Hi
I am starting a materials science PhD in October. I am a chemist by degree and have plenty of lab experience which is where i will be mainly but they have a LOT of analytical equipment most of which is new to me. Anyone been in a simmilar situation? Did they get you up to speed with the equipment that was new to you or was it asumed you would orieantate your self.

When I started my PhD (molecular microbiology) I was unfamiliar with alot of the techniques and equipment. I was asked if i knew how to use them and I admitted that i didn't and so they taught me. It is simpler and easier to ask for help and be taught how to do something than faff about trying to work it out for yourself.. Don't be afraid to admit you don't know how to do something..better that than to try work it out yourself and break something!!

Remember that a whole PhD is research training now, and especially in your first year. Just don't be afraid to ask!

You should be shown how to use anything that's new to you: there'll probably be SOPs in place. Otherwise ask to be trained on the machine - the university would rather have people being trained up on something than guessing, I think.

Must slightly disgree with Coastman, though! I don't think any funding body views a PhD as research training: they want publishable/patentable results and they want them NOW. Not how it should be, perhaps, but that seems to be how it is.

Re: Juno and TheCoastman

http://www.independent.co.uk/student/postgraduate/postgraduate-study/calling-time-on-the-long-phd-823190.html

That has happened at several universities that I know of: if you go beyond four years you are considered a "fail" by the university and the funding body, and the department will have its funding cut next year.

Yep that article explains what I was trying to say better than me - its as much about training and learning skills than producing the pinnacle of your life's work (though if you're lucky enough to find that then well done!). And my first year especially was about learning new analysis techniques and computer language etc - so don't be afraid to ask, I'm sure they expect you to.

On the wider issue of deadlines, I think they are a good thing overall to motivate you and to give you a deadline (I'm only churning out work now I know I'm near the end of my funding...), but looking on a longer PhD as a failure and cutting funding etc may be a bit ruthless, there are loads of reasons why research may fall behind.

Thanks for the responses. Sounds like Ill get prepped on all the apparatus when I get there.

Yes, ask lots of questions (even those you consider dumb questions) early on in the PhD. You're not expected to know everything at this stage.

Regarding the length of PhDs, my university has pegged me to submit within 4 years or be failed. As my money runs out after 3 years, I'll be aiming for that deadline rather than the years. The downside is that the motivation is simply to get the job done rather than spending in-depth time doing detailed and innovative investigations. A bit of a shame really but money talks!