I can relate especially to the bottom left back in the dark days of write-up.

Replace the wine with beer for me.

Ian :-)

Yup, just ignore as best you can whilst you finish your PhD.

A major problem with academia is some of the more senior people are virtually accountable to no-one, hence there is no check on their behaviour and they can become seemingly all powerful. There is thus a tendency for people to keep their heads down to avoid a confrontation with lets say the "personality professors".

Such people have to commit a serious misconduct before action is taken by the reputation conscious Universities. That said, you do get to hear of some spectacular downfalls at times and I suspect space 39 in the below make be very, very loosely based on a "tale" I heard. Hope it makes you smile. :-)

Ian

You saying 'no' may well be the cause of this. By doing this, you may seem aloof to the others in your community and word can get round I guess.

I can relate a little to the above, simply because of my not so great second post-doc (no, I won't go through the story again :-) ). People will work around you rather than with you, dismissing or ignoring your ideas and input. My crime was being "very much a second choice, a stop gap measure" with the second post-doc Uni. "just having to make do" (said by the senior Prof. in charge on our first meeting on starting the post-doc). All I could do was seem my time out and move on.

Alternatively, a person might express ideas outside mainstream thinking in your subject area or simply be associated with the wrong group or department. During PhD, I was warned not to have any associations with a 'maverick' scientist working on the fringes of our subject area. He turned up at my Uni. unannounced one day, with the senior academics not acknowledging his presence. It's a bit difficult ignoring someone when he plonks himself in one of your offices. :-)

As to you not caring, it depends upon your work. You still have access to the literature being produced by these other researchers, thus can still work on the data they produce. From the perspective of preparing your PhD, it's not a deal breaker. However, if you are looking to work with any of these groups after PhD then things could be more problematic. This will be the true test of whether or not you're no longer in the loop.

All said and done, it may just be you're seen as a new starter with little to contribute as yet. Perhaps they'll take more notice of you when you become "Dr.". :-)

Ian

Relevant employment using skills appropriate to the eventual PhD can support a PhD application, as you may require less support and be able to initiate any core studies that bit faster than those people without.

I held a development position before my PhD many moons ago and believe that experience was taken into account when I applied for my PhD.

That said, if your debts are substantial then economic necessity may dictate you take the job that pays more. The main consideration in my case was holding a degree relevant to my application and the main reference requested was from one of my first degree tutors.

Ian

If you'd just started your PhD, I'd have said withdraw once you've secured a position on a more relevant PhD, at least avoiding an interim period of unemployment or inactivity. However, you are near the end and as Marasp comments you may as well finish.

It's not unheard of to obtain a post-doc in a not too dissimilar subject - I obtained a post-doc in biological wear science with my PhD and a first post-doc in high temperature engineering wear science. You can try to apply for jobs and see what happens.

I will caution, however, that people doing PhDs directly related to a post-doc subject will have an advantage. Such people may even obtain the post-doc having worked in the same lab, possibly writing up their PhD whilst starting their post-doc (a common approach for continuing funding into the dreaded year four).

One possible approach rather than start a second PhD is finance permitting to do a masters in your preferred subject. This will only take one year and give you your necessary grounding. Your Masters dissertation could even form the pasis of a paper, giving you a proven, published document to place on your CV.

Alternatively, you might look at a position outside academia for a few years and use your experince to move back into academia when you have sufficient relevant experience. However, I don't know if industry might offer a specifically relevant position.

A second PhD? You may find people will turn you away for this or only allow you to proceed self-funded. Funding councils will not be keen if they know a candidate has already done a PhD. So this brings you back to the question should you pull the plug on the first PhD if you want funding for the more relevant PhD?

Not straight forward. The Masters option might be your best approach. Talk again to your contacts and ask how they feel about the Masters option.

Ian

You have an M.Sc. (merit) in Biomedical Science and you did badly???

I don't understand. That's good from where I'm sitting.

Ian

Why do you want to do a PhD?

I speak as someone who actually enjoyed mine. I did it because I wanted to do something new that no-one had done before and actually came back from industry to do it. Personally, I found the PhD process to be a big boost in self-confidence and self-belief.

I don't know if it will help as regards industrial career prospects and many people do view it negatively. That will depend upon the sector you are working in and with process / chemical engineering, if you are able to demonstrate relevance to a future employer then just possibly you could turn it into an asset. How are you going to demonstrate saleable skills to a potential employer.

Please take a look at my blog (link following), have a read through and see how you feel after. Note it's written from a UK point of view as regards funding.


Cheers,


Ian

My reasons for doing a PhD were exactly the raison d'etre for a PhD, namely the chance to do some original work contribution new knowledge to my chosen field.

I would add to that the chance to learn new skills to enhance my future career prospect post-PhD, though that depends upon what you want to do after. Add to that to opportunity to conduct cutting edge science and an enjoyment of continued learning.

Ian

Charlie,

I don't think you were right hiding this from your parents, however, I appreciate cultural issues may be involved. I would advise you talked to them at the earliest opportunity and explain exactly what happened. Allowing this false impression of your circumstances may create more difficulties as time goes on.

I know a former colleague from my PhD days who faced the situation you described almost exactly. He overran and despite extenuating circumstances he was dismissed. You say it's personal, however, posting a less personalised version of your story may allow us to offer advice.

Have you checked employment law in your home country as the situation you describe may allow you to sue for unfair dismissal. A letter from the UK university explaining your situation should have been enough for a reasonable person to accept.

Ian

:-)

Ian

The spellchecker was obviously authored by a man with his mind most definitely on buns. :-)

Ian



(UK posters will get this.)

Obvious (silly) question, but I assume you've been looking at PhDs with funding already in place?

Ian

I've heard the odd snippet about ex-Masters and PhD people being homeless in the past, normally in the US. Whether this is widespread or for reasons outside work, etc., I've no idea.

It's said just about anyone can find themselves homeless quite easily. You could be fairly well off then a mixture of job loss and marital break-up can have you on the streets within literally a couple of weeks. People will only tolerate you bunking on their sofa for so long too.

Once on the streets, it's very hard to get yourself back on your feet.

Ian

2.5 months. I made maximum use of the time to prepare for it as well as commented on here.

Ian

As I commented, it may well depend upon the subject. Previous posts on here suggest a different approach if you're humanities. Bilbo Baggins is probably a good person to ask if this is the case as she withdrew from a science PhD and later did a humanities PhD.

I think my approach may have been on the extreme side, though supervisor and predecessor did succeed in putting the frighteners up me. However, as I said I went in well prepared as a result.

Ian