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Situation degraded over the time. I'm a beginning PhD student in a small lab in a top university of the country I live. Basically every of my projects have been

Situation degraded over the time. I'm a beginning PhD student in a small lab in a top university of the country I live. Basically every of my projects have been cancelled. A paper I was writing and cared about for a small conference too. I'm forced to write something for a really hard conference about something that's not my idea on a topic I don't care. I have a "special" treatment: I have to point most of the work days (3) in the middle morning at the lab (I'm a night owl). I'm the only one subject to this while everyone else is free to come or not to the lab (some student are almost never there). At first it was every working day but I rebelled against. I also said no the have my desk moved besides my day-to-day supervisor, in the researchers' room. I've been recently been told in front of everyone that my research didn't advanced for 6 months (public humiliation). I've also received nicely worded email from the laboratory head about my (supposedly) inability to graduate. One small project of mine had been totally removed from the list of what's done with our partners, with no explanations, despite its usefulness, my ability to complete it in time. I've not being invited at some research events were most of the lab participated, nor to go meet field partners. So I have zero academics liberty, I'm forced to work on stuff the I have no interest in, the projects & papers I care are cancelled, I'm charged with menials tasks, then I'm basically told I'm lazy... At least every other lab members are kind, some very supportive. I just feel like the black sheep.

jcpsimmons 7y ago
Some similar experience in my own PhD journey. I think two things are likely the cause: - Academia attracts sociopaths - Academia is slowly imploding, thus resources are becoming more scarce, thus folks are bitter. Hang in there and gtfo of academia as fast as you can. My quality of life has improved immensely since I've left.
jimbokun 7y ago
Any reason not to leave? Do you have other career options you are qualified for?
- tasogare 7y ago
  Yes: I've worked hard the last years to get the government scholarship I'm on, and moving in this country. I also want to work in academia, get the doctor title and I won't give up that easily. The situation is not as terrible as it could be (I would say 3/10 on crap scale), but the fact I cannot use my wide array of knowledge and skills nor pursue my academic goals and being micro-managed drives me mad. I hate not being given the opportunities to show that my work is good. I have ton of options, the most obvious ones being developer or translator.
Qworg 7y ago
As someone who had a less than ideal PhD experience, while exiting ABD feels like a failure in the near term, the long term impact is very low, unless you're desperate to remain in academia. In short, you don't have to take the abuse - I'd look to change major professors.
- tasogare 7y ago
  Yep I want to stay in academia but I'll probably try to sell my own products one day. I could change lab I think, but I'm not guaranteed that the situation will be better elsewhere. Heck, on the paper this lab is exactly focus on the kind of stuff I want to do.
  - Qworg 7y ago
    "not guaranteed that the situation is better elsewhere" - almost certainly it couldn't be worse. Labs change focus all the time, even without describing it to the world. Why else would they have bumped your research?
    - tasogare 7y ago
      > Why else would they have bumped your research? Cultural context. While the research product (papers, mainly) is very international, how the sausage is made vary greatly by countries. While one of my topic of interest have decades of interest in Europe, it got zero attention here. Also I've noticed that most papers I read in English are basically ultra-specific narrow crap tested in questionable conditions, while stuff written in my native language try to address bigger issues and are more convincing (but also less data centred). Even the way of writing a PhD thesis is different: monograph in Europe, slapping three journal papers with an intro and conclusion here. My solution will be to continue doing the minimal amount of work that I'm forced to do and write interesting papers with my external network of colleagues. It's of course forbidden by the lab rules by I found a loophole I can exploit.
phdchat 7y ago
May I ask in which school are you studying?
- tasogare 7y ago
  Sorry but no. You may be my professor :p

jcpsimmons 7y ago

Some similar experience in my own PhD journey. I think two things are likely the cause: - Academia attracts sociopaths - Academia is slowly imploding, thus resources are becoming more scarce, thus folks are bitter. Hang in there and gtfo of academia as fast as you can. My quality of life has improved immensely since I've left.

jimbokun 7y ago

Any reason not to leave? Do you have other career options you are qualified for?

tasogare 7y ago
Yes: I've worked hard the last years to get the government scholarship I'm on, and moving in this country. I also want to work in academia, get the doctor title and I won't give up that easily. The situation is not as terrible as it could be (I would say 3/10 on crap scale), but the fact I cannot use my wide array of knowledge and skills nor pursue my academic goals and being micro-managed drives me mad. I hate not being given the opportunities to show that my work is good. I have ton of options, the most obvious ones being developer or translator.

Qworg 7y ago

As someone who had a less than ideal PhD experience, while exiting ABD feels like a failure in the near term, the long term impact is very low, unless you're desperate to remain in academia. In short, you don't have to take the abuse - I'd look to change major professors.

tasogare 7y ago
Yep I want to stay in academia but I'll probably try to sell my own products one day. I could change lab I think, but I'm not guaranteed that the situation will be better elsewhere. Heck, on the paper this lab is exactly focus on the kind of stuff I want to do.
- Qworg 7y ago
  "not guaranteed that the situation is better elsewhere" - almost certainly it couldn't be worse. Labs change focus all the time, even without describing it to the world. Why else would they have bumped your research?
  - tasogare 7y ago
    > Why else would they have bumped your research? Cultural context. While the research product (papers, mainly) is very international, how the sausage is made vary greatly by countries. While one of my topic of interest have decades of interest in Europe, it got zero attention here. Also I've noticed that most papers I read in English are basically ultra-specific narrow crap tested in questionable conditions, while stuff written in my native language try to address bigger issues and are more convincing (but also less data centred). Even the way of writing a PhD thesis is different: monograph in Europe, slapping three journal papers with an intro and conclusion here. My solution will be to continue doing the minimal amount of work that I'm forced to do and write interesting papers with my external network of colleagues. It's of course forbidden by the lab rules by I found a loophole I can exploit.

phdchat 7y ago

May I ask in which school are you studying?

tasogare 7y ago
Sorry but no. You may be my professor :p