sciGEEK

I am seriously considering transferring into another phd program. My advisor is clueless and manipulative. SO here's the deal: I am about to complete my first year in my PhD. My research is based on using our instrument in the field. I did not work with the instrument during my first term. During my second term,I was able to go into the field for a month using our instrument. I noticed some complications using the instrument and especially with the software to process the data. I emailed my advisor about it and she stated she had the same problems too. Once I returned, I noticed that she has a poor relationship with the makers of the instrument. They will not us any imperative information on our instrument or their software. I sent probably over a 100 emails and still have not been able to process the data. Hence, I sought expertise elsewhere and was advised that software shouldn't be sold for this tool, because it is dependent on application. Meanwhile, I had several discussions with my advisor: (1) The instrument had the SAME problems since she bought it (2) the previous master's student never tested it in the lab and never got any good data from the field -> no publications. So this makes me upset, because first term I wrote a research plan based on the fact it could work and she did not tell me the obstacles or limitations of the instrument. Then she tells me that the makers of the instrument is sketchy, but tells me to keep emailing the main guy. Also, I have learned that two people have disappeared from the lab over the past 2 years and "discovered" in someone's else lab. So most of my time have been focused on emailing for guidance in trying to decipher what's wrong with the instrument. My advisor have not helped in this process and I asked her several times on how to proceed and what would I do if it can't be rectified. No direction. She adds one of her collaborators to my committee who used the instrument and is preparing publication. So I emailed them as to how they were able to achieve quality data. They are not willing to share their methods although my advisor is a co-author. They won't share with her. My advisor asks me to pressure my collaborator's student to give up data via email. I managed to get one image. It's really crappy. I don't have faith in this instrument. I've been emailing her opportunities to apply for funding to try to fix the instrument. We don't have funding for upgrades or anything. She replies lets not worry about that. We are only applying to one proposal opportunity. I have low confidence in the proposal. Also, its her first time applying as PI. (btw she has tenure). She wants her boyfriend from industry to build another instrument or make upgrades. This is not his expertise. I don't want to be in the middle of their relationship/work thingy. This will be the first time that they professionally worked together. 3 months later: I arranged a committee meeting to inform them of the issues. My advisor was not happy of course. She lied and told them I probably inserted the samples wrong. Also, tells them I contacted the wrong person the entire time (she repeatedly told me to badger information out of one guy) and I should contacted the "other" company guy. My committee was concerned about how long this will hold on my work. She replies we got funding to fix it this summer. This is a lie too. Now I don't trust her. She keeps asking me for science I want to do with the instrument to insert into her proposal. I have not given her a write up because I don't want to integrate into proposal. If I decide to leave, I do not want her to pursue the research that I independently came up on my own with and its not dependent on the instrument. Stay or Leave?