I've recently changed supervisor only to find that my new one has vanished....

I submitted work to him on june 15 and his last email (saying let's meet) was 2-3 days before! Since then I emailed him 3-4 times as we haven't even met and he's my new supervisor! I had to search the campus and bumped into him only to get a shocked face saying "I still havent read the work" after 3 weeks....

next week I am leaving to go home as I have informed him and my second, and am preoccupied as we wasted 2 months and I need to know his views and which direction to take since we never met!

I dont want to email him again, and my 2nd supervisor (who is the head of the phd program) seems relaxed and says he's probably on holiday......point is noone knows anything, and he is no even in his office as the building has been evacuated for a month due to works....

I dont want to go home without meeting him, it's ridiculous.

he's a nice guy and usually replies but from the office.....any ideas?

it is probably not a good time to catch people at the moment. If it is anything like here they have all been busy making undergrad stuff and many have gone off for a break. you might be able to find out if he is still around by asking at reception, who probably know who is 'in' or your department, who probably have a list, or failing that, try personnel. If you really need to speak to someone go to your second supervisor and explain that you need some feedback before you leave and ask if they will have a look. They should do that for you at least.

Same here. No time for my supervisor to read my works, no time give feedback. But my situation is a bit different, he is in another university in another country. Is there anything like "office hours" your supervisor provides for students? Maybe you could try to make an appointment with him and, if he doesn't have time for reading your paper, just explain and show him the main points when you meet him in person...

I understand your frustration, but you seem to be getting rather worked up... Remember, it is your choice to go home, whilst your supervisor should be aware and try to be flexible towards your constraints, you also have to understand his. As the other posters have said, he may be on holiday/have a funding or publishing deadline/exam boards/conferences, and number of other restrictions.

I too changed sup, as my first one was useless. Yes its difficult with a new supervisor to establish direction, but meetings are not always necessary, as long as the feedback, when it arrives, is quality.

I understand but he is my "new" supervisor and my 2nd told me to consult with him mainly.....the point is he has told me we should meet from june 12!

he knows my schedule from beggining of July as well.

Of course I could work from home via email, but it is our first meeting and critical to decide what he thinks and which direction I should take, otherwise I can just keep on with what I think is right and what my previous supervisor thought......and waste valuable time.

He is supposed to assess me for upgrade in sept/october, that is also why I was expecting more proactiveness here......but on the other hand all this calm on their side can also be seen as a sign that things might be going ok.

Hi, thanks for the comments, well it has now been almost 3 months.....and i can see he is in his office because I saw him once but then he vanished.........

I dont want to complain formally as it would be counterproductive for the relationship but I also need to finally start working.......and keeping in mind he is my new supervisor and we havent even met once I dont really have an idea of what he wants...

I can sit and wait, and i can camp outside his office but I'm tired........no idea what to do. my second just says wait.

I'd do what your second sup suggests, as he's head of the postgrad program and also is most likely to know how individual supervisory staff work, including their holiday absences and any peculiar work habits. Don't forget it's the start of the academic year too, so staff are likely to have a big workload to catch up with right now, including other PhD students. I'd see how it goes and ask your second sup for advice in a few weeks if absolutely nothing happens.

It is not unexpected or uncommon. Academics are strange beasts to be honest. They are expected to teach but few have formal teaching training. They are expected to act as managers but often receive little or no training in this area. And as long as they get published and attract grant money they can be as incompetent as they like in terms of teaching and management.

very true. and many treat the Phd supervision as a luxury......depending on their free time, whilst they forget they are getting paid and there is a contract too.
Would they skip lectures if they were busy? no. so why do they treat supervisions that way......

Truth is I believe it is our fault for giving them this opportunity, seeing as virtually noone appeals or complains in fear of compromising their own work or relationships/connections (welcome to the market), and hence this status quo is maintained.

If they have suggested waiting a bit longer, but you don't want to do this, perhaps you could e-mail again. Presumably you now have some more stuff to show him, perhaps you have updated what you have already sent? If you have neither of these - and I expect you will have-, get something more done, if you are looking at journals for example, mention some articles you have read with your comments, send him a new chapter layout, tell him how you realise the bit you wrote about X is not as good as you would like, and offer a new alternative, anything to suggest that you are eager to get going but not implying that they are being lazy by not having looked at your work. you could mention that you see he is back on campus/ is around a bit more, and suggest a quick meeting, over coffee in the canteen or something maybe? somewhere that is non-threatening is probably best, and you could mention how you realise that this is a very busy time for him, beginning of the new academic year etc. and maybe suggest a couple of areas where you would appreciate his guidance, maybe give him a couple of alternatives that you have in mind. Keep it all low key, make sure you do not sound at all accusative, and be sympathetic to the heavy workload that probably comes with the beginning of term. Patience will be rewarded I'm sure. :-)

I bumped into him finally, and he says he got no emails .......these guys keep getting better and better... lol

In addition he is leaving again, but on a positive note my second sent me an email aknowledging my work with a new deadline.

At least I know what to do....sort of. :-)

Good day. I too have a seemingly disinterested supervisor. I'm very early into the process - 3 months approx- but have had only 1 initial meeting with my supervisor. Since then I have been trying to muddle along on my own, trying to get a feel for the background of the subject. I would like some guidance from my supervisor but am reluctant to approach her as I do not have any clear questions to ask other than- what should I have gotten done by now?- Any advice?
I was under the impression, that in the initial stages of PhD, guidance would be available?

EV - in many universities your supervisor would be contractually obliged to see you much more than this (every 2 weeks some places whether you like it or not!). You need to push for regular meetings - if it's like this 3 months in think how it will be when you desperately need stuff read through when you write up!

Thanks Megara- I've been talking to some of her other students and apparently this is just the way she works- they told me 6 months without meeting is not uncommon. On the bright side, I have managed to schedule a meeting pretty soon to "see what I have done"!! This is making me uneasy since I have not "done" anything as such. I have been reading and gathering material but have nothing to show. Should I have started writing by now?? (2.5 months) I do not understnad what she is expecting to "see" at the meeting otherwise.