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mazisher
[Registered User]
29 September 2016 21:31
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Lazy PhD advisor destroyed my experience of doing research and PhD
User: mazisher - 29 September 2016 21:31
Hi folks, I am seeking your advice here. I started my 4th year of PhD program in electrical engineering in September 2016. The first year of the program was all right, however once my advisor got his tenure, things changed a lot. He does not care about his students anymore. He barely meet with his students, he does not motivated to do research and publish papers. Two students have left the group due to his lazy approach.
I started this PhD program with lots of motivations and now I have no projects, no research and no nothing. I also started developing my own ideas and projects and had a good progress, but when I ask him to read my works and help me submit them for publication he brings up tens of reasons that your work will not get published (of course just to convince me that my idea is not worth it and consequently I would leave him alone). When I noticed that he is not motivated to do research anymore, after 2 years of being in this program, I started contacting other professor in our field in other schools for a potential transfer opportunity, but since my advisor is a big name in the community (he used to be a productive PhD student and postdoc back in his time) all of them suggested me to stay where you are and pass my Hi to your advisor!
I think I am wasting my time here, and since I want a career in academia I need publication and good projects. So I started thinking of leaving this group and applying again for other PhD programs (this time a broader range of schools and professors). But on the other hand I think I am too old for starting from scratch (I am 31). What do you think? Has anyone had a similar experience? Is dealing with this lazy advisor is something that I have to deal with? I really have no idea. So, your comments and suggestions would be greatly helpful and appreciated.
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pm133
[Registered User]
02 October 2016 12:07
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User: pm133 - 02 October 2016 12:07
Too old to start a PhD at 31 ?????
Why on earth would you think that?
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pm133
[Registered User]
02 October 2016 12:09
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User: pm133 - 02 October 2016 12:09
Also I am confused about your attitude here.
Lazy supervisor?
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TreeofLife
[Registered User]
03 October 2016 11:09
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User: TreeofLife - 03 October 2016 11:09
Just work on your research and have an open conversation with him about the support you need. You're four years in so there's no point in starting again now.
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Tudor_Queen
[Registered User]
03 October 2016 18:18
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User: Tudor_Queen - 03 October 2016 18:18
Agree with ToL. I've heard of bad behaviour from supervisors but desperately try to make it work if you can (because you're so far in already why throw it away). Good luck.
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TheEngineer
[Registered User]
04 October 2016 19:18
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User: TheEngineer - 04 October 2016 19:18
Don't you have a second supervisor? In my university and I am sure that's the case with most UK universities, it's a standard practice to allocate PhD students with at least 2 supervisors.
From my experience as a PhD student, I have observed that SOME of the most sought-after or highly acclaimed professors are very bad supervisors. They are so busy running research groups, meeting potential funders and barely have time for their students. Luckily for me, my first supervisor (who is not a high-profile academic) is extremely good, I have no complaints. My second supervisor is highly acclaimed and is good at bringing in funding and running of the research group, but he is a very BAD supervisor.
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Tudor_Queen
[Registered User]
04 October 2016 19:51
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User: Tudor_Queen - 04 October 2016 19:51
My situation is similar to TheEngineers. I wouldn't say my second sup is bad, but they definitely aren't as available and interested as my main (less high profile) one. If you don't have a second supervisor, could you request for one? It could be done in a tactful way by justifying it by a research related issue (e.g., want to develop more in X direction).
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