Our Members

Professor S__ has raised oblivious conversation to an art form.

Probably due the respect and polite regard that Koreans show the elderly, many older Professors here tend to preside over a conversation with their lessers, rather than participate in it.  I generally have no problem with this, as I on the other hand-- as a good mathematician should-- prefer to spectate on conversations more than to participate in them. Sometimes though, I change my tact in a one-on-one conversation.

Though I have talked to him one-on-one for dozens of hours over the years I have worked with Professor S__, he has never heard a thing I have said. Why should he?  He is old, always wears a suit, and publishes over 20 papers a year on topics as varied as his wardrobe.

He called my office the other day.

When I get the email, I run it through Google Translate. I wait two days so as not to make it so convenient,  and send it back to him.

Now, I've explained to him before that you don't usually call people in your lab 'our members'. But, of course, he didn't hear me.  Why should he, it is a direct translation of the of the Korean phrase, so it is correct.