My office-mate has possibly THE worst supervisor ever :(
A complete bully, been trying to push her out for nearly a year now and failed her at her 2nd year review (she appealed and has a new review booked for mid-feb). This person is making her life hell, every email/meeting seems like just another opportunity for her to put my colleague down. She even emailed on xmas day to criticise her about something! I've been trying to talk her into asking for a new supervisor but she's worried about the dept. politics and rocking the boat. She's on the verge of leaving but has done some great research, and works like a cart-horse. Firstly, some people are just awful and I need to grrr and secondly, do you think it's possible/advisable to ask for a new supervisor? Subject-wise there are people in the dept that could supervise her.
Thank you guys

ps. I posted in the 'my friend quit' thread a while back... I'm still here, just have set myself a mental deadline for end of March to re-assess things. Very interesting to read other's experiences though.

Hi I have a mate whose supervisor has a bad reputation, not just in my dept, but others around the world! However, she sees what he is like with someone a year ahead, so she is avoiding making her mistakes, and so far it is going ok (although she has maybe seen him twice)!

hiya - i posted this in another thing. But i guess its more useful here:
i initiated a supervisor change. Now no one in my group is talking to me - especially the other academics. Which means none of them in my research group are agreein to supervise me. Which means i am annoyed and in need of screaming. I might have to move groups, which means moving seats etc. I am an academic outcast. Have already been told that unless I make an amazingly fantastic discovery i am no way staying on in acadmia. What joy.

Its difficult especially as I dont have a proper supervisor yet only my first supervisor who is in australia at the moment.

I'm sorry about your supervision, driven. It's a hard choice to make. It is the risk of her getting a bad reputation in the dept that is stopping her trying to change, and I can understand why. Just such a shame if she has to leave, 26 months in, because of this. I wonder how they go about finding someone else to supervise you... surely it's not all up to you?

it will be fine! I am sure that this is just a blip in my phd experience! If it doesnt sorted in the next couple weeks will nag and nag.