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There is a professor at a certain university (in EECS) whose webpage states that they are 'currently on leave at [other school].' They are also listed as a professor at the other school. I am interested in working with said professor, and so there status is relevant.

Every sign points to them simply having moved schools, but I am a bit unsure why the phrase 'on leave' is being used. Note both institutions in question are US-based.

Question: What does 'on leave' refer to here? Does it imply that the move is temporary?

Edit: I assume this could also mean that they (1) have moved, and (2) are on leave at the other school, but this does not seem to be the case either (as they are teaching a course).

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  • I think we can probably answer this better if you tell us why you want to know the precise status of this professor. It feels like a bit of an X-Y problem meta.stackexchange.com/questions/66377/what-is-the-xy-problem to me.
    – user137975
    Commented Apr 11, 2023 at 21:53
  • It is a professor I am interested in working with. I will update to include this motivation.
    – Tejas Rao
    Commented Apr 11, 2023 at 21:55

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While the answer of Thomas Schwarz shows imagination, a more prosaic reason is just that the professor had an opportunity to work for a year (or so) with a colleague at the other university on some joint research project and they found a way to get it funded.

Often the "title" at the other place would be "Visiting Professor" or whatever.

And on leave usually would mean an intent to return.

If you want to work with this person, contact them and ask about what you can expect might happen in your time frame. If they can't give you a reasonably firm answer, then maintain your flexibility.

I've been a visitor in the past because I was the right person to teach a needed course and thought it would be fun to explore. Nothing more than that.

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    I think this covers the question more effectively. Since the asker would potentially like to work with the professor, it's extremely straightforward to send the prof an email and just ask what's up.
    – user137975
    Commented Apr 11, 2023 at 23:27
  • My examples were based on real-life experiences in CS, CE, CSE, and EECS. Your scenario is more typical for Mathematics or maybe theoreticians. Emailing might not get you a good result, depending on the motivation.
    – Thomas Schwarz
    Commented Apr 12, 2023 at 18:46
  • @ThomasSchwarz, that wasn't a criticism. I rather enjoy your answer, as usual.
    – Buffy
    Commented Apr 12, 2023 at 22:58
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You need to read the information more carefully and then ask the question again. For example, you can have a one-year appointment at another university B (e.g. as the Joe-Doe chair with a million dollar salary to be held for a year). This does not mean that you have left the other institution A. After the year you would return to it and at that point stop being the Joe-Doe professor at B.

It could also be that I leave University A to go to University B. University A would like to keep me (as I just won a Turing award and the Best-Teacher-Ever award), and so they give me a deal: I can try out University B for two years and if I don't like it, I give notice at University B and return to University A, to be reinstated into my old job.

I am not claiming that these are the only two possibilities. I give them only to show you that the information given supports several likely scenarios.

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    There is no additional information listed online. I may email the professor.
    – Tejas Rao
    Commented Apr 11, 2023 at 22:22
  • I would only email if you are planning / hoping to work with the professor. The real guy behind my scenario A would not answer very positively, giving you a list of courses to excel in before you are allowed into the group.
    – Thomas Schwarz
    Commented Apr 12, 2023 at 18:48

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