Hi! This is really a great forum.

I've started a Ph.D in Australia this pastsemester. My 2 scholarships are attached to the department that accepted me (I cant request a transfer without a long and complicated paperwork) but this department has an absurdly small staff. My main supervisor is one of them, a friendly non-native english speaker with language problems, very limited knowledge on my topic and a serious disconnect from the relevant authors of the field. The other 2 possible supervisors in the dept. are not much better and do not have time for additional students.

I thought that my option was to get an associate supervisor from a different dept. with experience in my topic. I got one with a terrific C.V, a very knowledgeable person with several great books at the bleeding-edge of theory in the field, but...too busy and distant to help me consistently. We've met only twice this semester, I've got no answer to my e-mails and very little support. The person nevertheless accepted to be my A.S.

What would you suggest me to do ?