Hi Guys, comments on my situation please.

I am approx 1/3 of the way into the third year of my PhD at a Russel Group Institution, studying in an applied aspect of the natural sciences.

I have an ambitious, fairly young supervisor. I originally plumped for him as a supervisor after experiencing his teaching as an undergraduate and subsequently applied to do a PhD with him, and he got me a grant. My research area has the potential to be *multidisciplinary*, and due to aformentioned ambitiousness my boss is keen to expand into 'all areas', including those in which he himself appears to have little experience. Back then things were happy and positive, there was talk of getting 6 papers by the end of my PhD (is this realistic?)!

After 1 year we eventually settled on a definite project. I took the project suggested that related to my area...But I found myself working in an area where we as a group have little prior experience, no lab equipment or in-house knowledge (in retrospect we should not have chosen this area). Also in this area people make their own stuff (chemicals) so its not like we can just go out and buy various pieces of kit to make things easier - previous PHDs in my group have done projects using 'off the shelf' kit mostly, or in areas much closer to our supervisors area of expertise so my work was quite a radical departure for me/us.

After two years my boss eventually found me a second supervisor with relevant knowledge and lab access. Great i thought. So I got stuck in, put in some serious lab time, got making. Unfortunately things didnt work out. The fabrication was time consuming (8 months+) and things just didnt work. Furthermore, despite my new boss my project got caught in the gaps of knowledge between sup. #2 and sup #1, so when it didnt work I felt ultimately no-one could really help me.

From my first batch of tests all I had was a bunch of photos, *no data at all* (samples were not in measurable condition) and lab book accounts of what I did. I feel I have a real problem here as I cannot even beginto discuss what/why it did/didnt work due to sheer lack of data. I was/am still very worried by this.

We then had a "what shall we do now?" moment. Alternate routes were proposed involving more time consuming and potentially risky making of nano-stuff which I was loathe to attempt given previous problems. Thinking what is good for my boss is not necessarily good for me, i proposed changing tack.

I proposed an area based on revisiting a fairly offbeat but potentially useful topic i have seen discussed in several books. I figured i could link to my existing work, and do a mainly theoretical Phd with tiny bit of making/verification at the end. Seems much more likely to work.

At three years four months I have next to no results (although am working on it all hours at mo! stress!). Worried I am heading for MPhil or worse territory here! Feeling my boss has scammed me here, sold me a lemon Phd!

Advice please!

I am a humanities PhD student so the only advice I can offer is general. I would say, that although it is a late stage, you can perhaps still turn things around. I floundered around for long periods of time in both the first and second years of my PhD, only finding the better sources for my thesis in the third year. Now I have crossed the three year line, and will be handing in soon at three and a half years. I have saved my thesis, which could have been sunk (though might still be at the viva), by taking the source material that I have and plugging it into area of theoretical interest in the historiography of the period I am researching. So don't give up, sometimes it is possible to save things later on. Some of my better ideas are only coming along now when writing-up at the last minute. Good luck.

Thanks for your reply, cheered me up no end.
Its reassuring to know i am not the only person in this situation!

Cheers