Jeremy and his professor are interacting in the SOCIAL DISTANCE of interpersonal distance/space.
Personal space refers to a "bubble" of space that surrounds a person when he/she is interacting within her environment. Being in a social distance means that the conversation between people is happening from approximately 4-12 feet of distance. This kind of distance is often associated with more formal set-ups like negotiation in business, or interviewing applicants for a particular job.
