Faculty members will generally not seek out mentees, so it is your responsibility to find an appropriate adviser. Oftentimes it can be daunting to initiate contact with professors, but if you understand your needs the process will go by more smoothly.
For example, think about your objectives for graduate school: your topical interests, your strengths, the skills you want to develop, how independent you would like to be, and the career you would like to pursue. Then identify faculty members who might support these. Go to their seminars and ask existing students or postdocs about the faculty members. Request meetings to discuss a potential advisory relationship. The most important quality is that you and the faculty member share interests and are able to communicate clearly.
The information above is a summary from the University of Michigan’s Rackham Graduate School mentoring guide. Check out Chapter 2 for specific advice on how to find an adviser. Additionally see this advice from NC State University Advisor Selection.
For example, think about your objectives for graduate school: your topical interests, your strengths, the skills you want to develop, how independent you would like to be, and the career you would like to pursue. Then identify faculty members who might support these. Go to their seminars and ask existing students or postdocs about the faculty members. Request meetings to discuss a potential advisory relationship. The most important quality is that you and the faculty member share interests and are able to communicate clearly.
The information above is a summary from the University of Michigan’s Rackham Graduate School mentoring guide. Check out Chapter 2 for specific advice on how to find an adviser. Additionally see this advice from NC State University Advisor Selection.