Hi all, I don't know if you have the similar experience. I was contacted by a person from a pharmacuetical induestry who express interests in my research and wish to have cooporation. Without any previous experience, I turned to my supervisor and she suggested we could meet him. When he came to our university, my supervisor completely overtook the conversation. Obviously, she is eager to get funding from his company. At the end of conversation, she even said "PhD student is much cheapter; post-doc is more expensive but experienced..." I felt really betrayed and disrespected throughout the conversation. I know that if the funding goes through, she may hire me as the post-doc but I still don't have a good feeling about it. I'd like ask if
1. Is it ethical to contact the people from industry by myself?
2. Does the work from PhD belong to supervisor, university or PhD student?
3. Can I take the project with me and work in somewhere else?

Thanks!
3.

Its fine to contact people on your own just be political with your supervisor. If he/she thinks your going behind there back you are asking for trouble. However, how will they ever knwo you've been in contact unless they have personel contacts inside the company you have been in touch with. Whos owns the knowledge you have is depndant if you signed intellectual property agreements.

Hope that was some help