My supervisor is awful, truly awful. He offers no support and forgets I exist until he wants to shout at me for not having results. It is well known that he has no people skills, he also forgets to sign forms etc, forgets meetings I arrange with him, doesn't listen to what I say or read e-mails I send.

It's just not really possible to get a new supervisor for a science PhD is it? I am just entering my second year and the thought of 3 more years of dealing with him is really getting to me. Any advice?!

Sorry to read you are having an awful time with your supervisor. Simple advice (and what you probably know already) ...

Talk to someone about this (preferably your head of department/school - or someone 'senior')!!! If your supervisor isn't a very nice person, you can be sure that others will be aware of their ways. Also, it may be possible for the department to allocate you another supervisor - but you won't know unless you ask. You need the support of your supervisor to get through a PhD, and if they aren't helping, than I'd be very concerned about the future implications of this (i.e. will you have a PhD at the end of 3/4 years).

Don't suffer in silence - TALK to someone! No time like the present ...

In my department you can allegedly change your supervisor if your relation with him/her is an obstacle to the progress of your PhD, but in fact I've never known anyone who has changed supervisor (except in cases of supervisor retiring/getting a new job etc.). I also support the idea of speaking to your head of department/director of graduate studies about it. Good luck.

I think it is possible, at the end of the day it is up to the university/insitution to ensure that you have a supportive supervisor who is fulfilling his/her duty.. I believe that there are certain guidelines set out by the research councils and the universities that supervisors must follow. In the first instance I would echo what BB said; you need to talk to someone higher up the ladder, such as the director of graduate studies or the head of faculty.. There will be help available for you so don't think that you have to suffer.. Good luck with it!

i give you all my compassion, but you met with the most serious problem ,i am afraid, If you cannot get along with your supervisor, your phd process would be hard. and it's not a good idea at all to change a supervisor because other professors would not be willing to take the hot potato. my suggestion is you do sth to improve the relationship between you and supervisor. it's not hard to find what he likes and not. do sth to please him. you know, you have to no matter how much you dislike him. for the sake of the title ' Dr'.

I just want to add ...

I have known plenty of people who have switched supervisors (and then managed to 'happily' complete their PhD's)!!! And yes, their reasons being they didn't have a good working relationship with their existing supervisor. Obviously, the issue of 'office politics' will be a concern ... but if you cAN find one person to talk to in your department (preferably someone 'senior' who you get on with and who you feel would be understanding/offer you sound advice), then that would be good.

REMEMBER: Your situation isn't all 'doom and gloom' ... you just need to talk to someone about this!

Thanks for all the replies. I know I should talk to someone, it's just hard to know what to say. I don't want to make it a big problem because the liklihood is I'll have to work with him for the next 3 years so I'm a bit scared of going over his head.

Speigboy: I'd love to be able to improve the relationship but if you met him you'd understand, all of the post-docs in my lab, plus PIs in other groups feel the same about him.

I think it's the "bipolar" side of him which is the hardest, one day he will shout at me for the smallest thing and then the next day he will forget that he even said anything to me and be fine about everything.

Lets hope it gets better, there's no chance of him retiring anytime soon!

If you don't talk to anyone, put simply ... you've only got yourself to blame if things go pear shaped. Part of the PhD process is about learning to manage your relationship with your supervisor (and other academics)!

It's this simple ... you find someone appropriate to talk to and say ... "I've got some concerns I want to express - x, y and z".

This situation isn't exclusive to doing a PhD - you'll also probably encounter it when you are out there in the 'real' working world.

Good Luck.

In the real working world I'm guessing my boss wouldn't suggest spanking me if I didn't get my results soon.... he is unbelievable.

Point taken though, am going to go see my graduate tutor early next week with my concerns.

The other option is a second supervisor. I am amazed at what some supervisors get away with.

katq, even everybody in the lab take your supervisor as evil, it's still your God in some sense, You should not care about other's judgment on your supervisor. just take the establishment of good relationship with your supervisor as part of your 3-year phd work that you have to complete, it would be easier for you to accept him regardless of his unpleasant personality or intolerable manners.

I can totally sympathize with you, our respective supervisors should get together! Hate to break the news to you but it is very very difficult to get a new supervisor however, there are things that you can do. First of all you must tell someone, your second supervisor or someone similar. They can provide some personal and academic support. Should the situation get worse, they will know what has been happening and will be able to support you though any official procedures(Most uni's do have procedures but are loathed to use them! Second, you must take full responsibility for your own PhD, thesis and it's content, make you own plans, set your own goals etc. Finally and prob the hardest, have a meeting with the supervisor and bring up some of the issues and if you can, suggest solutions to see if you can find the middle ground. I hope this helps and good luck!

I think it varies a lot from one department to the other. In my department, people change supervisors all the time, and I have a friend who has had three... (It's clearly my friend's fault, though.) It's all very formal and private, not a big deal.

Sylvester, I do know I have to accept him, sometimes it's hard but I'm sure I'll get there.

Another related question, my supervisor is talking about moving to another university (currently at University College London, talking about moving to Imperial) if this move does occur would I be able to say I want to stay at UCL so maybe get another supervisor that way or would I have to go with him?

You don't have to stay with him. Say you'll stay and if there's another supervisor in your dept who has similar experience in your field, he or she might take you up.

If not, perhaps you could change the direction of your research if you can find another supervisor with slightly different expertise.