MTGLAC46

Hi all -- I have a question for those of you on the far end of the phd tunnel, or perhaps some of your who even have experience (or heard of people) that have had their field research component delayed. I was brought on to a research group last year in anticipation of our grant being funded to continue some of the lab's previous work in Antarctica. My adviser has a horrifyingly shocking success rate with grants (in 25 years he has never not had PI funding), which is why he brought me on before we had official confirmation. A long series of events later (including major funding uncertainties at the NSF), and we were unfunded this season. I am very fortunate in that my university guarantees funding for 5 years, and we will resubmit the grant, but the earliest I can get to the field is midway through my 4th year. There is plenty of work for me to do in the meantime on samples already collected, but I was looking forward to doing my own work and actually learning some field skills. Because I'm still early in my career, I could leave my university with a masters and go somewhere else. Any thoughts? Does the long delay warrant leaving? I'm really quite bummed because I chose this researcher for their fieldwork style, but I don't want to sell myself short and stay when I shouldn't.