There is trouble brewing in my lab. About 3 weeks ago, my advisor in lab meeting gave me and idea for another project cause mine isn't going so well. Well i started researching it, and i missed the last lab meeting. I was informed that at that meeting, another student in the lab tried to take the project from me. And i'm like, what, really. And she's been researching it hard while I was gone. I'm just so pissed I don't know what to do? Do I need to confront her, my advisor. I'm not for sure if confronting her is a good idea cause I'm angry and I may hurt her feelings. i just don't know what to do. I've been so mad I've been wanting to quit the lab. Any ideas?

Best thing you can do is to go and speak to your supervisor first, ask him about the project and about the other student who wanted to take it from you. You wont gain anything by saying nothing and silently seething about it, while at the same time having it out with the student in question first could result in a slanging match if you are all wound up about it.

So speak to your supervisor and then see what s/he says about it and then after that talk to the other student.

I agree! Go and talk to your supervisor first. Try to act like professional. I don't think its a very good idea to confront her, especially when you are pissed off cause things might get nasty and that might hurt the feelings of all.
:-s

well since you got the project did you work on it?
what developments have you made since then.
If i understand correctly your supervisor never told you, you are not working on it. so if i were you i will go to my supervisor, discuss my further work on the project, and if he does not mention anything about that i am not working on the project any more e thing is Kool...and if he does, I will win my case by showing i am really ehthusiastic about the project, i have already done GOOD work on it and that i am a better and more motivated person to do the job. Its competition, I wont confront the girl, i will just prove in a very strategic way that i am the RIGHT person...

So, do you know this person has pinched this project? Did you let your supervisors know that you were keen on taking up the idea? If you didn't give them any positive feedback they might not have known that you were actively researching the idea and may have thought you didn't want it. I wouldn't have thought that they would have let the other student run with it if they thought you were interested, what would they gain by that? I really don't think 'confront' is the word you want to use, calm down a bit and then approach them, say you have heard that someone else has started work on the idea too, even though you thought it was yours. -They might say they thought you didn't want it, they might say it is still yours. I don't think you need to make a scene with the other student, after all they might not even know you had first refusal (that is if you did of course) and whatever happens you will have to work in the same place as them for a while to come, a pleasant work atmosphere is essential for productive work. :-)

How big is the project; is it likely to be the biggest part of your PhD?

I've often found a bit of competitiveness amongst students; I've discussed my ideas with my colleagues only to hear, weeks later, someone tell me that so-and-so has had a great idea: and I think "Hmmm...now where did they get THAT idea?!". Someone else took a theory (well, a mini-theory) of mine and mentioned it in a paper: so now everyone thinks it was their theory. Even though I wrote it, with the data, in my lab book first, I didn't publish it, so I've pretty much lost ownership of it.

So I sympathise; the only way is not to miss any meetings cos you never know what will be said! And make sure everyone knows what you're working on: put your name to any results. That doesn't come naturally to me, but I do it now.

Hi!!!
I would be pissed off too if I were u....but I feel ur advisor also needs to have some amount of loyalty towards you. Ask your advisor why this whole scenarior occured, mybe he can get u to work on that project again (or better still he has a better idea for you )....Dont be disheartened... these kind of this happen in life..plz dont quit on this matter....and however annoyed you r dont vent out your anger infrount of the other student , or worse ur advisor...Ask calmly but firmly.... Gud luck!!!