Filtering Out Mass Emails: Why I Now Include a Screening Step for Applicants

Updated Application Guidelines for PhD and Postdoc Applicants

To all aspiring PhD students and postdocs: I’ve recently updated the information on this website regarding applications. This update is aimed at simplifying things for both you and me, and I want to be as transparent as possible about why I’ve made this change.

Going forward, you’ll notice that there’s a specific instruction provided on the application page. (This instruction is not written out as text but is instead presented as a screenshot, to prevent it from being easily implemented by tools like ChatGPT.) The instruction is intended to be mentioned in your initial email to me. It serves as a simple way for me to check whether applicants have made the effort to read through the details on this website. Emails that do not include this reference will, from now on, most likely not receive a personalized response—they may only receive a link to this blog post explaining the reason behind it. Additionally, once your application has been filtered out due to lacking this reference, it is likely pointless to try again—at this point, I already know that you have not done your homework well.

Why This Matters

Let me be clear: I fully understand how much effort it takes to prepare a good application, and I genuinely appreciate it when someone reaches out with well-researched, meaningful questions. However, the sheer volume of emails I receive—especially around this time of year—has made it very cumbersome for me to keep up. Answering these emails takes a lot of time, time that I would rather spend doing meaningful work, like mentoring students, doing research, and providing thoughtful feedback to those who are truly engaged.

The reality is that many of the applications I receive are mass-sent emails, often with minimal personalization. And as more people turn to tools like ChatGPT to write these emails, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to tell who has genuinely taken the time to engage with my work, and who simply fed their CV into a chatbot. I get that these tools can be helpful, and I’m not against using them. However, I recommend that if you have a decent command of English, you should not use tools like ChatGPT for this purpose—it is usually quite obvious when they have been used, and I take it as a sign that the applicant may not be able to write well in English themselves. On the other hand, if your English is poor, using these tools might be better than not using them, but make sure the content is genuine and personalized.

The Importance of Doing Your Research

If you’re thinking about joining a research group for a PhD or postdoc, it’s critical that you understand what that group is working on, how they operate, and what their values are. This is not only for my benefit—it’s for yours, too. I want to work with people who are genuinely excited about the research we do here, who have specific reasons for wanting to be a part of this team. If you’re sending the same email to 50 different professors, that excitement simply isn’t there, and it’s not a good use of anyone’s time.

An ideal application clearly demonstrates how your background connects with the work being done in my group. Make those connections explicit—refer to specific pieces of my prior work (and no, mentioning a single paper title somewhere doesn’t cut it) and explain how they relate to your experience and skills. Suggest areas of interest you would like to work on and why you believe I could be a good mentor for those particular topics. This kind of tailored approach shows that you have taken the time to understand what we do here and why you want to be a part of it.

So please, take the time to read the information available on this website. If you’re truly interested, it will show—both in your application and in how you present yourself. The small detail I’m asking you to include in your email is just a way for me to see that you’ve done this basic research.

Moving Forward

I’m hopeful that this approach will help me identify those applicants who are genuinely interested, while also giving me more time to devote to those who deserve it. I appreciate your understanding and look forward to hearing from those who are excited about the work we’re doing.

Thanks for reading, and good luck with your application!