======= Date Modified 26 55 2010 20:55:03 =======
I have a meeting with my supervisors next week - the last one was months ago and didn't end on a great note. Basically I have 2 supervisors each with a different priority, one is responsible for my funding and ensuring we meet the sponsor's demands, the other is more 'focused ' on my own PhD. The problem is that I have found it much easier to do the tasks (when I say task it has been a very time-consuming 5 months of research outside of my background area) for the funding body because there are deadlines to meet and some idea of the work that needs to be done. Unfortunately, this has left little time for me to figure out a direction for my PhD and I'm about 6 months in now. I'm really scared that I'm going to look really stupid at the meeting if I'm asked what direction my work is going to take. The worst thing is I have only 1 more full day that I can work this week because I have to go to hospital for a minor procedure tomorrow (nothing to worry about- just annoying grrr) and even if I had the few more days it still wouldn't be enough to sort out a proposal. So I'm just wondering is it acceptable to say at the meeting that I have been focused on the deadlines and haven't really put my finger on my thesis direction? Or is that ridiculous at this stage?

======= Date Modified 26 Jan 2010 21:33:09 =======
Hey Ev! It sounds like a tough job, trying to satisfy the demands of people who have different priorities. A few of my mates in other departments are having similar problems to yourself- they are obliged to do particular types of testing to keep to the protocol and keep the sponsors happy, but are struggling to find enough time to focus on the PhD itself. Personally, I don't think 6 months is too bad for you to be unsure still of where you're heading...it takes most people a while to figure that out and finalise the proposal anyway. But perhaps you can use this meeting with your supervisors to express your concerns and see if they can suggest some sort of solution, or a compromise of some description. Whilst it's not so bad to be unsure at the moment, you will need to start to get some idea over the next few months, and if you are finding it hard then best to flag it up with your supervisors now, rather than 18 months down the line. If your supervisors are anything like my mates' supervisors, they probably don't have a lot of contact or have much idea of your commitments to the other one, so perhaps neither have a full picture of what's going on. I would definitely use the meeting as an opportunity to be frank with them about your situation so that they can support you and perhaps arrange for more regular meetings to talk about your research if you think that would help. Don't stress- you will get there in the end, it takes all of us a while to work out what on earth we're doing! Good luck with the hospital! Best, KB

Thanks Keen Bean . just to warn you i have just taken a sleeping tablet so I may not make alot of sense now but I wil respond to your itnteresting comments in the morning before my hellish cram everthing in day passe me energy vibves as coffee seems to be loosing efficacy