canned-sir-response

Though you didn't ask, here are some language tips for interacting with women 
in the US (and most other english speaking nations): 

- "sir" is gendered, and is not used for greeting women. It is only used for men.
- "Prof." or "Professor" is universal and appropriate for all faculty, regardless of gender. 
- "Dr." is appropriate for everyone with a PhD. 
- "Ma'am" is acceptable for women, but very rarely used. 
- "mom" is never appropriate in a professional context, as it means "mother".

You might be thinking "but how am I supposed to know the gender of the person?" 
The answer is, unless you're certain, it is always best to use a genderless option.