I am considering applying to a PhD studentship I have found, but he advert doesn't contain much information, so I would like to contact them to get a better overview of the project before I apply. However, in reading through the supervisor's publications list and bio, I've noticed that only some of the most recent publications relate to the project area. They research primarily in environmental microbiology and the project is related to health microbiology. I know that supervisor's work doesn't always cover that of their PhD students, but I wonder how much expertise they would have for supervising the project.

I just wondered if it might be considered rude to ask them why they have started working in this area, or how I would even broach the question.

Thanks.

Hi, personally, I would ask how the idea evolved or if there is a strong cooperation with the health department. If he has a good explanation or research partners that are willing to guide you through the health part of your topic - go for it.

As an example: I am working in a multidisciplinary field and am used to getting input from different sources. I can't rely only on my supervisor because he's an expert in one of my fields - but has little knowledge in the two other fields. Hence I spend at least half a week each month at a different university (where our research partners are) and learn techniques from them or get input for my latest data. Works fine - but you have to organize such things yourself. They won't be served on a silver plate ;-).

Hi,

I agree with Rina, look at the other supervisor's publications and speak to the group members, if they also don't have much of an idea about health microbiology I'd be very wary about accepting an offer.
I applied to an institute dealing with a very different kind of chemistry than what I do. My supervisor was interested in going into the field but hadn't really thought the whole thing through. In the end I became a sort of guinea pig for a project that didn't really yield anything, and any help I got from my supervisor was confusing or wrong, now I'm a few months before the end of my experimental time with very little to show for it. You need advice, regardless of where it comes from.

I would ask them, it's not rude, and often these guys get a kick out of justifying their work.

Hope it works out for you!