Supervisor Selection: Central Dogma of Ph.D
Rahul Kumar
Monday, 14 April 2008 13:08 UTC
One of the most critical decision every graduate student faces during the graduate school is the choice of supervisor. Many a times, the dilemma involves joining a senior faculty or a new faculty.
If a student chooses a senior faculty to be the supervisor, accessibility is often a problem. While in the case of new faculty, relatively less brand value in the field seems to be a concern. Apart from these two obvious differences there might be many other pros and cons of the issue.
I will appreciate knowledgeable posts on this issue, which could benefit graduate students in deciding their thesis supervisor.You could also share your experience while making this decision.
Updated 11 July 2009 10:25 UTC
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Replies
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User removed
In my opinion, in the choice of a supervisor a graduate student has to hear only him (her) -self! I intend that he (she) has to choose a supervisor in relation to his (her) scientific tendency. As I have made an half century ago…
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True. I guess it is very much subjective decision.
I always wonder what could be objective rationales which could help in making this decision! -
In my own experience the new faculty would be better.Since i have worked with both fresh and senior faculties, i find it difficult working with senior faculty as you are new in the field one needs proper supervision.This will lack if you work with big shots.Whereas this will not be the concern if you work with new faculty.
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Anonymous
New faculty is much worse than old ones, from my personal experience … New faculty is of course new to the faculty but his ambition is not so ‘newborn’. It’s horrible that he just pushes you to work extra hard to generate sufficient data for HIM to get a paper published. Don’t think of taking a day off because it is only a dream. It is of course not a prob if you can be the first author and get the credits from your OWN work, but it will never be like that and it will always be him to be the first author … well … why should you study PhD then?
Senior faculty, on the other hand, are more stubborn and really like a boss. They are more subjective to their decision and you of course should listen to him. But anyway, that’s not a prob as long as he gives all you need for your graduation and career.
So … maybe new or senior is not an issue, the most important thing is whether this guy is having sufficient integrity to be a man, a human being.
I really hate to study and work under a new faculty … hope you can make a right choice for yourself.
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