The Chinese Online Writing Lab

3.6 Inviting a consultant or guest worker

Dear Dr. Lenin,

Previous contact or correspondence

Quite some time has passed since you visited our laboratories in June of 1993. I hope that all is going well at your institute. As to the scientific and non-scientific collaboration progress between Russian and Taiwan, R.O.C., with the signing of the MOU, the time seems right for cooperation between ABC Institute and CMS/ITRI. I'm sure you recall our conversation in which I told you that the first thing we could do is to exchange scientific experts. More specifically, I would like to propose the following:

Propose that consultant or guestworker come to your institute

Please recommend one scientific expert to serve as a short term consultant at CMS.

Background qualifications for consultant or guestworker

Naturally, we would like someone whose expertise is highly relevant to the following subjects:
1. acoustical standards, and particularly, the reciprocity calibration of microphones
2. the design philosophy of microphones and hydrophones.
This expert must also be fluent in English.

Lecture topics that the consultant or guestworker could cover

He or she could stay at our laboratory for roughly two weeks, and lecture on the following topics:
a. The progress of Acoustics in Russia (2 hours)
b. Microphone design: general and guidelines (3 hours)
c. Hydrophone design: general and guidelines (3 hours)
d. Other topics related to acoustics (optional)

We would offer round-trip airfare from Moscow to Taipei and accomodations in Taiwan during the consultancy period. An honorarium for the seminars would also be included. If you have such a candidate available or if you should have any comments about this proposal, please let us know at your earliest convenience.

Sincerely yours,

Writing exercise

Inviting a consultant or guest worker. Using 3.6 as a model, write a letter inviting a consultant or guest worker to your organization. Be sure to adhere to the following guidelines: Restate the commitment to foster technical cooperation between your two organizations. Invite the reader to act as a consultant or guest worker. Propose the topics to be covered by the consultant or guest worker. Briefly mention financial arrangements.

NOTE:

Inviting consultants or guestworkers 國外特約人員之邀請 involves correspondence to arrange a technical visit from abroad. Correspondence that involves the arrangement of a technical visit from abroad commonly includes the following:

Speaker invitations

Speaker invitations should include such preliminary information the participant will play and the topics covered at the event.
"In light of your renowned research and your contributions in the field of GRIN polymers, we would like to formally invite you to serve as the Invited Speaker at the upcoming GRIN Materials Symposium."
"We would like to invite you to give a talk at our upcoming silicone technology seminar."
"This is an official invitation to three ABC Corporation specialists, Mr. Smith, Mr. Jones, and Ms. Lin, to participate in a CGMP seminar and visit our local bulk pharmaceutical chemical plants."
"Please recommend one scientific expert to serve as a short term consultant at CMS, whose expertise is highly relevant to the following subjects."

The details of the event

The letter should include specific topics, time of the event, and perhaps a description of some of the participants who will attend this event.
"We are organizing a seminar on Conductive Plastics for Anti-static/ESD Applications that will be held at Union Chemical Laboratories/ITRI on April 16. The ultimate purpose of the seminar will be to provide a channel of communication between IC assembly houses and IC container manufacturers. The seminar will also focus on issues related to the properties and technology of conductive plastic compounds."
"The meeting will be held April 25-26, 1994 at the National Central Library, Taipei. We hope that you can give two lectures, at 31:20-14:05 and 15:10-15:55(4/25/94), respectively."
"Reception dinners are to be held on the evenings of April 25 and 26, and there will be a short tour of Taipei on April 29.

Compensation for the visit

Financial details regarding compensation should be stated as simply and directly as possible to avoid confusion:
"Roundtrip airfare ticket (business class) and accomodations will be provided."
"Please pay in advance for the roundtrip airfare ticket, and other incidental expenses and retain the receipts. We will pass reimburse you (by check) prior to your departure of Taiwan."

Preparations prior to the visit

The speaker should not be given any last minute surprises with respect to what materials and further information is required.
"Please fax us your curriculum vitae, lecture topics, and half-page abstracts before January 31, 1994, as well as the complete papers before March 1, 1994. Please fax and send all your materials to me on time so that we will have sufficient time for translation and printing.
"I also need your curriculum vitae, including: NAME, DATE OF BIRTH, PLACE OF BIRTH, NATIONALITY, MARITAL STATUS, ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS, PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE, SCIENTIFIC ACHIEVEMENTS, CURRENT SCIENTIFIC ACTIVITIES, OTHER SCIENCE-RELATED ACTIVITIES, AND SELECTED PUBLICATIONS."