<p>I've read quite a few articles from a certain author in my field, and it's really helped me in both my studies and my job that's related to the field. Would it be weird to shoot the author a quick email to let them know their work inspired me? Here's what I was thinking:</p>
<p>Subject: Quick Note of Recognition</p>
<p>Dear Dr. X,
My name is opori2, and I’m an undergraduate (specific field) major at State U here in City, State. I just wanted to let you know that I read a few of your articles and that I appreciate your work and find myself utilizing some elements in both my (field-related job) and my studies. </p>
<p>I wish you well in your research and your future endeavors, and I hope to be able to read more of your work in the future!</p>
<p>Sincerely,
opori2</p>
<p>I mean, if I were an accomplished professor/author, I think I'd appreciate some recognition now and again. However, I am an undergraduate, so I don't know if that's perceived any differently. </p>
<p>Thanks for your honest feedback. Is there any other way I could word it so that it doesn’t come across like that?</p>
<p>FWIW, my city and the author’s city are in different regions of the country, and I don’t have any ulterior motive for contacting them. I just want to let them know their work is important in my program’s curriculum and that it made an impact on me. The author in question has won numerous awards on their articles and so knows perfectly well that they’re important to the field, but I still feel like just dropping them a line. I don’t even care if they don’t respond, but since I would be using my name and my university email, I wouldn’t want to make a fool of myself, especially since I might stick with this field in graduate school.</p>
<p>It’s unusual and the first thought would be you’re going to ask for a job but if you don’t ask for a job and it really is just “fan mail” then I don’t see how it could have any longterm repercussions (FWIW, I am just a grad student, not a professor). If this person is a professor at a university, they probably mentor junior scientists and would appreciate hearing they are impacting students outside of their lab too.</p>
<p>If we are talking about scientific research, odds are the email address listed on the paper is the head of the lab, and not the person who actually did the bulk of the work though.</p>
<p>The posters posting in this topic are wrong and lack basic understanding of human psychology.</p>
<p>The author/professor is not going to automatically assume you’re trying to get a job off him. He’ll think you’re genuinely interested in his work. </p>
<p>I would think it is perfectly fine to send a note like that. He probably would be happy to know that there is someone out there who actually is reading his work.</p>
<p>What if you were talking to him after a speech he gave – would you have to avoid saying anything good about his work for fear he might take it the wrong way? </p>
<p>It’s a little unusual, but I don’t see anything wrong with it - I’m sure Famous Author would appreciate the compliment. It might be even nicer if you added a sentence with some specific concept that you really found thought provoking.</p>
<p>I like stradmom’s comment about what you found interested or what you’re using-- what specific elements, and in what way? Make the note meaningful. I would also drop the word ‘recognition’ from the subject.</p>
<p>I’m a grad student who has authored scholarly articles and if a student emailed me that way I would be genuinely pleased and would NOT expect that you wanted a job. It’s actually not that unusual, either. Actual scientists do that all the time, and I’ve gotten emails from a few random undergrads who have either seen my papers or read my profile on my university page. In FACT, I would probably e-mail you back to tell you to let me know if you had any questions about the work and/or wanted to chat about grad school or science. (An undergrad e-mailed me the other day and actually directly asked me if I needed an RA. While I don’t, I did refer her to other resources that she could use to find an RAship. Really, scientists don’t bite. We like people)</p>
<p>I do agree, though, that you should be more specific about which articles you read and what, specifically, you found interesting. I would also want to know which elements you were using in your job and studies.</p>
<p>* If we are talking about scientific research, odds are the email address listed on the paper is the head of the lab, and not the person who actually did the bulk of the work though. *</p>
<p>In all of the articles I’ve ever published in, the e-mail address listed is the e-mail address of the corresponding author. Usually that’s also the first author (who has done the bulk of the work) but occasionally it is the senior author. However, if you want to find the e-mail address of the first author it’d be pretty easy to Google them. If you Google my real name + the name of my university the first thing that pops up is my university departmental biography, which has my email. And that’s because I’m a grad student - established mentors come up faster.</p>
<p>Hmm. To be blunt, your email content seems kind of shallow.</p>
<p>If you really like her work, consider asking a pertinent question about her research or engaging her on a level that surpasses the well-written “omg i love your wok!!1!” that you have here.</p>
<p>Professors became professors largely because they are intensely interested in research, particularly their niche. If you can talk to them on their plane of interest, they are more likely to notice and appreciate your email.</p>
<p>My husband recently received such a message and really appreciated it. Folks who write academic books/articles don’t get much in the way of fan mail</p>
<p>Try saying what about the work was so great or what it helped you achieve. For example, I used Joe Blitzstein’s Stat 110 and after I passed the first actuarial exam (probability), I emailed him a thank you for making the resource public and mentioned that I passed the exam. I got a ‘good-going’ reply.</p>
<p>No, it is not weird. They will like hearing from you, and if you are interested in that field, you just made an important contact (which doesn’t hurt).</p>
<p>I have written emails to well-known editorial writers saying that I enjoyed a particular column they wrote and even have given them anecdotes agreeing with their article. Almost always, I get a short, polite thank you from them. It’s not weird at all.</p>