I am a Masters student
with a very poor relationship with my supervisor. He sets me up to fail
and steals my ideas. I am so tempted to quit but am worried it will
destroy my career (I want to be a professor one day). What should I do!?
You can probably contact the graduate program coordinator for your department and discuss the possibility of switching supervisors. It's happened before and, as long as you have valid reasons, they will try their best to re-assign you or, at the very least, give the professor a talking to.
My supervisor is the graduate department chair for the program so problems go to him........I have no idea who could help when he is the problem since he's sitting at the top.
Then you go to the actual Chair of your department. That's the associate chair's boss. Or failing that, the faculty you study under will have some associate dean of graduate studies you can talk to.
If you think that things will get better with your advisor... they won't. You can't teach an old dog a new trick :) What is your source of funding? Try to secure a new position in advance if you decide leave. In academia not many places will take you on if you first leave and then look for a position.
My source of funding is through his NSERC grants. If I were to find a new position how would I explain why I am leaving my current position to a potential new supervisor without it sounding like I'm the issue?
hmmm ... the fact that you are on his grant is not very good in your situation. It is not an easy thing to explain to a potential new supervisor. I am afraid I can not give you much advice. I can tell you about my advisor. He had 2 PhD students. Things where not good. I stayed hoping it would get better and the other guy was let go. The last I heard of the other guy he was trying to find a new phd position for a year ... the prospective supervisors would contact our pi ... and then after discussion with him they would disappear. That's why I would try to talk to someone who can potentially take you, on a condition of confidentiality, before you leave. Look at other departments... maybe some interdisciplinary things would fit your topic
this happened to me. was in a lab with an unsupportive supervisor and terrible environment. i talked to the chair of the department and explained by situation and showed evidence too (condescending emails from the PI, etc). i then talked to other potential supervisors and explained my situation. many refused to take me on as a student (understandable) but there was one PI who understood the situation and accepted me. i would say be honest to potential supervisors. just be careful to not bash your PI, but rather frame it in a way that makes it sound like the lab was just not a good fit for you and why the new lab would be. good luck.
Get a real job instead, bitch.
ReplyDeleteYou can probably contact the graduate program coordinator for your department and discuss the possibility of switching supervisors. It's happened before and, as long as you have valid reasons, they will try their best to re-assign you or, at the very least, give the professor a talking to.
ReplyDeleteMy supervisor is the graduate department chair for the program so problems go to him........I have no idea who could help when he is the problem since he's sitting at the top.
DeleteThen you go to the actual Chair of your department. That's the associate chair's boss. Or failing that, the faculty you study under will have some associate dean of graduate studies you can talk to.
DeleteWould there be repercussions for quitting? I don't care about any time/money lost.
DeleteIf you think that things will get better with your advisor... they won't. You can't teach an old dog a new trick :) What is your source of funding? Try to secure a new position in advance if you decide leave. In academia not many places will take you on if you first leave and then look for a position.
ReplyDeleteMy source of funding is through his NSERC grants. If I were to find a new position how would I explain why I am leaving my current position to a potential new supervisor without it sounding like I'm the issue?
Deletehmmm ... the fact that you are on his grant is not very good in your situation. It is not an easy thing to explain to a potential new supervisor. I am afraid I can not give you much advice. I can tell you about my advisor. He had 2 PhD students. Things where not good. I stayed hoping it would get better and the other guy was let go. The last I heard of the other guy he was trying to find a new phd position for a year ... the prospective supervisors would contact our pi ... and then after discussion with him they would disappear. That's why I would try to talk to someone who can potentially take you, on a condition of confidentiality, before you leave. Look at other departments... maybe some interdisciplinary things would fit your topic
Deletethis happened to me. was in a lab with an unsupportive supervisor and terrible environment. i talked to the chair of the department and explained by situation and showed evidence too (condescending emails from the PI, etc). i then talked to other potential supervisors and explained my situation. many refused to take me on as a student (understandable) but there was one PI who understood the situation and accepted me. i would say be honest to potential supervisors. just be careful to not bash your PI, but rather frame it in a way that makes it sound like the lab was just not a good fit for you and why the new lab would be. good luck.
ReplyDelete