Scared

H

This is a very unique situation and people on here have offered you a lot of sound advice. I'm not sure what you are wanting to hear? Nobody can predict the future and tell you if you will be kicked out or not.
The situation as you have described it sounds very confusing and from our point-of-view, it's one sided.

The best thing for you to do is to speak to you supervisor and tell him that you are extremely worried and you want to chat about the situation.

Re this postdoc helping you out with some software, you do sound very worried about this. If he has only "helped" you, then you have nothing to worry about but if you are accused of presenting someone elses work as your own, the university will take it very seriously and you could be kicked out.

M

Look we have tried to advise you, but you keep changing your story...I think you really need to speak to some advisors internally, because you seem to be going around in circles here! It seems like you want people to give you a specific answer, and if you get some advice you keep asking for more until someone will tell you what you want to hear. You really need to make a decision on your own, and while advice can help, you need to be decisive from within...

H

Hi Scared,
There has been a lot of good advice on here, which you seem to be just reading and not understanding or thinking about - bit like a rabbit in headlights.  As has been said before, first of all just calm down a bit. Think this through rationally.  There are no witnesses (as I understand things) to this pushing episode, which makes it your word against his - so basically there will be no clear winner and what is needed most of all is time for all parties to calm down. Hence, why the two of you have been asked to steer clear of each other.  Take one strong lesson from this - this kind of behaviour, pushing and shoving from the pair of you is UTTERLY unacceptable, grossly unprofessional and should be left on the school playground where it belongs. You cannot solve an academic problem by beating each other up, save that for malfunctioning PCs. 
Since no-one is taking steps to throw you off your PhD (they would have told you by now), I would assume that all is forgiven but not necessarily forgotten - you (and he) have quite seriously blotted your copybook so get your head down and get on with your work with enthusiasm, sincerity and professionalism. So stop worrying about it. It is a lot of hassle to get rid of a PhD student, even a foreign one. So stop worrying about it.
As to the paper, like others have said, I would shelve it for a bit - let things calm down.
Finally, just to drive the point home: physical fighting is for children in a school playground - don't let it happen again or the next time I suspect they will call in the police.
So relax, calm down and go and do your work. You have a lot of lost respect to make up for in your colleague's eyes

P

2 things:

1. This is far too complex and apparently has too many details which are impossible for anyone to provide any advice on, in an online anonymous forum (unless providing such advice is their job, which I doubt is the case for anyone here). People may misunderstand the situation, may just not get the picture through no fault of their own or whatever. So this isnt perhaps the best way to resolve the issue.

2. Second, a lot of people have spent a huge amount of time trying to get their head around this, and from your responses you seem to be completely indecisive. The only person to take a call on this utterly complicated issue is YOU, and those who have first hand knowledge of this in the department.

Stay calm, and best.

S

couls some1 tell me in order to be thrown off the phd what needs to happen?

P

Why oh Why WHy WHy do you not read what people below you have just written?

H

To be chucked out of a PhD studentship, the school/department needs to craft a solid case against you. They could use the altercation incident as a good reason. That might explain why your supervisor advised you to stay away from initiating a formal, written complaint about your encounter with the post doc. Once a written complaint is issued, the Head of School has a duty to resolve the matter in 10days (or whatever your uni regs are). If the outcome is unsatisfactory, you seek recourse with the university complaints officer. They have 20 working days(+/-) to respond. If the outcome is again unsatisfactory, it goes on to the IAO and finally the QAA.
But do you really want to be involved in all these procedures to avoid being chucked out? Think about it.
Also, revisit all the replies from posters and select the ones which are meaningful to you. Keep us posted on the results of your upgrade. And whatever decision you make, you will have to live with the consequences.
Regards,
Hairui

L

If you refuse to read what we have advised, why ask? We have already said, go and seek some advice from those whose JOBS are to offer advice to you and your fellow students.
We have told you the best we can do is tell you the generic responses by universities which we have done. Now take heed and stop panicking.
People have told you, your supervisor has told you. Stay away from this post doc, shelve publication till your postdoc leaves and till then get your head back in the work and start to produce good work to earn everyones respect back.

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