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I find then when giving a talk it feels weird / too formal / easy to stumble with my words when having to refer to a professor in the audience as "Professor Last Name", especially when their last name consists of multiple syllables.

As a student, is it acceptable to address professors by their first names, when giving a talk about my research?

aparente001
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user78007
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    I'm not sure why you would be addressing professors in the audience while giving a talk. But if the need arises, could you just look pointedly at the appropriate person, and call him or her "Professor" -- just that? Without articulating the name? – aparente001 Aug 03 '17 at 01:24
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    @aparente001, I have found that I need to bring up past work done by Professor Last Name, past collaborations between me and another Professor Last Name, or recent discussions with yet another Professor Last Name. It seems weird and just feels easier to say, "based on recent work that Paul did with topic X..." – user78007 Aug 03 '17 at 02:46
  • Helpful. I've edited your question to "refer to a professor" instead of "address a professor." Do you see the difference? // In a small department seminar "Paul" would probably be fine, but if you have a fair number of undergrads in the audience, or it's a more formal event, then be more formal, and practice plenty first. Also, since this varies so much from one place to another, why not get someone's opinion locally, e.g. your advisor's? – aparente001 Aug 03 '17 at 02:50
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    It also depends on your audience. Do they know who you mean when you say "Bob"? Sometimes I see it at conference where the insiders refer to eachother by first names only, but it makes it harder for me to follow who's who. – Jasper Aug 03 '17 at 06:25
  • Are you American or French? – Carsten S Aug 03 '17 at 14:52
  • I find life easier if I do what the Japanese do: If you're in any professional environment, use the last name and their title/honorific. It makes all interactions easy when you're not sure. The only time you use given names/nicknames is when you know the person and you're not in a professional environment. – SliderBlackrose Aug 03 '17 at 15:30
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    I have the reverse problem sometimes: how to refer to colleagues who I would usually call by their first name when talking to students who probably aren't on first name basis with them. – Ben Webster Aug 03 '17 at 18:44
  • This is culturally specific: in Australia new baby undergrads would normally use their lecturers' first names. – curiousdannii Aug 04 '17 at 07:48

9 Answers9

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Some professors are comfortable having students call them by their first names. You should wait until individual professors let you know that this is acceptable to them before you do so.

However, others are not comfortable with this. So, to be on the safe side, I believe that it is best to refer to them by their formal title and last name during a public talk. Many professors do this with their peers during public talks, even if members of the audience are their good colleagues. Plus, you won't run the risk of mistakenly refer to some professors by their first name and others by their formal name, which could be viewed as disrespectful.

I also caution to graduate students that even when they feel comfortable calling individual professors by their first name, they should refer to the same professor by their formal name when talking to others. It's usually best to err on the side of greater professionalism.

Nicole Ruggiano
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    I can't speak for other disciplines, but in Computer Science, it is highly uncommon to refer to other researchers by title during a talk or in a publication. (Very rarely, there are students giving a talk who refer to their own advisor as "Prof. Smith" but to other researchers as "Miller and Jones". I find this quite awkward.) – Uwe Aug 04 '17 at 11:20
  • My assumption from the question is that the person wants to know the etiquette of referring directly to professors who are attending the talk. If I were a graduate student and my adivsor was in the audience and asked a question, I wouldn't have said, "Do you have a question, Mike?" I would have said, "Dr. Smith, you have a question." If referring to researchers that one cited during a talk, yes, just the last names are fine. – Nicole Ruggiano Aug 04 '17 at 17:12
  • For the situation in your comment, I don't think "Dr. Smith, you have a question" sounds right or natural. Are you saying the name to indicate whose question you are taking, or to inform the rest of the audience who the person is? Either way, if you are on first-name terms with the advisor in private, I would say "Yes, Firstname ..." to the advisor, then "(This is my advisor, Firstname Lastname)" to the rest of the audience, then "You have a question ..." to the advisor. The punctuation is meant to indicate the way of speaking. –  Aug 05 '17 at 14:39
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If you are referring to them rather than addressing them, I think you should say Firstname Lastname i.e. omit the title and say both names.

That is more natural than the alternatives, politer to the professor than just Firstname, and politer to the audience as it makes it very clear who you are referring to. It is polite whether or not you know the professor, and whether or not they are comfortable with being addressed by their first name.

Occasionally speakers refer to other researchers by nicknames such as Bob or Sasha, which don't even start with the same letters as the full first name. That makes it especially difficult for the audience to work out who they are talking about. Most people don't know all the standard nicknames in the world.

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    I used to have an introductory class where the professor would constantly refer to other prominent professors in the field by their first names, I guess because they were acquainted, and I never had any idea who he was talking about. So I'm with you. – Casey Aug 03 '17 at 15:23
  • +1 don't make it difficult for audience to work out who is being referenced during a talk - - at least say both name like First Lastname (if you feel uncomfortable saying Professor Lastname). – Carol Jan 13 '18 at 03:39
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Here is what I believe to be the standard conventions in math in the US when referring to another researcher in a talk:

  1. You write their full last name on the board (unless they're a collaborator and you've already written their name out and then an initial only may be fine).

  2. If the person is not in the audience, then you say their last name only with no title. Or firstname lastname if they're on the job market.

  3. If the person is in the audience you may instead refer to them as you would ordinarily (typically this means by first name or nickname, but in some situations this could mean using a title) and you look at them as you do so. You still write the last name on the board.

Noah Snyder
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Yes in the US and no in continental Europe, but that should not be your main concern.

You main concern should be that your talk remains intelligible. So, you want to say "Jane Smith" instead of "Jane" or "Ms. Smith" or "Professor Smith" simply to be as clear as possible to the vast audience. Different people in the audience might simply mishear you. Or they might know the person only as Jane or only as Ms. Smith.

ExAll
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This very much depends on the circumstances: the audience and the cultural setting, but simple rules are

  • Use the title (Professor) only when predominantly addressing those who know that person only with that title (undergraduate students), but not at a scientific conference.
  • At a scientific conference, use the first name if this is customary among academics in that setting (usually in small communities, such as astrophysics), otherwise use the surname (and optionally also the first name).

I like to close with an anecdote. As PhD student (looong ago), I attended an international conference in Elba (Italy), where all Italian PhD students referred to their supervisors as Professore XXX, while nobody else used titles (nobody would ever think of mentioning Professor Einstein). I found this very funny at the time, but those poor Italian students must have gone through a mighty cultural conflict.

Walter
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  • Totally wrong. At least on premise. 1) Italian students are not much poorer to call professor xxx than american ones to call Jim or Kate. Do you really think of cultural conflict? The fact that english might be the official language of a conference, does not make that the culture of attendants from the rest of the world must change as well. – Alchimista Aug 03 '17 at 14:12
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    @Alchimista - I don't think Walter is saying that Italian students were "much poorer" to call a professor by a more formal name; I think he's merely saying that, when you customarily do something in a different way as everyone else around you, it can potentially create feelings of awkwardness. (The word "poor" here is indicates sympathy for a predicament.) – J.R. Aug 03 '17 at 20:32
  • @J.R. Again, I do not think that italian students were the only ones to refer to their supervisor in that way. Unless there were only italians and americans at that conference. Second point : Might be sound funny that a young Italian student can say "il mio professore" but not more than earing "my chef or" my boss". I actually think that my professor sounds even better, but this is realm of uses and opinions. – Alchimista Aug 03 '17 at 20:43
  • @Alchimista If you don't trust my factual statements about that conference, than you are one of those preferring alternative facts. But then you should perhaps better tweet them. BTW at said conference were Dutch, Belgian, German, Mexican, English, American and potentially other students. – Walter Aug 04 '17 at 06:15
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    @Walter. No, let us say that italians were the only ones. Then they were almost the only ones to keep their register instead of switching to an unusual one. Never saw a single german student that does not address his/her supervisor by "Her Professor" literally "Sir Professor" in their group or for private reasons. Shall be the supervisor a lady, than I do not know. In spite of years, I still have to meet one (in chemistry and physics). – Alchimista Aug 04 '17 at 11:11
  • @Alchimista Actually, I was (many years ago) a German PhD student addressing my supervisor by his first name, both privately and publicly. And none of my co-students used "Herr Professor" to refer to or address their supervisors. – Walter Aug 04 '17 at 11:58
  • What can I say? Perhaps that this show that is hard to define what is customary. It is not that I do not believe you. But if you have been a student in Germany you will agree that it was rather unusual. Especially years ago – Alchimista Aug 04 '17 at 12:05
  • Besides that we're moving from the actual question (referring to a prof in a talk, "this has been shown by Smith.." as well as "as professor Smith just told us in the morning..." I want to offer to hypothetical readers a more solid ground. I adressed/referred to my supervisor in many ways depending on audience, situation, and aquaintance. https://www.google.it/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwisj6Cdxb3VAhXDWBoKHcunC4wQFggwMAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Facademia.stackexchange.com%2Fquestions%2F71078%2Fdo-german-professors-like-to-be-called-herr-x&usg=AFQjCNHF9zfRWzE1okzRoCKTLwLnebRTtg – Alchimista Aug 04 '17 at 12:15
  • And pearl, but you could be aware http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/contributors/brianmelican/10024859/Trust-him-hes-a-doctor...-and-a-professor...-and-an-engineer.html – Alchimista Aug 04 '17 at 12:21
  • @Alchimista That newpaper article was not about referring to somebody in the context of the question. It was about the job title being used in a professional setting. Same in UK: everybody has their full degree title on their business card. – Walter Aug 04 '17 at 12:24
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Sometimes. (Anyone who says 'no, never' doesn't understand context.)

Things you need to consider:

  • What does your professor prefer? -- this is probably the ultimate consideration. All things considered it is your obligation not to offend. If your professor doesn't want you call him 'Jack', then don't do it. If they are fine about it then it may be okay, depending on other factors.
  • What would the audience prefer?
  • Age/level difference between you and the 'professor' -- are you a undergraduate researcher? If you're a postdoc it would be very strange to call them 'professor X' among colleagues for a seminar (again, in the US and not for bigger talks)
  • Relationship with 'professor' -- are you his/her graduate student? It would be strange for a student to use 'Professor X' with their adviser in the States (in a formal talk with many 'outside' individuals it would be more common.)
  • Your country's academic and social norms -- many parts of the world a student would never do this, but in the U.S it is quite common especially if your professor is a Gen-Exer or Millennial that care less about the ego-trips that are often associated with titles.

Best to ask them and consider the rest of the context.

joe
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    Another consideration arises if you need to refer to two or more people, one of whom you'd ordinarily refer to formally, and the other informally. It would sound strange (to me) if you said "This topic was studied by Professor X and by Charlie." In that situation, you should probably say "Professors X and Y," even if in other contexts you'd refer to Professor Y as Charlie. In other words, when referring to several people, lift the references up to the same level of formality. – Andreas Blass Aug 03 '17 at 22:12
  • Also, it is rarely "Professor X' (even if the person has a chair) in an academic talk. It is safe to say Dr. X, or Dr. Y X (or without a doctorate Ms. X, Mr. X), although in the US you can informally refer to academics by their job title. In the US, associate professors and assistant professors are informally 'Professor X'. – Qsigma Aug 04 '17 at 12:18
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No, never.

The whole point of addressing people respectfully is to demonstrate your effort to learn and memorize their tittles and names. Otherwise, you're sending the message "I can't be bothered to spell your names right". Yes, it is easy to stumble, that's the point. You prove yourself by not stumbling.

When you're giving a talk, it's giving a talk. It's not relaxed chitchat. Giving a talk is formal, so your feeling that something seems "too formal" misguides you. It's better to come out as too formal rather than as fraternizing.

Besides, there is a simple matter that you don't have control over the audience. Some may not know who "Paul" is. Someone may record it and then watch 5 years later on another university. "Professor X Y" leaves no room for mistake.

Agent_L
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  • Are you German? It's completely common and fine in talks in english to refer to others without their titles, and if you make clear who you are talking about and you know that person then first name might be fine too. Satements like "Daniel Somename from University of Whatever and his group discovered this first in 2009..." or "We worked together with Peter Anothername on this. Peter is an expert in...." are completely normal. –  Jan 12 '18 at 21:04
  • @DSVA 1) Just because it happens doesn't mean it's fine. 2) If OP's peers were referring to professors on first name basis, OP wouldn't have doubts, would he? So, I conclude that in his environment it's uncommon to use first names. 3) I'm referring to the reasoning behind general concept of name decorators, be it company structure, academia or nobility title. How it shows your respect. 4) "Peter is an expert in..." is informal. Also, it implies you are on the first name basis with him. OP is a student, so it's unlikely. 5) I'm Polish, but points #2 and #3 are not relative to locale. – Agent_L Jan 15 '18 at 08:51
  • It's not that "it happens", in my experience it's the norm and I've never heard anyone complaining. If basically everyone is doing it then you can usually assume that it's fine to do it too, especially in such a case. 2) Yes he could have doubts. It's definitely a different thing to call your professor by first name while working in his group or during a talk in front of other people. 3) In research you (should) respect people because of their work and not their title. This is why titles are less and less used. For example I only know one journal still using titles in author lists...
    • –  Jan 15 '18 at 21:55
  • I was a student and I would call some of our cooperation partners by first name, even the professors. And who says that scientific talks have to be

    • deadly serious and completely formal? 5) point 3 is definitely something which is different in different countries, that's why I came up with germany. I'm from austria, very similar culture and people love their titles. It's pathetic but some get upset if you don't use them (right). I've never seen something like that during my time in the US.

    –  Jan 15 '18 at 21:58