Research with Visiting and/or New Professors?

[melusine860]

Hi, I'm starting a PhD program in Sociology this fall. There are two incoming professors who strongly match my research interests, and I am thinking of approaching them to see if they need a research assistant. One is a visiting professor (I'm assuming staying 2-3 years) and one is starting this year as a junior professor.

Any thoughts on working with either? Pros and cons? ie Would either have sufficient funding to take on an assistant? I'm assuming it's better to concentrate on developing relationships with well-established professors already in the department - but how much does it matter?

[soc1]

I'm assuming you are seeking professors to assist you in your dissertation. I am also a perspective PhD student, and I am pretty sure you will want to stick with professors that are permanent rather than visiting. I've heard numerous problems with students having to find new professors to assist them in the middle of their research project because one of the professors stopped working at the university. I'm not exactly experienced with such a situation myself, but that is what I've heard from colleagues and students.