I came across this post on Scienceblogs today. Thought it interesting and thought-provoking. As a very naive grad student, when the time came to make a choice as to which lab to join, I just went with gut feeling. It has worked out well thus far. The advisor is a decent guy with a sense of humor. He is patient and willing to teach. No complaints there. I do know of students who joined labs just because the PI was really famous, and they thought it would be a fillip to their careers. Then they spent 6 years hating the lab they were in. Work sucked. PI was a jerk. Colleagues were terrible.Whatever. I have a classmate who switched labs after 2 years because she couldn't stand her advisor's temper anymore. Getting yelled at on a weekly basis was becoming more nerve-wracking than she could take.
I have to say though, that the best motivation to work is guilt. Your advisor doesn't need to yell at you. Just give you that disappointed look. The one that says, "You're capable of so much more! I have such hopes for you!" I have been shamed into doing things more often than scolded into doing them!
The one thing I do miss in my lab is someone to bounce ideas off of. Apart from the advisor. The other post-docs are nice people, but not particularly communicative. In fact, I'm probably the only one who talks. I think when/if(!) I leave the lab, my voice will echo in its walls for years to come. Its kinda hard to shut me up. And with my PI, the problem is that frequently he goes too fast for me. Then, I need to dodge his ideas faster than I can bounce mine off of him, if that makes any sense!
Finally, if you think the letter in that post was pure fiction, I can tell you it is not. I received an email yesterday from the Graduate director of my program requesting the pleasure of my company at a student's defense tomorrow. FYI, I was planning on going anyway..so I didn't need the gentle reminder. I produce the transcript for your perusal below. (It was sent to all the grad students in the department)
Hi all,
One of your fellow students will be graduating (presumably) this Friday. I think it is appropriate for the rest of the students to attend in support of your colleague. I hope you agree and will make every effort to attend. However, if you happen to disagree, I'd like to pass along the sentiment that you should attend anyway, after all, someday you will be holding a defense, and it will be nice to have someone in the room other than your parents and your committee.
Thank you, and I hope to see all of you there.
I happen to like my graduate director very much. He is on my committee. I have the highest respect for him. The fact that he would send out this email, tells me 2 things:
a). He has previously found that students don't go their colleagues' defenses. Which is stupid. You should go. You might even learn something. Plus, then you won't look stupid when you go to the mandatory party after the defense and enjoy the free booze!
b). He thinks mildly threatening emails might work!
When I received it yesterday, I just thought it funny. And it seemed relevant in the context of the post I linked to. So, I couldn't resist the temptation to reproduce it.
I'm off to drink tea and laze on my lawn in this gorgeous sunshine. Weekend's almost here...Yay!
I have to say though, that the best motivation to work is guilt. Your advisor doesn't need to yell at you. Just give you that disappointed look. The one that says, "You're capable of so much more! I have such hopes for you!" I have been shamed into doing things more often than scolded into doing them!
The one thing I do miss in my lab is someone to bounce ideas off of. Apart from the advisor. The other post-docs are nice people, but not particularly communicative. In fact, I'm probably the only one who talks. I think when/if(!) I leave the lab, my voice will echo in its walls for years to come. Its kinda hard to shut me up. And with my PI, the problem is that frequently he goes too fast for me. Then, I need to dodge his ideas faster than I can bounce mine off of him, if that makes any sense!
Finally, if you think the letter in that post was pure fiction, I can tell you it is not. I received an email yesterday from the Graduate director of my program requesting the pleasure of my company at a student's defense tomorrow. FYI, I was planning on going anyway..so I didn't need the gentle reminder. I produce the transcript for your perusal below. (It was sent to all the grad students in the department)
Hi all,
One of your fellow students will be graduating (presumably) this Friday. I think it is appropriate for the rest of the students to attend in support of your colleague. I hope you agree and will make every effort to attend. However, if you happen to disagree, I'd like to pass along the sentiment that you should attend anyway, after all, someday you will be holding a defense, and it will be nice to have someone in the room other than your parents and your committee.
Thank you, and I hope to see all of you there.
I happen to like my graduate director very much. He is on my committee. I have the highest respect for him. The fact that he would send out this email, tells me 2 things:
a). He has previously found that students don't go their colleagues' defenses. Which is stupid. You should go. You might even learn something. Plus, then you won't look stupid when you go to the mandatory party after the defense and enjoy the free booze!
b). He thinks mildly threatening emails might work!
When I received it yesterday, I just thought it funny. And it seemed relevant in the context of the post I linked to. So, I couldn't resist the temptation to reproduce it.
I'm off to drink tea and laze on my lawn in this gorgeous sunshine. Weekend's almost here...Yay!
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