My PI got fired....!

[&thensome]

So I'm finishing up my 2nd year of grad school and I found out recently my PI got fired.  I'm not sure "fired" is the right word?  She called it 'not renewing her promotion' which maybe is an euphemism?  But at any rate, she's going to be gone in less than 6 months and my lab will cease to exist.

 

The other 2 grad students are 4th and 5th years, so they've been told they must finish before she leaves (or start over)...

 

Finishing just isn't an option for me (not nearly enough data, I just finally got done with most of my classes).  So I'll have to start over in some other lab.

 

But now I'm terrified of picking another lab! My PI was a well-established researcher who had been with the university for 15+ years!  She had a great track record of graduating students on time and was also great to work with.  I really, really don't understand why she was fired (she mentioned something about it possibly being due to receiving less NIH funding than usual).

 

Do institutions really just fire PIs the moment they slow down in getting funding?  It just seems so brutal.  Btw, it wasn't as if we had funding issues.  Money wasn't an issue, I suppose the grants we received just weren't high-profile enough?

 

WHAT THE HECK!  I'm now doubting myself in every way possible, wondering if academia is really a good choice for me, and depressed that it will probably take me an ungodly amount of time to graduate, now that I have to start over in a new lab.

 

And on top of everything, my PI asked me not to talk about this to other people just yet bc if word gets around she doesn’t have a job, it could be harder for her to find another job.  Which I understand, but I’m feeling very conflicted and I can’t even talk to my friends in other labs about it!

 

AGH. 

[Wicked_Problem]

I can't offer any advice, since I have no relevant experience. Just know other people are reading your post and commiserating with you.

[porge1991]

Hey, i've heard of some similar issues to yours so will try to offer some advice.

You're in your 2nd year of grad school, so does that mean you've done 2 years of just classes and lab rotations and have very recently picked a PI? Or have you actually been doing research on a PhD project with this PI for a long time?

If the former, I don't think it would be too hard for you to start doing your PhD project in a different lab at the same institution, without having to redo coursework, would it?

If you've actually done a year of research on this specific project have you asked about continuing with the same project in a different lab? As an example, someone working in my lab originally started her PhD in another. Her PI also left and wanted her to move with him but she didn't want to. Her funding was from a body distinct from the lab itself (NIH I believe) so she was able to join our lab. It works fine because although my PI doesn't directly research what she does, its a structural biology lab also with the same sort of equipment/ reagents/ expertise etc for her to continue her research. My PI is actually really great and has taken a very active role in her project, researching it himself etc so it's turned out completely fine. Obviously it's an ideal sort of situation but if you're at a big institution with funding secured independently of the PI and with other labs doing similar-ish thigns this may be an option for you too?

[juilletmercredi]

It doesn't make sense that other PhD students in their fourth and fifth years would have to finish before she leaves or [i[start over.  If they're in their fifth year, a substantial portion of their dissertation research should be finished; they should have a committee with someone who can step in to see them through the end.  Even a fourth year shouldn't have to start over completely, although they may have to significantly shift their dissertation topic and perhaps take an unexpected extra year.

 

It sounds like your PI either 1) was untenured and didn't get her contract renewed for another year or 2) was tenured, but demoted - like from associate to assistant - and chose to leave.

 

You shouldn't have to start over, though.  Your coursework is nearly done, yes?  You may have to switch to a different dissertation topic, but given that you aren't even finished with your coursework you shouldn't be that far along in dissertation research anyway.  Why would this significantly delay your time to degree?  I think you need to discuss this with your Director of Graduate Studies.

[SixandCounting]

Wow, so sorry to hear about your situation. My adviser was fired in my 4th year. It took quite some time to adjust, but it turned out to be a great chance to find someone better and more experienced and attentive to my work. I hope you have similar luck!

[midnight]

I can't offer any advice, since I have no relevant experience. Just know other people are reading your post and commiserating with you.

 

Ditto.

 

I hope everything works out in the end.

[ak48]

Wow, I thought the whole point of tenure was not getting fired...

[aberrant]

But now I'm terrified of picking another lab! My PI was a well-established researcher who had been with the university for 15+ years...  I really, really don't understand why she was fired (she mentioned something about it possibly being due to receiving less NIH funding than usual).

 

Do institutions really just fire PIs the moment they slow down in getting funding?  It just seems so brutal.  Btw, it wasn't as if we had funding issues.  Money wasn't an issue, I suppose the grants we received just weren't high-profile enough? 

 

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. It is even worse than getting kicked out from a lab imo (largely because you did absolutely no wrong in this case, without any evidence.)

 

I'm not sure if it can be generalize, as it may depends on the field. but from the school that I went to (big state public school), if one is tenured (e.g. a science, tenured faculty member), he/she cannot be fired for any reasons but breaking the law/committing a crime. If a lab has to collapsed due to zero funding, that PI would be rearranged to a management-focus position in my alma mater (hence there is such a thing called "coating"). When you said +15 years, does that included some years when she was a post-doc / lecturer in your school, before being an assistant professor? (a.k.a, what's her title?) 

 

I don't think it is a money issue, unless you are going to some top-notch private schools that require all their PIs in the program to have some million dollars of funding every year (never heard of such a thing tho). otherwise, the whole thing makes no sense (to me anyway).

 

Maybe discuss this with your PI, then your dissertation committee?

[kaputzing]

Is it possible that she just resigned for [insert various reasons here]?

[nackteziege]

WHAT THE HECK!  I'm now doubting myself in every way possible, wondering if academia is really a good choice for me, and depressed that it will probably take me an ungodly amount of time to graduate, now that I have to start over in a new lab.

 

I don't really have much advice (I'm not in a field with "labs, for one) but I will commiserate with you here.  My advisor is leaving and I'm probably going to need to go to another institution for my PhD now...and I was so comfortable with my present situation that now I'm distraught and worried that I should not go on in academia.

[Tuck]

It sounds to me like she is tenure-track and was put up for tenure review (or promotion from assistant to associate professor) but didn't make the cut. Tenure-track faculty who don't make tenure usually have to leave. People who are "fired," on the other hand, don't get to hang around for six months - that's a liability.

 

While she's still here, your PI should be helping you fix this problem. Since she mentions that she wants to keep it quiet, find out from her who it is okay for you talk with about solutions - other members of your committee? The DGS?

 

If she gets another job somewhere, it's possible you could move with her, but you probably want to find out more about what's really happening since your reputation will be linked with hers.