Hi

I'm going to a biology conference in November and I need to obtain some funding to pay for travel costs.

Which organizations etc should I join? I'm thinking maybe BBSRC but I can't seem to find how to do this on their website! Any ideas?

Can anyone suggest any other suitable organizations?

Thanks

I'm only a first year phd student so don't know too much lol but I think it sounds like you are worrying far too much!

I'm sure your supervisior wouldn't let you submit if they thought you weren't ready first of all, plus they must think you have some decent results if they want you to submit a paper, its perfectly fine to have two separate topics in a thesis (my sups have already told me mine will) and finally a few grammatical errors are perfectly normal and you will just get told to change them.

So stop worrying, it won't solve anything! You'll be fine!

Well it seems to mean something like "whose ideas are assisting your research?" Difficultto be specific without knowing your subject area.

Hi, from experience it doesn't matter if you have a 2.2 if you have a masters, especially if you have a distinction so don't worry about it! Sell yourself in interview, explain why you only got a 2.2 and why you are good enough to do a PhD and you'll be fine!

Hi,  I used to work as a bank manager so have a lot of experience with this sort of thing in a work setting. Probation periods are used for 2 reasons: to manage up or manage out.  In other words, to assist you to complete your PhD or to prevent you from completing it (because you are not 'good enough'). From your previous posts, I would suggest that it's unjustly the latter.  However, the fact that they have gone against the rules laid out in the handbook is good news for you - they are only allowed to put a Ft student on 3 months probation not 6.

My advice to you firstly is to just ask your supervisors why you are on probation - is it because they think you are not good enough to complete or is it simply that they are ensuring you are getting adequate supervision?

If this doesn't give you a satisfactory answer, then speak to your HR department or student relations etc, or look at the information on your university website designed for your supervisors because they are not allowed to put you on probation for 6 months and once you point this out to them via HR they should reverse this decision.  You will probably have to take out a grievance against your supervisors if they refuse to lift the probation and you still think it's not fair. This is obviously worse case scenario because this will detrimentally effect your student/supervisor relationship even further.

Alternatively you can do what other people have suggested - knuckle down and work hard and prove your supervisors wrong (ie you are good enough to pass your PhD).  This would work in a regulated work environment but I'm not so sure about a university...
PM me if you want if you think I can help further.

Hi,

I have been in a similar situation to you - I graduated from my science MSc in 2006, then worked as bank manager for a few years, earning a decent salary, getting a mortgage etc and I know I could have continued down that route and carved a successful career for myself, however like you I had a burning desire to do a PhD that just wouldn't go away.

I started my PhD this October and it was the best decision I have ever made. Seriously, you will work out the minor details after (finances, how to pay the mortgage, whether there will be a job at the end of it) - just go for it!

I don't know too much about finding funding after starting a PhD (although I do expect that it will be difficult), however I think it's perfectly possible to do a full time PhD and work part time, although it probably depends on what area your PhD is in.

I worked 20 hours per week during my science MSc and I work 10 hours per week during my PhD at the moment. I guess it will become more difficult in the second and third years of the PhD though. Also, it helps that I live 5 mins drive from uni so I don't waste any time travelling etc.

Hi, I agree with everyone who has said don't compare yourself to others, as long as your supervisors say you are doing ok then that's fine. I also started my phd in October and I have written 6000 words, but others that started with me have written between 2000 and 10000 words. I probably havent read as much as some others but I have done a lot of lab work, so I think it's true that everyone works in their own way and at their own pace.

Hi, to be honest with you, this sounds like they did not appreciate you ticking the 'not enough supervision' box. The result of your report probably went to the head of the department and they were more than likely not pleased with your supervisors for not undertaking your supervision properly. Like Delta said, they are probably just covering their backs.

If I were you I would just ask the direct questn of how well they think you are doing and whether this probation means you are not on target. The cynic in me says that this could be their way of getting you back for stating lack of supervision but you know your supervisors and hopefully they wouldn't be the sort of people who would do that!

Hi

I am single and living alone whilst doing my PhD. Personally I love living alone and sometimes wonder whether I will ever care about someone enough to want to live with them!

I very rarely get lonely and as much as I love my friends and enjoying spending time with my colleagues, for me there is nothing better than coming home to an empty flat!

I guess everyone different and whilst this works for me, it obviously doesn't work for you. I would encourage you to expand your interests as much as possible: attend every university seminar going, take every invite to the pub (even if you don't know the people going very well), use Skype as much as possible to talk to your partner, take up a new hobby, read a good book, buy several tv box sets - anything to stop you thinking whilst at home. Don't forget you can always log on to this forum and talk about how you are feeling at any time

(mince)

Hi

Personally I think it's fine if you want to do another MSc and think you can handle doing that and a PhD, although I don't see how that would help with your literature review. If you need further direction, shouldn't you ask your supervisors to assist?

Please clarify what you mean?

What's a GRE?

Hi,

I'm not sure what you mean. If you are already doing an MA why does your flatmate think it's not a real MA? What subject are you doing? From my experience, an MA is an MA whether it's taught or research.

(robin)

Hi

I don't think having two different masters will make much difference outside of academia as most people don't seem to know what a masters is anyway in my experience!

I do think you should think carefully about downgrading to an MPhil though as I do know within academia this is often seen as an option for people that couldn't quite achieve a PhD... It's only a few more years' struggle and then it will all be worth it surely?

8-)

Well started my PhD this week... I must say it’s been a very up and down week so far!

I am finding it really hard being the newbie, having come from a job where I knew pretty much everything and everyone, it’s very difficult coming into a lab and office where I know absolutely nothing and no one! I am also finding it hard to remember that whilst I, (after having been a manager for 4 years), know how to make people feel welcome, ensure they understand what they are doing and obtain any help they need, PhD students have no knowledge of this!

It’s like whilst everyone is really nice and approachable, what I really need is someone to show me what on earth I should be doing!

I know that everyone feels this way and I know I will be ok in a few weeks but that doesn’t make it any easier right now...

Anyway, home for the evening now, to a weekend of a lot of reading around the subject so I don’t feel quite so stupid on Monday morning!