changing phd advisor after 2 years academic stack exchange
I personally got a PhD in Electrical Engineering, specifically DSP. Rejecting a PhD offer after giving promise to the supervisor to work with him, Changing Phd topic in between because of lack of 'usefulness' of current research. I wish you the best of luck and hope that you dont fall into the next category. I don't know. In this case, the personal chemistry between you and the supervisor is off. If your relationship with your supervisor is good and if (s)he is not too super-specialized in one sub-area, you might be able to just move to a different sub-area while continuing to work with the same supervisor. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. Once youve begun taking steps to find a new advisor, break the news to your current advisor. meetings only happen twice a year), if meetings are sporadic rather than regular, and if no substantial feedback on work or progress is given. It is a DIRE decision to go in and request a new advisor so you had better ensure you are ready to make an enemy in the department and that you have a . As I understand it, you like algebraic number theory but not the particular sub-area that you're working in. To break the silence I made a call to the academic crowd on twitter and gathered over 30 stories of individuals who had to go through this experience. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Not the answer you're looking for? The Office of Career Strategy allocates part of its limited funds to support groups organizing activities related to non-academic career exploration and development. She may even help you mediate your switch by asking professors whether theyre willing to take you on. (2) I agree that asking for a specific period of time is probably not smart. Gerhard "Certainly Start With Internet Search" Paseman, 2017.10.30. So it does not seem that we risk losing something valuable. Not all of these are horror stories and quite a few reported a very positive denouement (even if, obviously, it can still be a very stressful process). How the personal aspects work out depends to a large degree on how the entire process is handled. This question is more suited to academia.stackexchange. Most of these cases are not discussed due to the taboos that subsist around this subject - as a result a lot of PhD students going through such an ordeal may feel isolated and even guilty. Make sure your new adviser can support you. Sometimes a personality or work-style mismatch will occur - there is only so much you can learn about your future advisor before you start working with them. The bullies tend to retaliate. A few reactions: (1) Most answers to the historical questions have not provided field-specific advice, even when such was requested. Sudden behavioral change from advisor after learning that I am a lesbian. PhD candidates who went through an exchange of supervisors often tell us later how relieved they were, how much more positive they experienced their PhD life to be, and that it gave a big boost to their motivation to complete their project. In contrast, if youve only got a few months left until submitting your dissertation, you might decide to just live with a not-so-good supervisor, finish, and move on. Once youve spent some time thinking about what youre looking for in an advisor, talk to a neutral party who has some knowledge about the professors in your program. New advisors are usually more hands-on than those who have been around longer, so you may want to factor that into your decision. What are the challenges in changing a PhD supervisor after 2/3 of PhD is done, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. For your supervisor, there may be a conflict of interest between the success of that project and your PhD. as in example? In all the stories I read, there was a forest of unfortunate circumstances that brought people to change advisor. (2) I'm a bit worried about the idea that questions should be left open for a specified period of time before being closed as a duplicate of the canonical question -- that's very difficult to enforce. Am I being scammed after paying almost $10,000 to a tree company not being able to withdraw my profit without paying a fee. In principle, this is a great way to counterbalance weaknesses of individuals and ensure a high quality of supervision overall. A complication here is that changing for disinterest in the doctoral field is quite different from forced changes due to economic factors (as I had to do). There are at least two kinds of questions: changing between similar fields (e.g. Have you thought about changing your supervisor for some time, but cant make up your mind? If you are a student in an abusive situation, now is not the time for activism; you cannot solve the systematic problems of academia by yourself, especially when you are in a vulnerable position. They may become overwhelmed with too many PhD students. Adviser supportivenesswhether an adviser was caring, considerate, encouraging, and sympatheticwas the most important factor for student satisfaction. Any disadvantages of having a PhD supervisor who is working only part-time at the institution? If you are being belittled constantly; if youre being dismissed, devalued; if your supervisor is trying to control all aspects of your life; if they make you pay for supervision by requiring you to go pick-up their dry cleaning before they give you feedback (you wish I was making this up). Then of course you need to get out - but this is not easy. 70h/week including week-ends and holidays). 1. Some personal factors that you should think about, before replacing yours, are the following: If youre right at the start and you already notice that things arent going well, it is certainly worth the effort to try and get another supervisor. It usually requires that you follow departmental procedures. Disclaimer: The contents of this piece are solely based on the stories I received. (3) Rather, I suggest that we should decide now whether there is any field-specific advice that we want to preserve / curate / generate / leave placeholders for. Likely depends whether you changed topics. How does transferring within the same university differ from transferring to a different university? My supervisor is cunning. As an example: One South American PhD candidate had to endure constant negative comments about her background and ability to perform by her supervisor. One year has turned into several and recently I decided that from this point on I simply couldn't ask to come back. So my two other supervisors are yes men and working under him to further their careers. Answer (1 of 4): Of course it is. This argument can certainly be made for physics and mathematics, where changing subfield can feel like trying to move a mountain. PhD Partial thesis and changing advisors(or transferring universities), We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. If you don't, talk to their students and postdocs before switching. The road ahead may be long, and your journey will be unique, but you are not alone. Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search. According to the researchers' findings, switching from an adviser who was strongly unsupportive to one that was highly supportive would be expected to increase the Ph.D. satisfaction scoreon a scale of one to sixby nearly two points. It depends on his relationship to his colleagues and position within the department if he can make good of his threats. These extreme cases damage careers, they damage lives. 1) When choosing advisor When you apply for your project, make sure you enquire about your prospective advisor. Just tell them things aren't working out in your group for you. - Bryan Krause Jul 21, 2020 at 0:50 By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. In the event that your PhD is financed by a third party funded project of your supervisor, or they are in any other way financing your PhD, a change might be tricky. This can happen if a PhD advisor was originally allocated for administrative reasons (rather than scientific expertise) or if the PhD students project develops in a different direction over time. But unfortunately, this is the reality that some students may face. No. rev2023.3.1.43269. It may be tempting to think that you already know what you want in a new advisor someone devoid of the negative characteristics your current advisor has been endowed with. It's completely normal to have doubts and frustrations during your PhD (and the timing seems about on schedule for it, as well), but this is a strong emotional response that you should take seriously and seek help dealing with. If I do work with another supervisor at this stage, what could be the challenges? That is one of the topics to discuss here. Universities have formal proceedings that take place in order to exchange a supervisor and it might happen more often than you think. Be part of an amazing group of academics from all over the world! I guess my question is whether others on this site (PhD students or PhD supervisors) have had a similar experience or have any advice regarding this situation? Forces me to publish in conferences which his friends or colleagues organize, even if they are not good. You can review our privacy policy, cookie policy and terms and conditions online. My supervisor openly claims that he is a great researcher and expects students to worship him. Instead, wait until youve figured out your next steps in transitioning out of the lab and are ready to speak to your advisor in a calm, respectful manner. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Help News from Science publish trustworthy, high-impact stories about research and the people who shape it. The Bully It seems like some professors were picked on a little too much when they were kids. Violation of these commonly accepted principles often constitutes a reason for a change of supervisor. Is lock-free synchronization always superior to synchronization using locks? If you are going through this, I am so, so sorry. Question about changing university policy. Youve undoubtedly made mistakes along the way, and learning from them can help you maintain a good relationship with your future advisor. A lack of supervision includes insufficient guidance and support and irregular interaction or feedback on the progress of a PhD project. rev2023.3.1.43269. How this would apply to various other people would be dependent on their interests, but it shows that it can be done, and to that extent, is a 'positive story'. I have more say in what I wish to do and where I want to publish. Talk to previous students to learn about their teaching style. "You'll have setbacks. Take note of the topics you should follow up on, and their . mention that you can add or exchange members of your thesis advisory committee at any point in time during your PhD. Would it be possible for you to select another (additional) supervisor as primary supervisor? This will not reflect the experience of all PhD students who change advisor. @Damodar It is better to talk in person. Youll know when its time to go. I think this is a much, much larger undertaking than just having a few broad subcategories in the canonical question. Duress at instant speed in response to Counterspell. Many arrangements are possible, and depending on the reasons for the change, the parties can also determine what is and is not made public. "That's more important than somebody who might have a famous name or someone who's particularly skilled.". Because we know that problems with a supervisor are tricky to handle for PhD candidates, we want to give L., and everyone else who is in a similar situation, our advice. Is it wise to change my supervisor in the late stages of my PhD? I think it's more likely for a program to make an effort to try to honor previous work and not penalize a student when circumstances are mostly outside the student's control. Are you not receiving the support you need, or have you been exposed to misconduct? With all this in mind, I decided recently that I will leave the PhD and do something else (I actually have no idea what yet). In this blogpost, well give you an overview of why PhD students typically change advisors, how difficult it might be, and whether it is the right thing to do in your situation. Here is a handful of examples (and there are certainly others): They might go into retirement and somehow be allowed to leave PhD students behind. Advisers may want to publish as many papers as possible so that they can win more grants and move their research programs forward. Multiple people reported having P.I.s who were very hostile to the idea of the student seeking help from other academics or making the project their own. Changing PhD supervisor 18 months into 4 year PhD [closed]. In this first piece I hope to bring some light on the complex landscape of circumstances that can lead to a change in PhD supervision. Ask the P.I. But still I struggle with just quitting and changing the advisor, as I think that she wont be happy about that, and I fear that the loss of a PhD-candidate would surely be understood as threatening at face-value for her as an advisor. Can non-Muslims ride the Haramain high-speed train in Saudi Arabia? A reasonable PhD advisor wants their students to enjoy the subfield they are working in and will be happy to either suggest alternate directions or arrange a change of advisor if . Now you have get to get your passion back. In the Helmholtz Juniors Survey Report (2019), there are 25.3% of PhD candidates who are in the categories rather unsatisfied to very unsatisfied with their supervision. You got more freedom, I read. I will finish the project I started, but I won't continue after that in this area. Is variance swap long volatility of volatility? Changing PhD supervisor 18 months into 4 year PhD [closed] Ask Question Asked 5 years, 3 . Katie Langin is the associate editor for Science Careers. "Students have to find someone who goes beyond their own interest," he says. Following up on the discussion in the comments. Academic politics is complicated; someone pointed out to me that students come and go but these people have to keep working together, or next to each other, for years. Dot product of vector with camera's local positive x-axis? (about changing fields post-PhD) that we would want to preserve / curate / generate / leave . Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. Some of these advisors worked closely with the previous advisor, or were part of the student's thesis committee. Can I switch fields?, How do I switch fields?, Is it a good idea to switch fields?, When to switch fields?, or all of these? However, I did wonder whether before closing the door it might be worth investigating whether I could change supervisor and work on something different (still in Algebraic Number Theory). Strange behavior of tikz-cd with remember picture. Physics PhD switching fields after short career break? Don't deny the suggestions in a disrespectful or unprofessional way. Is there a more recent similar source? For example: "How do they work? Suggestions to improve the use and the findability of canonical questions. However it is sometimes necessary and in the best of cases this is resolved professionally, without any bad blood. Thoughts? In some labs, graduate students are "treated like laborlike robots in a factoryrather than independent scientists," he says. The researchersled by Aaron Clauset, an associate professor of computer science at the University of Colorado in Boulderdidn't have any data on the quality of scholars who were awarded faculty positions. I will never bad mouth anyone. from computer science to humanities). Dont wait that long! Site design / logo 2023 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under CC BY-SA. Some universities or graduate schools have formal proceedings for an exchange of supervisors anchored in their PhD regulations (or elsewhere) which are publicly available. Youll stay up-to-date with our podcasts, webinars, workshops, downloadables, and more, delivered to your inbox every fortnight. Supervisors may also be relieved that they can end a supervisory relationship with a PhD candidate they knew was unhappy with their guidance, and are glad that a colleague will take over. How does a fan in a turbofan engine suck air in? Does this require a replacement of your main supervisor? Like any workplace, scientific institutions are not free from misbehaviour from (in this case) superiors. As a matter of format, I agree that it makes sense that a canonical question would aggregate common considerations in a few broad categories. In such a case, there is transparency around the process and you will be able to find out what you have to do and who you need to talk to in order to change yours. My supervisor just does not care about what I need anyways! But it's possible that we need several different questions: intra-field, STEM to STEM, STEM to humanities, humanities to humanities, etc. So what *is* the Latin word for chocolate? The number of distinct words in a sentence. Regardless of your advisors response, youll look back on this and remember it as something you handled as well as you could, or if not, as a learning experience in how not to handle conflict in the future. If that is not possible, be prepared to transfer to a different graduate school. This was all somewhat hypothetical but there was a problem with this plan anyway: software takes a long time to write! Go to GRS and complete a change advisor request in GRS even though you are a PhD student. Am I being scammed after paying almost $10,000 to a tree company not being able to withdraw my profit without paying a fee, Applications of super-mathematics to non-super mathematics. Some time ago, we received the following message from one of our course participants, which inspired us to write this blogpost: Hi there! In another, where a supervisor went as far as threatening the student with sending defamatory letters to their potential new supervisor (amongst other things), that same student heard their Chair refer to the situation as bad chemistry. Thoughts of an academic career are completely beside the point. Switching fields in a postdoc after PhD, is that possible in psychology? Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. When looking for an adviser, prospective students often seek out well-known researchers who are highly cited and respected in their fields. Do I need "Introduction" and "Conclusions" parts in my PhD thesis? Do you want an advisor who will spend a lot of time guiding you through your project, or would you prefer one who will mostly leave you alone? even helped the student find a new advisor! This question does not appear to be about research level mathematics within the scope defined in the help center. This is not because I am "stuck" - I am not really at a point where I have been able to engage enough with the work to even become stuck. I also fear that many askers are looking for a seamless and easy way to transition. You may see it as not wrong, but I reiterate to you that it seems quite rude to me. When his students come to him looking for advice about who they should work with next, he tells them not to weigh prestige too heavily. I am currently having my PhD in UK and on a scholarship. Maybe it was when she changed your project for the sixth time in six months, though your thesis proposal deadline was rapidly approaching and you had nothing to present. Strict hierarchical settings and tough competition may exacerbate bullying behaviour or abuse of power (see Max Planck PhDnet, 2018). I'm considering how difficult it would be to finish up this project and then move onto another advisor if mine isn't interested in working on this other area. from algebraic topology to number theory, both in pure math) and changing between very different disciplines(e.g. In my opinion, were not the best team. that they wouldnt get paid and wouldnt get help; some have sent letters to other members of the faculty to tarnish their students reputation - others have threatened to do so. But now These professors want revenge. Ask your new supervisor. In our blog post no. Not to mention the tremendous stress associated with the isolation and the guilt-tripping behaviour of some supervisors. Some students in the stories I collected changed supervisor because of communication/management style issues or some disparity in expectations between the mentor and mentee. A reasonable PhD advisor wants their students to enjoy the subfield they are working in and will be happy to either suggest alternate directions or arrange a change of advisor if necessary. Should I do my Ph.D. with a supervisor who rarely responds to my emails? @FourierFlux A PhD advisor is not an employer, they are a mentor and resource to your learning. If it is done well, the damage can be limited and no one has to lose face. @Damodar You don't need to bad mouth him. Quotes like you are a latino, they usually work hard, but you are an exception, where part of the regular communication. We'll let you know what makes PhD candidates want to change advisors, what you should consider in the process, and whether it makes sense in your situation or not. However, problems often occur if the main supervisors are not living up to their supervisory duties. Learn more about Stack Overflow the company, and our products. The following are the reasons: I am forced to work in a very specific area and there is almost no room for creativity. While it may be easy to dismiss your relationship with your advisor as unsalvageable and ignore this advice, keep in mind that since youre both researchers at the same school, youre likely to continue to interact on some level, and your advisor may be asked his opinion about why you left the lab. If youre interested in benefiting from our support as well, check out the PhD success Lab. In comparison, my supervisor is chalk, if they are cheese. MathOverflow is a question and answer site for professional mathematicians. But given how much faculty-member production differed between universities, they suspected that faculty positions weren't given out on merit alone. I had a talk with the Dean. I think this is a fair canonical question but a bit fraught. I like that! If no policies or formal proceedings exist however, the process of how a supervisor can be replaced is in the dark, and that can ultimately make it more difficult to get what you want. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Adviser supportivenesswhether an adviser was caring, considerate, encouraging, and sympatheticwas the most important factor for student satisfaction. Changing advisers is easier if your department encourages students to work with multiple faculty members and you make changes early in your career. I have no responsibility to continue and don't see any obligation. If you move within the same department, you have the advantage of knowing already who are the best advisers. At the end of that year the powers that be in my department agreed to giving me some time off in order to put my finances in order. Subsequent to this they have also agreed, at least in principle, to let me take my PhD to the mathematics department, and possibly my scholarship with it. Much as you may want to yell your decision over the rooftops, announcing that youre leaving while in a heated argument with your advisor isnt going to make your transition any easier. Prospective students will differ in their specific preferences, but overall, it's probably best to find a balance and avoid overly hands-on and overly hands-off advisers. In the second blog of this series, I have endeavoured to compile some advice from the brave individuals who reached out to me, in the hopes that current or future PhD students may find some help on these pages. Changing thesis supervisor to avoid bad letter of recommendation from current supervisor? I am doing good in my Ph.D. but I do not like my supervisors. Some only speak up about a problem when they literally cant take it any more and are desperate. If after giving the relationship a good effort you still want to seek a new advisor, go to the main advising office for your college to ask about the process. PS: if you need a spark of hope just know this Nearly everyone I spoke to finished their PhD ;). Whats harder is figuring out what to do next. Edit: I resolved my issue. Planned Maintenance scheduled March 2nd, 2023 at 01:00 AM UTC (March 1st, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. rev2023.3.1.43269. How is it handled if you change advisors? He has lots of grants and publications, but I am amazed as to how little he knows in the field. You should also try to think about options, preferably some area where you can still use some of the knowledge you have already acquired. (joke). How do I fit an e-hub motor axle that is too big? These lay out guidelines of how research should be conducted, how data should be handled, ethical principles in research that must be considered, how results are published, and how junior researchers must be treated and evaluated these are broader than the codes of conduct for supervision that we mentioned above. Should we have a canonical question for "should I quit my PhD"? Changing Careers: Becoming a Professional Mathematician. Dericks and his team didn't find any evidence that showed that's an effective strategy, though: After taking adviser supportiveness into consideration, students' satisfaction levels weren't correlated with their perceptions of their Ph.D. advisers' intelligence, knowledge, intellect, and scholarly abilities. is there a chinese version of ex. Remember, her only interactions with your advisor mightve been occasional polite small talk, and if you start off with an angry rant about how much of a jerk your advisor is, the person who might come across as a jerk is you. But in a PhD program, your schedule becomes "whenever you find time to get your work done." ", Sverdlik adds that it's best to find an adviser who is willing to devote time to nurturing your development during critical phases of graduate schoolduring the transition from coursework to research, for instanceand who otherwise will give you room to grow on your own. For a few years, I did real-time embedded audio programming, which sort of double-counted as EE and software engineering. on-topic at Academia.SE? (1) This is a fair observation. How can I make this regulator output 2.8 V or 1.5 V? How did StorageTek STC 4305 use backing HDDs? Of course impacts to your personal and professional life play a role as well. All I do is push myself because I need to graduate. Also Helfer et al. This is not novel or ground breaking but it is good to keep repeating it. He forced his Post Doc student as my another supervisor in order to fast track his career, without any kind of discussion with me. So, it's important to have an adviser who "believes in you and is willing to give you that extra support that you need in those trying times," he says. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. The role of my primary supervisor has been substantially reduced. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. Sometimes things dont just go wrong, they go bat-shit insane. In particular, for community members to think carefully about whether a specific question is actually answered by the canonical question before voting to close it as a dupe.
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