How can I ask my professors about their academic path?

A reader writes:

"From your post about "Making the most of office hours," it is recommended to ask the professor about his or her own academic path, and I was wondering what would be a good way to ask about this? Something that sounds better than, "Would you tell me about your academic path?""

First, it's great that you are looking for ways to connect with your professors! It can certainly be intimidating or awkward if you are not sure what to say, but asking your professors about their academic path is a great way to build a relationship with them.

Here are some suggestions for asking your professor about his or her academic path:

• "I'd be interested to hear about how you got into ___________"
• "When you were an undergraduate, did you have any particular experiences that made you want to get into ___________?"
• "You talk a lot about your research in ___________. How did you get into that?". 
• "What sparked your interest in ___________?"
• "I read your article on ___________. What inspired you to do that research?"

Really, all of these suggestions are variations on a theme, so pick one and re-work it into your natural language and you'll be all set to getting to know your professors. Good luck!

Got questions? Please feel free to ask The Advisor about it.