I'm a bit of a flirt and don't often realise I'm doing it. I'm starting my PhD soon and one of my supervisors is HOT. Do you think academics would be averse to some light flirtation or should I start practising being prim and proper ?

If you don't realise you're doing it, and it's part of your character - just who you are, then I guess there isn't an issue BUT it sounds to me like you are setting out to flirt with your supervisor (or are you just anticipating problems?). You have NOTHING to gain from this, don't do it.

I think flirting with your external examiners might be more worthwhile

might make your supervision meetings more interesting?!!

Hey - you can flirt with me if you like (providing you are female of course, which I presume you are)!

Speaking from experience - DON'T DO IT!!

You could get yourself in serious trouble if someone takes offence at what you perceive to be harmless flirting, better to be safe than sorry!!!

Not a bad idea - you could get him to set you up with a job afterwards!

Put yourself in his shoes, would you want some PhD student making your job awkward. He may even be spoken for. On the other hand you may not be as hot as you think you are, and just flirt due to a low self-esteem, in which case get help. You will gain nothing and lose all by harmless flirting. On the other hand if you want to get with him, then flirt away, and since you seem to flirt freely, why not aim to have a research group orgy?

It's interesting how everyone has assumed that the supervisor must be male and that Anon must be female...not all academics are men! ;oD

True, but most compulsive flirts happen to be female. Regardless of that, i stand by my last comment.

Stu, just cos you're not getting any don't take it out on me. I'm not intending to sleep with anyone, let me make that clear - I don't have any problems with that anyway. I'm just very lively and flirty, it's how I am. I wanted to know what people thought of me being myself or if I should tone down a bit for my hot supervisor.

Time to stop batting my eyelids at my students I think...

Sounds like Anon is the university bike, everyone gets a go!!

Hi Anon, I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I think you should try to be less flirty. Do you want to be known as the intelligent, professional PhD student or the flirty one? Do you want your ideas to be taken seriously?

A girl in the neighbour lab always wore very fancy clothes with a lot of cleavage etc. Of course her looks were the first thing people noticed about her and not her work.

Still, if you feel it would be against your personality to be 'prim and proper', then don't. Just keep in mind, that it may be to your disadvantage professionally. Wishing you all the best.