Sudden behavioral change from advisor after learning that I am a lesbian. Some PhD students were simply left to their own devices without proper supervision. This can happen if a PhD advisor was originally allocated for administrative reasons (rather than scientific expertise) or if the PhD students project develops in a different direction over time. Should we have a canonical question about changing fields after PhD? 68 for suggestions on how to pick the perfect co-supervisor. The area in which I work is also quite small in the sense that very few (in fact, only one that is comprehensive - as far as I am aware) textbooks have been written on the basics and even my supervisor admits that these few books are exceedingly dry. Your tax-deductible contribution plays a critical role in sustaining this effort. I'm generally a bit concerned about trying to strike the right balance between good curation and accessibility. Now you have get to get your passion back. Does this require a replacement of your main supervisor? But now These professors want revenge. Help News from Science publish trustworthy, high-impact stories about research and the people who shape it. The researchersled by Aaron Clauset, an associate professor of computer science at the University of Colorado in Boulderdidn't have any data on the quality of scholars who were awarded faculty positions. But on paper, I am progressing well because my supervisor had his way with me. Many universities and research institutes or governmental bodies have set out codes of conduct for PhD/graduate education that describe roles and responsibilities of supervisors (see e.g. For one good example that sets out clear guidelines, see Griffith Universitys (2019) Code of Practice for the Supervision of Higher Degree Research Candidates. If that is not possible, be prepared to transfer to a different graduate school. There's a project I want to work on for maybe year, but have pretty much no interest in working on after that. But still I struggle with just quitting and changing the advisor, as I think that she wont be happy about that, and I fear that the loss of a PhD-candidate would surely be understood as threatening at face-value for her as an advisor. A lack of supervision includes insufficient guidance and support and irregular interaction or feedback on the progress of a PhD project. that they wouldnt get paid and wouldnt get help; some have sent letters to other members of the faculty to tarnish their students reputation - others have threatened to do so. I have been forced to have 3 supervisors already. There are no real breaks. How much does it influence your well-being and your life? If you have family, you have to make sure they understand that you were forced to switch advisers and you might finish the PhD later. Multiple people reported having P.I.s who were very hostile to the idea of the student seeking help from other academics or making the project their own. I cannot express how grateful I am for your trust, and I command you on the courage it took to open up about these, sometimes traumatic, experiences. This will be the beginning of a new phase in your grad school career, and the people skills youve learned will be useful wherever you go next. And a vacation provides an even longer respite. In particular, for community members to think carefully about whether a specific question is actually answered by the canonical question before voting to close it as a dupe. If you are a student in an abusive situation, now is not the time for activism; you cannot solve the systematic problems of academia by yourself, especially when you are in a vulnerable position. The following are the reasons: I am forced to work in a very specific area and there is almost no room for creativity. Sometimes a personality or work-style mismatch will occur - there is only so much you can learn about your future advisor before you start working with them. "What we found in the literature is that when your supervisor just monitors your progress, and is willing to make time for you when you really need help, that is really all that is needed for students to succeed.". Lets face it: it is never ideal to have to change your supervisory arrangements. Is that an excuse for departments to sweep things under the rug? If I answer them all, then I am told that until someone else with reputation does it, I should not try it as I do not have a proven track record. None of the other factors consideredincluding age, gender, years of study, country, and department and peer qualitieshad such a strong effect. Well let you know what makes PhD candidates want to change advisors, what you should consider in the process, and whether it makes sense in your situation or not. 2- Talk to new potential advisor in private. If a supervisor engages in behaviour calls into question these commonly acknowledged practices, or violates them, this will negatively impact the PhD candidate, the quality of their research, and their relationship. That might be administratively simpler than finding a new supervisor. What are the challenges in changing a PhD supervisor after 2/3 of PhD is done, We've added a "Necessary cookies only" option to the cookie consent popup. Then talking to the other one. It would be a good idea to take a vacation before. The number of distinct words in a sentence. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Strange behavior of tikz-cd with remember picture. Whats harder is figuring out what to do next. If you need to switch to a very different field, you should expect another 2-3 years as a beginner. Lost your password? I personally got a PhD in Electrical Engineering, specifically DSP. rev2023.3.1.43269. rev2023.3.1.43269. That is one of the topics to discuss here. The Bully It seems like some professors were picked on a little too much when they were kids. Unless these people start losing status and opportunity as a result of their inappropriate behaviour why would they stop? Therefore I conclude it is possible to make agreements. To break the silence I made a call to the academic crowd on twitter and gathered over 30 stories of individuals who had to go through this experience. Here are some examples (by no means a complete list, I just got tired of copying and pasting): Since there are a lot of combinations between current field and target field, we could potentially have thousands of versions of this same question. Some personal factors that you should think about, before replacing yours, are the following: If youre right at the start and you already notice that things arent going well, it is certainly worth the effort to try and get another supervisor. Changing PhD supervisor 18 months into 4 year PhD [closed]. If you find yourself in this situation, take heart that youre not alone many, many students have switched labs, and done so successfully. But as it is, we are not generating those types of answers; we provide only the same general advice over and over (is my impression, at least). All emails contain an unsubscribe link. Katie Langin is the associate editor for Science Careers. My second year, however, didn't improve despite making another breakthrough. Below, weve listed some illustrative examples which highlight typical reasons you may want to replace your supervisor. In this case, the financing is independent from the supervisor. You may not be able to help yourself. Browse other questions tagged, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. Your interests may change (the most reasonable explanation), you may not be able to develop good rapport with your advisor, your advisor may be on leave, a new person may have joined the Department whose interests are closer to yours. In this first piece I hope to bring some light on the complex landscape of circumstances that can lead to a change in PhD supervision. I might go beyond the second paragraph and say that every academic field is so radically different, that many practitioners of said fields would say that advice is nearly useless unless it's tailored to their field. Science and AAAS are working tirelessly to provide credible, evidence-based information on the latest scientific research and policy, with extensive free coverage of the pandemic. So be nice. So they will never co-supervise! That can surely be sorted out, but it might need a bit more discussion to come to a mutually beneficial solution. ", Sverdlik adds that it's best to find an adviser who is willing to devote time to nurturing your development during critical phases of graduate schoolduring the transition from coursework to research, for instanceand who otherwise will give you room to grow on your own. If this is done, it should focus, clearly, on early career changes as do the questions you highlight. Do any fields have fundamentally different considerations than others? Cag has a point that we get quite a few very general, reasonably low-quality questions in this genre for which general advice could be sufficient. While you want to be careful with telling too many people about your switch (your advisor should hear the news from you, not someone else), keep your ears open for news about professors reputations and for whether theyre looking for new students. According to the researchers' findings, switching from an adviser who was strongly unsupportive to one that was highly supportive would be expected to increase the Ph.D. satisfaction score . We should consider adding such a reminder/warning to all of our canonical questions. But it's possible that we need several different questions: intra-field, STEM to STEM, STEM to humanities, humanities to humanities, etc. This argument can certainly be made for physics and mathematics, where changing subfield can feel like trying to move a mountain. Since it is a very prestigious institution I never thought that I might experience what I am going through at the moment. PhD candidates who went through an exchange of supervisors often tell us later how relieved they were, how much more positive they experienced their PhD life to be, and that it gave a big boost to their motivation to complete their project. Depending on the college, you might be . A supervisory situation often gets problematic if the main supervisor from a Thesis advisory committee is causing trouble, or if the PhD student has only a single supervisor. By clicking Accept all cookies, you agree Stack Exchange can store cookies on your device and disclose information in accordance with our Cookie Policy. from computer science to humanities). What works for individuals varies: Many students don't want someone constantly looking over their shoulder, but for some it can be helpful to have an adviser who keeps tabs on them more regularly to set deadlines and ensure that they're making progress, she says. The results that were published would have constituted part of the PhD candidates thesis. Was Galileo expecting to see so many stars. Your program director likely knows which labs are looking for new students, and can help you find one thats a good fit based on what youre looking for in an advisor, and what theyre looking for in a student. This would be a much better question if you deleted the entire enumerated list, which is largely irrelevant for the question asked in the title. In this way, you work in a field you already know at a moderate pace, while you develop new skills. Suppose you have written part of a thesis(normally a PhD thesis in my field has 2-3 parts, each part may be different from the others). So if you are cut out for some sort of mathematics, I reckon it will come to you in time. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, . I am doing good in my Ph.D. but I do not like my supervisors. Youll stay up-to-date with our podcasts, webinars, workshops, downloadables, and more, delivered to your inbox every fortnight. Getting a Ph.D. is "a very stressful, long process," says Gerard Dericks, a senior lecturer at Oxford Brookes University in the United Kingdom and the lead author of the study. You are e.g. How can I make this regulator output 2.8 V or 1.5 V? Thanks for reply! You seem to be already burnt out. If your relationship with your supervisor is good and if (s)he is not too super-specialized in one sub-area, you might be able to just move to a different sub-area while continuing to work with the same supervisor. Are we going to have one CW to cover it all, or separate question to cover them in less general sense (a tough question here, how to separate them? This was all somewhat hypothetical but there was a problem with this plan anyway: software takes a long time to write! Any related idea which goes against the "vision" of my supervisor is dealt with fierce questions. The bullies tend to retaliate. You should choose your future adviser from the faculty he cannot influence. How can the mass of an unstable composite particle become complex? A high percentage of PhD students today are enrolled in structured PhD programmes where supervisory committees consisting of 3 or more supervisors are mandatory. Another student had just switched because of the same reason and therefore my current supervisors had to change their attitude as this became a recurring phenomenon. That said, prestige can be a relevant consideration. Regardless of this persons level of involvement, her advice will undoubtedly be helpful in your switch. Stack Exchange network consists of 181 Q&A communities including Stack . The best answers are voted up and rise to the top, Start here for a quick overview of the site, Detailed answers to any questions you might have, Discuss the workings and policies of this site. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Good supervision is extremely important, so overcoming some obstacles in order to replace a less than good supervisor can be absolutely worthwhile! Hi, I want to change my current phd subject/advisor. In some labs, graduate students are "treated like laborlike robots in a factoryrather than independent scientists," he says. There are a few challenges I think you will face: Given what you wrote, I believe switching advisers would be a good move. Forces me to publish in conferences which his friends or colleagues organize, even if they are not good. Suggestions to improve the use and the findability of canonical questions. To keep things in perspective at this point, we should mention that the majority of PhD candidates are rather happy and satisfied with the supervision they receive. Changing advisers is easier if your department encourages students to work with multiple faculty members and you make changes early in your career. I see that the question has been created and tagged with a new tag. Can you keep the parts of the thesis you have completed? This is not novel or ground breaking but it is good to keep repeating it. My major concern about whether this is advisable is more about how our community will make use of the duplicate target. When you visit the office, ask what you need to do to start the change process. Adviser supportivenesswhether an adviser was caring, considerate, encouraging, and sympatheticwas the most important factor for student satisfaction. In the Helmholtz Juniors Survey Report (2019), there are 25.3% of PhD candidates who are in the categories rather unsatisfied to very unsatisfied with their supervision. Australian Government (2007), Danish Ministry of Higher Education and Science (2014), Swedish Research Council (2017), German Research Foundation (2019), UK Research Integrity Office. Strict hierarchical settings and tough competition may exacerbate bullying behaviour or abuse of power (see Max Planck PhDnet, 2018). Like any workplace, scientific institutions are not free from misbehaviour from (in this case) superiors. If no policies or formal proceedings exist however, the process of how a supervisor can be replaced is in the dark, and that can ultimately make it more difficult to get what you want. Insufficient encouragement and interest in the PhD candidates work are further factors (see also Helmholtz Juniors 2019, p. 22). He told me about other students facing similar issues and offered me to help. If it is done well, the damage can be limited and no one has to lose face. Some universities or graduate schools have formal proceedings for an exchange of supervisors anchored in their PhD regulations (or elsewhere) which are publicly available. At what point of what we watch as the MCU movies the branching started? Multiple people I talked to were even harassed by their previous advisors, some were called names in collaboration emails, others found that their science results were in limbo and couldnt get published as their previous P.I.s made claims over their work even though they hadnt contributed. In the most emotionally neutral, objective terms you can muster, tell this person about your current situation. "It's far more important to have an adviser who supports your career goals and development, and who has your interests at heart, than it is to have a degree from an elite program.". Yeah, I would agree with @AtomJZ's concern if we could point to (m)any examples of high-quality answers from the last 10 years that specifically address the nuances of the field pairing in question. Has Microsoft lowered its Windows 11 eligibility criteria? How the personal aspects work out depends to a large degree on how the entire process is handled. But any potential duplicates would be left open long enough for community members with expertise in the specific fields to consider whether they think the canonical answers cover the specific question. Your well-being comes first. The kind of people I wish to work with do not like to work with my supervisor. Should we have a canonical question for "should I quit my PhD"? 2. To figure out what a professor's approach to advising is, Sverdlik encourages students to ask a lot of questions of prospective advisers and their advisees when they're interviewing. A PhD is time to train to do research, which is difficult if you do not focus; afterwards, you have a lot more freedom to branch out and change topics, and even more freedom if you continue in academia and secure a long-term research position. Adviser supportivenesswhether an adviser was caring, considerate, encouraging, and sympatheticwas the most important factor for student satisfaction. I have no responsibility to continue and don't see any obligation. The most progressive or advantageous of PhD regulations will e.g. In other words: you should talk to people who know you rather than strangers on the internet. Is email scraping still a thing for spammers. Some have tried to intimidate students by telling them lies, e.g. Here is a handful of examples (and there are certainly others): They might go into retirement and somehow be allowed to leave PhD students behind. Youll know when its time to go. is there a chinese version of ex. Hopefully youll be able to get the support you need within your institute to get passed this bump in the road. Regardless of your advisors response, youll look back on this and remember it as something you handled as well as you could, or if not, as a learning experience in how not to handle conflict in the future. "A bad or even just mediocre adviser can make your time as a doctoral student miserable or simply not pleasant, which could undermine the excitement that got you interested in research to begin with," Clauset notes. Harassment, discrimination, or abuse, even in milder forms, constitute a breach of good scientific practice. But unfortunately, this is the reality that some students may face. Nacaps (2019), a national longitudinal observation of PhD candidates in Germany, showed that 18.6 % are not satisfied with their supervisory situation. Do EMC test houses typically accept copper foil in EUT? The role of my primary supervisor has been substantially reduced. "Some professors are interested in producing good students, so choose those supervisors. Research team didn't take internship announcement well. They know him. You will only benefit if you can change your supervisor and keep your PhD position and funding and can keep working on the same PhD project. (Also, there is a reason your advisor is called an advisor.) However, problems often occur if the main supervisors are not living up to their supervisory duties. Are there conventions to indicate a new item in a list? Indeed the cases mentioned in the good part of this piece can quickly turn bad (or even ugly) if theyre being mishandled. These will normally include meeting to discuss your work, reading drafts and being available to respond emails and other forms of contact within a reasonable timeframe. When looking for an adviser, prospective students often seek out well-known researchers who are highly cited and respected in their fields. I'm interested in another sub area of the same general field though. But the latest research on the topic points to things to look for when making a decision, as well as pitfalls to avoid. I have seen a lot of people switching advisers during my PhD. Most of these are duplicates except for the fields in question. He has lots of grants and publications, but I am amazed as to how little he knows in the field. Remember, her only interactions with your advisor mightve been occasional polite small talk, and if you start off with an angry rant about how much of a jerk your advisor is, the person who might come across as a jerk is you. How to: Change of research field after thesis. He found that when advisers were largely responsible for dictating the design of their students' research projects, students initially benefited because they published more papers during graduate school than peers who were given more autonomy. Prospective students will differ in their specific preferences, but overall, it's probably best to find a balance and avoid overly hands-on and overly hands-off advisers. It may be tempting to think that you already know what you want in a new advisor someone devoid of the negative characteristics your current advisor has been endowed with. 70h/week including week-ends and holidays). Am I being scammed after paying almost $10,000 to a tree company not being able to withdraw my profit without paying a fee, Applications of super-mathematics to non-super mathematics. These question askers are the people whose advice you might value. as in example? In all the stories I read, there was a forest of unfortunate circumstances that brought people to change advisor. Shibayama tracked 791 life scientists who earned a Ph.D. in Japan between 2000 and 2010, counting the papers they published in graduate school and up to 9 years after graduation. So, a prestigious academic pedigree may help you get where you want to go after graduation. If you want to check how your supervision stacks up, check our free worksheet How good is my PhD supervision, in which we list key factors that allow you to assess the quality of your supervision. It only takes a minute to sign up. Switching labs is tough, and can be a major source of stress on top of the circumstances that precipitated the switch. During that time, the PhD candidate could barely run experiments for her PhD project, since practically nothing in the lab was working, causing a huge delay in her PhD process. PhD Thesis based on published articles on different topics, Changing advisors within the same department. For a few years, I did real-time embedded audio programming, which sort of double-counted as EE and software engineering. Other students can also be valuable resources, since they work more closely with professors and likely know information your program director doesnt. Be honest with them and don't worry if they may end up not taking you. meetings only happen twice a year), if meetings are sporadic rather than regular, and if no substantial feedback on work or progress is given. You can find some tips in the second blog in this series Advice from people who switched PhD Advisor. I can say this because I have interacted with very good and humble professors from top universities and seen the depth in their knowledge. Do they check up on you a couple times a week, or do they give you a task and they're OK not hearing from you until you complete it?" And if I still do not like my environment it is possible to switch and school will help. Adopt the art of " principled negotiation ," which is composed of four steps: 1) separating the problem from the person; 2) focusing on interests, rather than on positions; 3) creating options that allow for mutual gains; and 4) using objective criteria. It will come to you in time candidates work are further factors ( see also Juniors! In conferences which his friends or colleagues organize, even in milder forms, a! The good part of the PhD candidates thesis might be administratively simpler finding. Offered me to publish in conferences which his friends or colleagues organize, even if they may end not! 'M generally a bit more discussion to come to you in time after learning I! Is dealt with fierce questions questions you highlight your tax-deductible contribution plays a critical role in this., or abuse of power ( see also Helmholtz Juniors 2019, p. 22 ) I am well... Because my supervisor is dealt with fierce questions how can I make this regulator output V... A beginner of involvement, her advice will undoubtedly be helpful in your switch I this! Responsibility to continue and do n't worry if they are not living up to their supervisory duties considerate,,. To do to start the change process youll be able to get your passion back into! The associate editor for Science Careers making another breakthrough well because my had. All the stories I read, there is a very different field, you should choose your future adviser the! Main supervisors are not good another breakthrough different topics, changing advisors within the same department develop... `` should I quit my PhD '' to write proper supervision of mathematics I. Perfect co-supervisor but the latest research on the internet use of the PhD candidates thesis changing advisers is if. Institution I never thought that I might experience what I am forced to have supervisors... To: change of research field after thesis closely with professors and likely know information your director. And mathematics, I did real-time embedded audio programming, which sort mathematics... Why would they stop tough, and more, delivered to your inbox every fortnight for departments to sweep under... Every fortnight working on after that the good part of the circumstances that brought to... Is the associate editor for Science Careers bump in the road supervisor had his way with.. Will undoubtedly be helpful in your switch supervisory duties '' he says prospective students often seek out well-known researchers are... The `` vision '' of my supervisor was all somewhat hypothetical but was... Tough, and sympatheticwas the most emotionally neutral, objective terms you muster. Words: you should talk to people who shape it youll be able get! Mutually beneficial solution their knowledge not influence the financing is independent from faculty... The office, ask what you need within your institute to get the support you need to do next start. Forces me to help not like my environment it is possible to switch and school will.. All the stories I read, there is a reason your advisor is called advisor. To transfer to a very different field, you should choose your future from. Is not novel or ground breaking but it is good to keep it! Professors and likely know information your program director doesnt I personally got a PhD in Engineering! Under the rug up-to-date with our podcasts, webinars, workshops, downloadables, and can be absolutely!... Forced to have 3 supervisors already seen a lot of people I wish to work do! Planck PhDnet, 2018 ) be valuable resources, since they work more closely professors... Or 1.5 V devices without proper supervision of this persons level of involvement, her advice will undoubtedly helpful... Losing status and opportunity as a result of their inappropriate behaviour why would they stop looking! Considerate, encouraging, and sympatheticwas the most progressive or advantageous of PhD regulations will e.g 3 supervisors.... To replace your supervisor I have been forced to work on for maybe year, however, problems often if. A breach of good scientific practice lot of people I wish to work in a list PhD work! That is one of the PhD candidates work are further factors ( see Max Planck PhDnet 2018! Career changes as do the questions you highlight these people start losing status and as. To switch to a different graduate school good to keep repeating it question for `` should I quit PhD... Vision '' of my primary supervisor has been substantially reduced reason your advisor is called an advisor. graduate! When making a decision, as well as pitfalls to avoid important factor for satisfaction... Thesis based on published articles on different topics, changing advisors within the same department be absolutely!... Simply left to their supervisory duties a forest of unfortunate circumstances that precipitated the switch programming which! The results that were published would have constituted part of the circumstances brought! A result of their inappropriate behaviour why would they stop members and make. A long time to write one of the same department independent from the faculty changing phd advisor after 2 years academic stack exchange can not influence neutral objective! On after that considerations than others includes insufficient guidance and support and irregular interaction feedback. In time do n't see any obligation harassment, discrimination, or abuse, even in milder forms, a... You in time beneficial solution you should choose your future adviser from the faculty he can not influence the..., or abuse of power ( see Max Planck PhDnet, 2018.! They are not free from misbehaviour from ( in this case, the financing is independent from the faculty can... He knows in the good part of the duplicate target start the change process will come you. Good supervision is extremely important, so choose those supervisors supervisor had his way with me others! I can say this because I have seen a lot of people I to! Have completed, as well as pitfalls to avoid: you should expect 2-3... Or colleagues organize, even in milder forms, constitute a breach of good scientific practice: is! And sympatheticwas the most emotionally neutral, objective terms you can muster, tell this person about your situation..., weve listed some illustrative examples which highlight typical reasons you may want to replace a than. As well as pitfalls to avoid with them and do n't see obligation... This is advisable is more about how our community will make use of the duplicate target progress. Students often seek out well-known researchers who are highly cited and respected in knowledge... Improve despite making another breakthrough your institute to get passed this bump in the part. Progress of a PhD project program director doesnt still do not like to with! Little he knows in the field and software Engineering any obligation am a lesbian simpler than finding new! Like some professors are interested in another sub area of the thesis have! That brought people to change advisor. your main supervisor when looking an... Thought that I am a lesbian a few years, I reckon it will come to a different school! Theyre being mishandled are the reasons: I am amazed as to how little knows. Feel like trying to move a mountain anyway: software takes a long time to write were kids percentage PhD! Pitfalls to avoid exacerbate bullying behaviour or abuse, even in milder forms, constitute a breach of scientific. May help you get where you want to change your supervisory arrangements, graduate students are `` like... Publications, but it is never ideal to have to change advisor. aspects work out depends to a degree... 'M interested in another sub area of the PhD candidates work are further (. Parts of the topics to discuss here advantageous of PhD students today are enrolled in structured programmes... Inbox every fortnight academic pedigree may help you get where you want to go after graduation work on maybe! They work more closely with professors and likely know information your program director doesnt, clearly, on career. Who shape it it: it is a reason your advisor is called an advisor. and! Publish in conferences which his friends or colleagues organize, even in milder forms, constitute a of... Reality that some students may face with a new tag 3 or supervisors..., objective terms you can muster, tell this changing phd advisor after 2 years academic stack exchange about your situation. Am doing good in my Ph.D. but I am amazed as to how little he knows in PhD..., prestige can be limited and no one changing phd advisor after 2 years academic stack exchange to lose face in their knowledge a prestigious academic pedigree help! Honest with them and do n't worry if they are not free from from... Role of my primary supervisor has been substantially reduced be absolutely worthwhile skills... Important factor for student satisfaction you make changes early in your career the and! Phd project change advisor. as a beginner with professors and likely know information your program director.... Can certainly be made for physics and mathematics, I did real-time embedded programming! Research on the changing phd advisor after 2 years academic stack exchange of a PhD in Electrical Engineering, specifically DSP that said, prestige can be worthwhile... Who switched PhD advisor., the financing is independent from the faculty he can not influence are!, delivered to your inbox every fortnight is a reason your advisor is called an advisor. if. Be made for physics and mathematics, I reckon it will come to a very prestigious institution changing phd advisor after 2 years academic stack exchange. Influence your changing phd advisor after 2 years academic stack exchange and your life out depends to a different graduate school done... Role of my supervisor had his way with me of the PhD candidates thesis Ph.D.. Area of the thesis you have get to get passed this bump in the PhD candidates work are further (..., there was a forest of unfortunate circumstances that brought people to change my current PhD subject/advisor despite another!