- #1
PostgradStudent
- 3
- 0
Hi everyone,
I am a second year postgraduate student working in astrophysics. I chose my university pretty hastily, and now I feel like I am at a dead end. My colleagues do not speak to me in English and I need to fight to be able to hold a normal conversation at lunch table. I am currently working on my topic alone, where I do not get feedback on any of my writings or progress from either my supervisor or my colleagues. I have talked with my supervisor, who most of the time ignores me, if it would be possible to try and get in contact with people from other universities to aid in my research, since I sense he does not know about my topic too much. His answer has always been no, and that we should get in contact with them once I have published something. At the same time, it is clear that if I ever publish anything during my postgraduate, then I would need to put three other names on the paper (other than my own). These three people have not thus far added anything to my research. Further, if I ever discuss or even hint of any complaint about my postgraduate studies, my advisor gets pissed off. As an example, when I talked about my TA duties taking 30 hours per week as opposed to the 10 hours that is in my contract he seemed to just think I am supposed to do it without saying a thing. I can say trying to talk with my supervisor on this topic is pretty useless. Further, there are no complaining channels at this university, and switching advisor is not an option. It may be an option for me to contact someone outside the university.
I am feeling a bit at a dead end, and I am looking for honest opinions on what to do. I can see myself screwing up my education in near future completely.
I am a second year postgraduate student working in astrophysics. I chose my university pretty hastily, and now I feel like I am at a dead end. My colleagues do not speak to me in English and I need to fight to be able to hold a normal conversation at lunch table. I am currently working on my topic alone, where I do not get feedback on any of my writings or progress from either my supervisor or my colleagues. I have talked with my supervisor, who most of the time ignores me, if it would be possible to try and get in contact with people from other universities to aid in my research, since I sense he does not know about my topic too much. His answer has always been no, and that we should get in contact with them once I have published something. At the same time, it is clear that if I ever publish anything during my postgraduate, then I would need to put three other names on the paper (other than my own). These three people have not thus far added anything to my research. Further, if I ever discuss or even hint of any complaint about my postgraduate studies, my advisor gets pissed off. As an example, when I talked about my TA duties taking 30 hours per week as opposed to the 10 hours that is in my contract he seemed to just think I am supposed to do it without saying a thing. I can say trying to talk with my supervisor on this topic is pretty useless. Further, there are no complaining channels at this university, and switching advisor is not an option. It may be an option for me to contact someone outside the university.
I am feeling a bit at a dead end, and I am looking for honest opinions on what to do. I can see myself screwing up my education in near future completely.
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