Greetings ToLe,

I would have to agree that a change of supervisor would be important here. Do you have allies within the panel members? Can you reach out and speak honestly with one of them? How is your relationship with the coordinator? Having conflict with a supervisor tends NOT to go well in the long run. PhD chairs or supervisors can make life very difficult for a student. If you have someone who is higher up who you think could be a resource, that might be another option too. I have been in and around academia as a student and faculty member for 14 years and would also caution you to be politically "wise" or careful. So whatever you do, do it thoughtfully. Good luck!

Greetings LDEY20,

I have a few suggestions here. One, see if you can partner with a friend, colleague, or more experienced mentor to aid in publishing. Ask people if they know other folks who are publishing in your interest areas and reach out to them. My mentors and professors helped me to publish while I was pursuing my PhD, but not at the Master's level. Explore journals and review their calls for papers, and definitely try to attend conferences to build your network. Use your networks to expand your understanding and options. Publications DO matter in academia, quite a bit! Having them early in your career can be incredibly helpful. Good luck!

Hello ZaYa- I am so sorry that you are feeling this way. I have to say that it is VERY normal though to experience this in a PhD program and journey! I found good mentors to be very helpful. I also agree that exercise can help a great deal, as can rest and making time for relaxation. Do you have a group of friends or colleagues who are supportive? This can be useful. See if there are resources at your University, and do not hesitate to use them! It is particularly tough now because of COVID too. I offer some support for PhD students, but really finding this can be incredibly powerful! Seek out mentors at your University if you can too. Take care!