How should I refer to a professor as a undergrad TA? I just got hired for a TA role as an undergrad. Normally, I would refer to a professor as Professor LastName if I'm talking to them in a &quot;professor&quot; capacity, or as Dr. LastName if talking to them in any other capacity. However, given the closer role I will have this semester, and that many grad students (all the other TAs) generally call professors by their first name, I'm unsure of what proper etiquette should be.
I know generally asking is the best solution, but there are very few times where the professor stands on their ego enough to say &quot;you must call me by my title&quot;, even if they prefer the title to their first name. The prof in question is particularly prone to this sort of behavior (based on hearsay), hence the reluctance to email.
To clarify some comments, I normally stick to calling any professor by their title. However, every other TA is calling the professor by first name (although they are all part of his group). The entire situation of an undergrad being a TA is unusual enough. I don't have the familiarity with the prof that the other TAs have, but it also feels awkward to be the only person calling the professor by their title.
This has a cultural element so it varies. Some places tend to be quite formal and others not so. My perspective is the US.
But as an undergrad you probably shouldn't make assumptions and use a title until told otherwise. Of course, you can also ask.
I normally expected my undergrad and even master's students to be fairly formal as I think a certain separation is helpful to them since it is occasionally necessary to be an authority figure. But I accepted things like &quot;doc&quot; or Dr. B&quot; from those who worked closely with me.
When I was in the PhD program I was the only one who called many of the faculty by their first names (not my advisor, though). My fellow students (also TAs) were all more formal, but I was a special case, joining at an older age with a young faculty. I insisted my own doctoral students called me by my given name. But many of them resisted, wanting to be more formal.
But, if you are working closely with a faculty member it is good to just ask.