Hi tm3,

The fact that you have had a break from formal education shouldn't be a problem in your search for a PhD. You will, however, have to demonstrate that you have a passion for the subject and that you have somehow kept informed of the main topics in your area.

What is important in your search and in particular in your subject area is that you identify the project you want to work on. In the social sciences, it is most common for prospective students to design their own project or at least a well defined outline of one (step 1). This will help you identify the academics whose expertise is related to your interests and may be able to supervise you (step 2). You can also start searching in the findaphd databse for advertise projects or scholarships (www.findaphd.com) - (step 2a). This will help you shortlist 1 or 2 universities and to start enquire to these academic experts about the possibility of doing a PhD in their institutions (step 3) and perhaps also refining your PhD proposal. Once you have had these conversations, there will be administrative steps, like applying formally for admissions (step 4, inc. finalising your PhD proposal) and scholarships. The skills you may have acquired during your period of employment are worth highlighting, if relevant to doing research (project management, teamwork, independent work, analytical skills...).

There is a lot of advice on http://www.findaphd.com/student/study/ so you may want to consult it.

Good luck in your search,
Nathalie

There is a webchat about staying or leaving in academia tomorrow which may be of interest?

Yes, face-to-face would be a much more sensitive and diplomatic way of doing that. If you can't meet in person, then I would favour a phone call over email. Perhaps a skype meeting could be arranged. You might also want to think that there are other people to inform like your graduate school or PhD office (whichever is relevant to your institution) and also your human resources department. Are there contractual obligations you must meet, like a period of notice before you can leave?

Whatever way you do it, it probably won't be a pleasant conversation but try and keep it factual and to the point. If you know that the move is best for your researh ambitions and career plans, then your supervisor should understand, even if they are not over the moon to lose a good student and colleague.

Good luck.
Nathalie

Hi hgrad,

My advice is that you don't need excuses as such: hyonesty is often the best policy. If your supervisor has been happy with your performance, as a student and as an assistant, then they should be professional about your decision. Why not book a meeting with them and tell them that you have considered things very carefully and you have come to the decision that your career plans would be better supported by doing a PhD in another area and this happens to be in another institution. You may want to say (if that is the case!) that you are grateful for the opportunity they have given you and all the skills you have gained while working with them but this is something you need to do for yourself. You hope that they will be willing to offer you a letter of reference based on your performance to date.

Your supervisor may want to explore the exact reasons why (perhaps to check whether they could have done things better/differently as a supervisor). They may well be a bit upset about it, especially if they think you were a great student/assistant. This is normal so be diplomatic. Supervisors have feelings too! :)

Good luck,
Nathalie

I am sorry to hear you're having a hard time. Your issue is a tricky one as it depends a) on the national intellectual property laws 2) local IP arrangments (some universities will ask students to sign over their IP while others leave the IP to the students). With staff, things are likely to be different and the IP produced will probably belong to the university. Check with your research office, they will ahve a lot of knowldge in this.

Whether you are a student or staff, I don't think you could publish your work as an independent researcher, as the work was undertaken while you were registered at the university.

In saying all this, you should get a mention in any publications which contain your work. This is important as your PhD thesis should include "original research" so it is worth checking that nothing of yours is published without your knowledge. What place on the author list you get is a different matter.

Number of PhDs are built on previous research, some of it developed during doctoral research and unfortunately, I don't think there is anything you can do about this, especially as you are finishing your PhD and the new PhD will be seen as a continuation of that work. What I would say is that if you think there is misconduct, then your university should have someone dealing with research practice, ethics and misconduct. Hopefully, you will have a trail of evidence to show that it is your work.

I hope this is helpful. Keep at it and remember that the end of your PhD is in sight.
Cheers
Nathalie

It is always difficult when your PhD and your relationship with supervisors is less than perfect but remember your PhD supervisor and yourself would have as much to say about your project as would an industrial supervisor. You are right in thinking that your role in industry as part of your PhD should not be all about doing admin support. It is probably OK for you to know about the workings of your industrial host but that's it. Your CASE studentship agreement should have some information about what is expected of you and most importantly of your industrial supervisor. If this information is not there, the research council which funds your research will do. If you feel that your university supervisor is not taking your concerns seriously enough, then you can go to your university to raise those concerns. Leaving a PhD is a very serious decision and I have no doubt you are weighing all aspects of your discussion butyou are really early on in your PhD and it may be worth exploring avenues to ensure your concerns have been addressed.

I have an article on FindAPhD which may have some advice which is useful. Keep writing on the forum and remember that you are not alone in this.
http://www.findaphd.com/student/study/study-51.asp

Best wishes
Nathalie

It sounds like you have a very involved, switched and nice principal supervisor. This is the most important. Second supervisors are sometimes just there in case there is a problem or to tick the regulations requirement box. Don't worry at this stage. This is procedural and if your first supervisor has the right expertise and offers you the support you need, then you ar eon the right track. Good luck!

Hi Romas, it is normal to feel unsecure at the beginning of your PhD. The fact your second supervisor has decided to withdraw from the supervisory team may have nothing to do with you. Perhaps they had too many students, have encountered personal issues or have been offered a post somewhere else (the following article gives a few examples of tricky situation during a PhD: http://www.findaphd.com/student/study/study-51.asp). Just to give you may own experience: One of my supervisors left for another non-academic job when I was in my first year which resulted in me having one main supervisor and then two part-time post-docs as my second supervisor (I then got another two supervisor in year 2 because of a period of research abroad so it is never simple!) so it does happen. Many universities do not have a compulsory second supervisor regulations and, especially at the beginning of your PhD, it probably is OK to only have one person guiding you.
Communication is always the best thing if you think you need answers:
1) Why not discuss it with your main supervisor and/or your PhD office (or equivalent). it may be that at this stage, one supervisor is enough and you may want to wait and see where your research is taking you.
2) If you feel you can't do with a second supervisor (especially if you sought your second supervisor yourself), then look for expertise in your field
3) Email the person who was supposed to be your supervisor and ask to meet with them.

You are not going to lose your place after 3 weeks unless you do something illegal, unethical or dangerous. It doesn't sound like it is the case so just continue as you would have and enjoy the start of this amazing journey.

Universities and prospective supervisors do not waste time and funding on applicants they don't think have the potential to do well. Empirically, this means you deserve your PhD offer. Now you just need to work on it. Impostor's syndrome is a very powerful thing and if you let it, it will make you feel miserable for some time.

You mention you don't know how to do a particular method. That's perfectly Ok. A Phd is a period of training. As long as you know why the technique is the right one, that's fine. Find out if there are technical reference books for this method and discuss the method with your supervisor when you start, indicating that you haven't used it before. There will be new methods (some of them you will devise yourself, perhaps setting up the new gold standard in your field) and you will have to learn how to do them. This is research!

Stop worrying (although it is perfectly normal at the start of a PhD) and remember that your supervisor, peers and colleagues can help!

Another helpful thing to do in the first few months is to find out what your university offers in terms of training (from research methods/stats to writing/presenting as well as business and entrepreneurship). Some have online courses you can take and it may help build your confidence as a researcher - because that's what you are!

Good luck to you all - you are embarking on a fascinating journey (one which I finished a few years ago and would do all over again if I could)!

Hi Kathy,

I don't know if you'll find this helpful but I have written an article recently which addresses your concerns: http://www.findaphd.com/student/study/study-51.asp (the second half of the article may be of interest).

Some of the points discussed are based on my own experience. The best thing to do now is to keep talking to people about it, not the least your supervisor.

Good luck!