techniques you are using then it's fine, but it's very difficult if you don't as your supervisor won't have a clue either.

If you are getting freedom to research whatever you want that is a pretty sweet deal though.

Well I can see that this would make things rather tough.

All of the things that you have mentioned are very important qualities to have when conducting research. Do you feel that you are able do a PhD despite these difficulties? What mechanisms are you intending to use to assist you and can you use these when constructing contact emails?

Janine, I am wondering whether the informality and quality of your writing is hindering your success in finding a PhD position.

"My own research, although in a different type of receptors, Cannabinoids compared to muscaranic receptors."

Sentences such as this are just not grammatically correct and if I was a PI being approached in this way I'm sorry to say I would not consider such an application.

I think if you can improve the quality of your writing it will really assist you in obtaining a PhD.

I would also mention any interpersonal skills and experience that you feel set you above other candidates,

see this thread: