[ RadSafe ] "Dr."

[Franz Schönhofer]

Dear RADSAFErs,

 

Please forgive a European, who even worse is using SI units, a questions as
to the US conduct.

 

I recognize, that Ms Rosalie Bertell is addressed on RADSAFE as “Dr.
Bertell”. There are several others – not to many – adressed as well with
“Dr.” As to my many years of experience with US scientists and friends it
seems to me that academic titles are usually not used in the USA. Usually I
really do not know, which titles they have (professor, Dr. Etc.), but I know
them by their first names. Of course it is easily recognized when visiting
them at their universities, where they stand in hierarchy. With my friends
in Scandinavia (Sweden and Finland especially) I have the same “problem”,
but it is not a real problem, because everybody is on first name terms. It
took me about two decades to recognize, that a very good friend of mine had
a doctors degree! 

 

Could somebody enlighten me? I use some of my titles in my address, since
most others do at RADSAFE, but I really would not like to be addressed by
any one of these! 

 

Franz Schoenhofer, PhD

MinRat i.R.

Habicherg. 31/7

A-1160 Wien/Vienna

AUSTRIA