Hi, I don't know how to react to a situation. So what has happened is that I just graduated as PhD in physics. Without going into much details, I did measurements that gave OK results but it was possible that the measurements can be improved because there was some difficulties.

My time as funded PhD was coming to an end and that the department was moving to a new place. I started working on my writing, and focusing on finishing the PhD. A postdoc took over the work. The department moved so the postdoc have been working on re-establishing the lab and rebuilding the setups (and even improving some parts of the setup). This has been completed now the postdoc is working on the project, doing measurements.

I have been hired for a short time and will be working under the postdoc on the project. What took me by surprise was that I was told by the supervisor that the postdoc was going to be first author on the article that will be produced for the work. I was kind of surprised since this is based on my work and I been working on getting the result for along time. His argue is that the postdoc will write the article, and they are doing new measurements. Therefore the postdoc should be first author.

Is this something I shouldn't be worried about? It doesn't feel good since this was my final paper. I will still be co-author. i don't like confrontation so I guess there isn't much I can do about it. My supervisor mentioned I could submit my work to photonics west conference and attend present it next year. I'm just wondering if such things matter? I have a few first author paper (nothing super important, novel suff), one co-author(which is par of the work) and this was suppose to be my final one.

I am in a very similar situation. I am about to write my thesis however I haven't got the results I expected due to problems I haven't been able to solve with the research. My experiments have not worked as expected. Not much I can do about it other than say that this doesn't work and try to explain why. I don't have many papers because of this. My mother died 2 months ago and now I have to find a job very soon. I have to write my thesis and submit it very soon. I am not even sure how I am going to be able to do that before my extended funding goes out. Somehow I need to find a job since I am also paying my mothers rent and bills until its sold. I have only worked in academia so I am not sure what kind of jobs I can look for with my background. I am really scared to be honest and my confidence is all gone. So much has changed for me with her death. I am still struggling with the loss of my mother and only family member.

I have been working on PhD for 3 years and my funding is now coming to and end. I got one article published not directly related to the task of the work. I have not succeeded with the final task of the work that I am doing. My work being purely experimental in field of physics. My mother just died and I got word that my second paper was rejected after second review since it did not contribute anything to the existing field. I have to write my dissertation. I don't know what to do,... I am very depressed.