Possible Interview Scenarios

1. Sample Interview Questions from a Professor for a GRA position

During an interview for a research assistantship position with a professor, you can expect a variety of questions aimed at assessing your qualifications, skills, and fit for the role. While specific questions can vary depending on the professor's research area and the nature of the position, here are some common questions you might encounter:

1. Can you tell me about yourself and your academic background?

2. What interests you about our research and why do you want to work in this lab?

3. Have you had any prior research experience? If yes, please describe it.

4. What relevant skills and techniques do you possess that make you a good fit for this position?

5. How do you handle challenges and problem-solving in a research setting?

6. Are you familiar with the professor's recent publications or ongoing projects? If yes, what aspects interest you the most?

7. How do you manage your time and handle multiple tasks simultaneously?

8. What are your short-term and long-term academic or career goals?

9. Are you comfortable working independently as well as in a team environment?

10. How do you handle constructive criticism and feedback on your work?

11. Can you share an example of a successful research project you were involved in and your contributions to it?

12. How do you stay updated with the latest developments and advancements in your field?

13. Have you faced any ethical challenges in your previous research, and how did you address them?

14. Are you familiar with any specific methodologies or software tools relevant to our research?

Remember, the interview is an opportunity for the professor to learn more about you, your skills, and your potential as a research assistant. Be prepared to provide specific examples and demonstrate your enthusiasm for the research area. It's also a chance for you to ask questions about the lab's culture, expectations, and ongoing projects to ensure it aligns with your interests and goals. It is better to prepare a presentation for better delivery and confidence.

2. Sample Inquiries for the Professor during an Interview

After the interview with the professor for a research assistantship position, it's essential to ask thoughtful questions to demonstrate your interest in the position and to gather more information about the role and the research environment. Here are some questions you can ask:

1. What are the main projects or research areas I would be working on if I were selected for this position?

2. How does your lab/team typically approach research, and what is the expected timeline for projects?

3. Can you describe the mentorship and supervision style in the lab?

4. Are there opportunities for professional development, such as attending conferences or workshops related to the research?

5. Are there other research assistants or team members working on similar projects? Will there be opportunities for collaboration?

6. What would be my specific responsibilities and tasks within the lab?

7. How does the lab handle authorship and credit on research publications?

8. Are there any specific skills or knowledge areas you are looking for in a research assistant?

9. How does the lab foster a collaborative and inclusive research environment?

10. What is the expected time commitment for this position, and how flexible is the schedule?

11. Can you provide more details about the potential for this research assistantship to lead to further opportunities, such as a thesis project or a long-term position?

12. How do you evaluate the performance of your research assistants, and what are the criteria for success in this role?

13. Is there anything else I should know about the lab or the research assistantship that hasn't been discussed in the interview?

Asking these questions shows your enthusiasm for the position and your eagerness to learn more about the research and the lab's dynamics. It also helps you to make an informed decision about whether this research assistantship aligns with your academic and career goals. Remember to listen carefully to the professor's responses and take notes, as this information may be valuable if you are offered the position.

3. Sample Interview with a Board of Professors for Grant 

[Courtesy: Shimanto Bhoumik]

1. Tell me briefly about your background. Did you have any research experience and what did you do in that period?

   • Briefly talked about my research area and findings.

2. So, you did your work using Python, is there any other languages you are proficient in?

   • Mentioned some other languages.

3. Do you also know Verilog? Okay, just to give me an idea, how long did you work with this language? How would you rate yourself in coding out of 10?

   • That was a tricky one. I told him that there are lots of advanced level coding exists and I don't think I am that much of an expert. I would give myself a 7 because I can use the errors and find out solutions from open resources on the internet.

4. So, let's suppose there is a person who is a 6 in coding, which problems or difficulties he will face that you won't?

   • He wanted to get an idea about the scaling I used to rate myself. So I told him that a 6 might have problems solving the errors from time to time and have a hard time optimizing the code. I myself find it challenging to optimize the algorithm and save power.

5. Why do you want to do a PhD?

   • I guess this answer would vary from person to person.

6. Yeah of course you need the knowledge and training for research, but as a whole, what is your goal in plain words for a PhD?

   • There should be an ultimate goal like Energy efficient modeling, building affordable edge devices something like that. Try to have this answer ready cause you also need it in SOP.

7. Take some minutes and just don't answer what is on top of your head right now. I ask this question to everyone. There are a lot of applicants who want to do a Ph.D., and all of them have the same goals of knowledge and training to do so. What makes you unique? Which things you would bring to a lab that other people cannot?

   • This answer should also vary from person to person. So not mentioning my answer here.

8. Suppose, your advisor gave you something to do and went away for a couple of days. Suppose he told you to make the machine 5% more efficient. What is the first thing you do? How would you find the answer?

   • He was trying to understand if I was able to do independent research. I told him that the answer wouldn't be lying somewhere around. I would try to do an extensive literature review and find out any existing work or algorithm and try to tweak some parameters and see if those work out. If that fails I will try to build an algorithm and of course, I will try to get help from any of my peers if that is available. At least that's how I used to do in my undergrad. ( I am just a noob in research and this question might have a better answer, but he liked my answer that's why I wrote it down)

9. How long does a Ph.D. student need to work in a week? What do you sense about that and are you ready?

   • It felt kind of like a red flag. My answer was, I try to find the essence of the work I am doing, and when I do that it drives me toward finding the answers and I tend to work with all my heart.

10. What are your career goals after your Ph.D.?

    • Told that currently, I think I am more likely to switch to the industry but in 5 years my plans can change and I may even decide to stay in academia. I did not even know I will be going for a Ph.D. 5 years ago.

4. Sample Visa Interview Questions 

[Courtesy: NexTop USA]

1. How did you hear about this school/professor?

2. Ohhh! You are fully funded. Congratulations! What kind of assistantship have you been awarded? How did you manage your funding?

3. When did you complete your graduation? Can you tell me about your undergrad research?

4. What’s your major? Or, What is your focus? Or, What is your program name? Tell me about your program. How much time will your program take?

5. What will be your research in the lab? Or, What is your research area? Or, What topic will you be researching? Or, Tell me more about your research. Or, Please explain the outcome/ real-life applications of your research. 

6. Why are you pursuing a Ph.D. degree?

7. What will you do after completing your Ph.D.? Or, What’s your future plan?

8. Why did you choose the USA? How will it help to find a job in Bangladesh?

9. Why did you choose this university? Or, What’s the specialty of this university? What do you most like about this school?

10. Who is going to sponsor you? Or, You have some deficits, who is going to pay for that? What does he do? [This question is the most important one. If you have a deficit, be frank, confident, and truthful.]

11. What do you know about Virginia?

12. What are you currently doing? Or, are you working?

13. Which courses are you going to take for the first semester?

14. Do you have any relatives in the USA?

15. Are you married? Will your spouse be going with you?

16. Have you visited China? Or, Have you visited any other country?

• Questions: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dZD3sK2vfggwNat1yy3FeXvkE-4Ac64Y/view?usp=sharing 

• Experiences: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DZV-tTXaB0zwxXxpae0_XhY895s_pTOrrS7Q1qrqP1s/edit (Credit: Nasim Fuad)