I agree with tru as well. Sorry if my first post wasn't very empathetic. I was somehow focusing on more practical issues and overlooking the fact that actually you've suddenly been placed in a very difficult situation that was beyond your control - and that is WHY you are having some motivational issues. It is a huge upheaval and shock to have your supervisor suddenly removed and be without proper support. I really feel for you and hope this supervision issue can be addressed. You are entitled to proper supervision. Maybe being open with the current supervisor would be a good starting point - as tru suggests. If that fails, then talking to another academic and asking for advice might be useful. Good luck and I hope things start looking up soon.

Hi J_W - congratulations! That is amazing news! And what a bonus to find yourself with the possibility of an unexpected additional paper from your PhD as well!

I'm going to remember this positive outcome as my own submission/viva draws near (December ish).

So happy for you! I'll check out the hall of fame more often going forward!

Best
Tudor

Hi J_W! Things are going well thanks - I'm away on a study trip at the moment and feeling incredibly refreshed to be in a different environment. How are things at your end? Can't remember if you updated on progress on the corrections - hope it's going well / nearly there!

Hello,

Sounds like you are having a hard time of it at the moment. A few things jump out from your post... it seems like you're having motivational issues. I think you need to take a short break and think really seriously about whether you want to drive your PhD on to the end - or not.

And if the answer is yes, think about what is going to get you there / enable you to do that. List the challenges and come up with different strategies that will help address each.

E.g., I am not motivated by/interested in my research anymore. What was it that got you interested in it in the first place? Can you think of any papers that you find or once found super interesting? What were they and why? I think that if I were in your position this would be my approach. Each thing can be dealt with in turn. Is it important to have a rapport with your new main supervisor? If so, how could you go about trying to establish this? Invite them for coffee and to talk about your research - and what it was that kindled that original interest you once had? I have hardly any friends... OK - so how could I go about setting up some interactions that might lead to friendships?

I hope this helps or at least triggers some helpful thought! : )

Tudor.

Wow! Was that a northern city by any chance? Amazing!

OK! That helps! I thought everyone knew what this about except for me! :-D

OK... I am still not quite clear here.

Was this post a bait to make people get outraged, as pm133 suggests? Or, was it a genuine question from a naive person?

Those are two completely different different things!

True! Basically you just have to go for it and apply for a number of funding options / positions to try and secure funding with the knowledge that being rejected doesn't necessarily mean that you aren't good enough.

pm133 - do you stand by your statement in another recent thread that not being awarded funding is "a strong message that your research is not valued enough by our society to bother funding"? Just wondered as it seems a bit contradictory to what you've posted here about academics interviewing token candidates to tick boxes and then giving the position to the one they wanted in the first place.

That is utter nonsense!!!

Some people aren't getting funding because they aren't striking lucky. I say this as a person who did get funding. Not getting funding may be sending no message other than: there isn't enough to go around - you were unlucky.

I think it is better than nothing (that 25k is available now). I know people who are part funded - and working their socks off to pay the other part. So this would help them nicely. Other than that, yes, it isn't enough!

It could happen! I know someone who did something similar. He thought he was the only one, but after a year or so he found out she was dating lots of men from different countries!