Lack of autonomy

[Meraki]

I don't think anyone has taken your dignity away. That is your own perception of your self worth combined with prior expectations that are not being met, and no one can tell you if this path is worth it because our values will differ. This student may be exceptional. They may be the advisor's relative or child of a family friend. Who knows. But I think an open and honest conversation with your advisor is the best way forward, and this conversation needs to be about your development, not what you have to do for an undergrad or how uninspired you are by current tasks. This is work. You're all colleagues in a sense. Your advisor is your boss. You need to approach this as I and some of the others suggested, not mentioning "how you tick" or feeling belittled by undergrads. That's something you vent to friends and family. And it's natural to feel that way. But how you handle it in the workplace - your lab, and with your advisor - requires a different motivation and approach.

[Sigaba]

On 8/15/2018 at 2:40 PM, BabyScientist said:

Does that invalidate my experiences and those of all the upperclassmen I've communicated with? I've been in the field of biomedical research for years. I've been around enough PhD students and PhD programs to know what is expected in and by them. 

We have a support system in place in my program exactly for this reason. Our administration has warned that if at any point we feel we aren't being treated well in our opinion, we should go to them. My being a first year is irrelevant to what I know a graduate program is supposed to be. In fact, it may even strengthen my opinion, as I've just recently been through all the recruitment events in which they tell you what PhD programs are all about and what to expect. 

Every graduate program is different. A department is a collection of black boxes. Some of which are inside of other black boxes. Thus far, you've been an outsider looking in. From such a vantage point, talking about the way things should be is easier because one doesn't have to focus on the way things are. Among other things, you've not experienced first hand, as a graduate student, the subtly with which professors can communicate, the pressure which makes decoding comments from professors difficult, or the sweep of emotions that graduate students can experience.

It is your prerogative to privilege your experiences and opinions to the point where you feel comfortable giving a graduate student potentially career-altering advice with, based upon the time stamps of your posts, very little reflection. However, IMO, your practice, no matter how well intended it may be, is ill considered.

The OP is having difficulty completing assigned tasks. The OP argues that the cause of the problem is external; the inability to complete the assigned tasks is due to the professor's instructional methods. The OP argues that the solution is to be given the freedom to perform more complex tasks. The supporting evidence that is being offered is from outside the program and in different fields of knowledge.

That is, a graduate student who is admittedly under performing should be given more latitude because the student knows a business owner who was a bad manager. Is it a realistic to expect the argument the following argument to convince an advisor? "Although I've not done what I've been tasked to do, I would do better work if I were allowed to do want, and if you don't accommodate this request, you're taking away my autonomy."  Is this OP's situation really about autonomy or is it about accountability?

IMO, the greatest obstacle in @GingerNeuro's way is GingerNeuro's anxieties. While it is certainly reasonable to expect an advisor to support a graduate student's efforts to navigate obstacles, IMO, it is not reasonable to expect an established professional to give a student the keys to the car. Going to talk to other faculty members without having heart to heart discussions (that is, more than one) with the advisor is, MOO, irresponsible guidance. YMMV.

[BabyScientist]

6 hours ago, Sigaba said:

Every graduate program is different. A department is a collection of black boxes. Some of which are inside of other black boxes. Thus far, you've been an outsider looking in. From such a vantage point, talking about the way things should be is easier because one doesn't have to focus on the way things are. Among other things, you've not experienced first hand, as a graduate student, the subtly with which professors can communicate, the pressure which makes decoding comments from professors difficult, or the sweep of emotions that graduate students can experience.

It is your prerogative to privilege your experiences and opinions to the point where you feel comfortable giving a graduate student potentially career-altering advice with, based upon the time stamps of your posts, very little reflection. However, IMO, your practice, no matter how well intended it may be, is ill considered.

The OP is having difficulty completing assigned tasks. The OP argues that the cause of the problem is external; the inability to complete the assigned tasks is due to the professor's instructional methods. The OP argues that the solution is to be given the freedom to perform more complex tasks. The supporting evidence that is being offered is from outside the program and in different fields of knowledge.

That is, a graduate student who is admittedly under performing should be given more latitude because the student knows a business owner who was a bad manager. Is it a realistic to expect the argument the following argument to convince an advisor? "Although I've not done what I've been tasked to do, I would do better work if I were allowed to do want, and if you don't accommodate this request, you're taking away my autonomy."  Is this OP's situation really about autonomy or is it about accountability?

IMO, the greatest obstacle in @GingerNeuro's way is GingerNeuro's anxieties. While it is certainly reasonable to expect an advisor to support a graduate student's efforts to navigate obstacles, IMO, it is not reasonable to expect an established professional to give a student the keys to the car. Going to talk to other faculty members without having heart to heart discussions (that is, more than one) with the advisor is, MOO, irresponsible guidance. YMMV.

I have dealt with good PIs and bad. I have navigated uncomfortable professional situations in labs. I have worked in the same environment as a grad student without having that title. That doesn't make my knowledge of the way the laboratory research environment any less valid.

It is not ill founded career advice, as it has worked for me and others in various situations. The poster doesn't post to get sage advice he/she will follow without question. The poster posts for opinions - opinions that will then be evaluated before their path is chosen. I can give my opinion based on my experience for how that poster should respond. That poster can evaluate the validity of my opinion. You can post your opinions. The poster can evaluate those as well.

My role on this forum is to supply others with my opinion, because I can do nothing more than that. It's not up to me to judge or undermine other people's opinions, as you are mine, and therefore detract from the original question.