got kicked out from lab

[pringles]

I am finishing up my second year in graduate school in chemistry and I just got kicked out of my lab.  I was in a physics heavy lab and my background is in chemistry.  My advisor said that I did not have enough background to do well in his lab and fired me. I had a steller undergraduate record and I am in one of the top schools in chemistry. However, I really struggled with research in the lab I got fired from. It was just too much physics. I have already spent almost two years of my phd in this lab and I don't know what I should do now. I still want to continue doing research but starting over all again in another lab doesn't seem feasible. Since I am already two years in, if I start fresh it will take me a ridiculous number of years to finish my program. Since I am an international student, I cannot drop out right now without finding a job first and since application deadlines for a lot of jobs have already gone, at this point I don't think I will be able to find a job. I am extremely stressed out. Do you guys have any suggestions on what I should do? 

[kaister]

Is your research tied to that lab?  Could you somehow continue your research on your own, but work in another PI's lab to get the tuition waiver, etc.  Since this is your advisor, I would think having a sit down talk with him.  I guess I'm not clear what connections the lab have to your work.  If they're completely related and tied to that lab, then I would see a problem.  However, if you can carry on with your research while working in another lab, that may possibly work.  But most importantly I think you need to talk to your PI and ask him what your options are and in general about your future pathway.

[DStory247]

I am finishing up my second year in graduate school in chemistry and I just got kicked out of my lab.  I was in a physics heavy lab and my background is in chemistry.  My advisor said that I did not have enough background to do well in his lab and fired me. I had a steller undergraduate record and I am in one of the top schools in chemistry. However, I really struggled with research in the lab I got fired from. It was just too much physics. I have already spent almost two years of my phd in this lab and I don't know what I should do now. I still want to continue doing research but starting over all again in another lab doesn't seem feasible. Since I am already two years in, if I start fresh it will take me a ridiculous number of years to finish my program. Since I am an international student, I cannot drop out right now without finding a job first and since application deadlines for a lot of jobs have already gone, at this point I don't think I will be able to find a job. I am extremely stressed out. Do you guys have any suggestions on what I should do? 

This is the kind of garbage I'm nervous about when I begin next fall. Your advisor should have known well before he picked you what your background was. Either he's foolish enough to not realize what havoc this could cause for your educational and professional career, or he's a heartless prick who doesn't care, or there's more to the story. Whatever the case may be, I would agree with Kaister; sit down with him and talk it out. If he's the heartless type, maybe go to the department head or another professor you trust and that knows your background.

I wish you the best. Let us know the resolution.

[fuzzylogician]

As others have said, you need to find out what your options are at this point. Talk to your advisor about this, and also talk to your Director of Graduate Studies (or person in a similar position). This situation must have happened in your department in the past and someone will know what your options are for resolving it. If you can't be in your current advisor's lab anymore then the next step is to find a new advisor in a closely related lab so you can keep as much as possible of your courses and projects. But before you get ahead of yourself, sit down with these people and see what they have to say.

[pringles]

I just talked with my director of graduate studies. I have time to find a new adviser till the end of this semester. However, people in my department usually join labs in december of each year. So most of the spots that are open in a lab during a year are mostly taken. That is why I am extremely stressed out. The research that my advisor did was pretty different and there is no lab that does stuff similar to what he does. So I will have to start from scratch. My life is so fucked up right now. Is switching in the 2nd year to a different lab a really bad idea? I think it will add two more years to my PhD which really suck and at this point I don't know if it is even worth trying to find another adviser. so so so stressed out. 

[Usmivka]

This is unfortunate, but not insurmountable. Presumably you were working primarily on classes and a quals project for your first couple years, so you haven't lost that much time towards PhD. I know a number of chemistry grads who have switched advisors at the end of their second year--in some departments it is even encouraged to rotate or work with other profs for awhile before deciding on a lab that is a good fit, so I think it is still possible to do quality work on a shorter timeline. If you have a while to figure things out, I'd start by zeroing in on some areas of interest and talking to profs that work in those areas--you don't have to keep doing what you have been, particularly if you find the physics overwhelming--I'm a physical chemist, I know the feeling!

Edited February 13, 2013 by Usmivka

[mtlve]

This is unfortunate, but not insurmountable. Presumably you were working primarily on classes and a quals project for your first couple years, so you haven't lost that much time towards PhD. I know a number of chemistry grads who have switched advisors at the end of their second year--in some departments it is even encouraged to rotate or work with other profs for awhile before deciding on a lab that is a good fit, so I think it is still possible to do quality work on a shorter timeline. If you have a while to figure things out, I'd start by zeroing in on some areas of interest and talking to profs that work in those areas--you don't have to keep doing what you have been, particularly if you find the physics overwhelming--I'm a physical chemist, I know the feeling!

You need to decide if you want your PhD or not. If you want your PhD, try to find a new lab there even if this means starting over. It is unfortunate that you are two years into it, but it could have been worse for sure. Is there something there that you like more, if you do have to switch. It sounds like you did not have the background for your project anyways, so this may be for the best.

I ran into a similar situation, and I ended up leaving the program to reapply to graduate schools/labs. It will ultimately end up taking me even longer now. I can discuss this more with you via private message, if you were interested. I am currently applying now.

[TakeruK]

I've known people who have had to change supervisors/labs/projects after 2 years and they still were able to graduate on time, more or less. I'm not sure about your program, but in most, the first 1-2 years are mostly coursework and getting used to the graduate school life of balancing coursework, teaching, and research. Since you are probably finished all/most of your courses now and have adjusted to the graduate student workload, you might be only "losing" a year or so of your time.

 

A lot of people are saying to try to find a lab similar to the first one, but that might not even be a good idea. In the past, when people I know switched, they changed to something fairly different. The "fresh start" can give you some motivation too! You sound like you have a strong chemistry background, so at the very worst, joining a lab would put you at the level of a first year grad student. But more likely, now that you have had some considerable grad school experience, you could catch up to the new project faster than a brand new student!

[juilletmercredi]

I don't undersatnd what else you think you can do, aside from starting over in another lab?  You're only a year and a half in, and it's very common for students in the social sciences and natural/physical sciences to switch labs in their first two years of graduate school.  I don't see why that should mean it will take you a ridiculous amount of time to graduate.

 

If you don't have enough physics to operate in the lab that you were already in, then you need to do one of two things: 1) learn more physics or 2) switch to a lab in which you need less physics.  If you want to stay in your current lab, talk to your (ex-)PI and ask if it would be possible for you to catch up if you took some undergraduate physics classes as a supplement.  But if you don't have enough physics and are not willing or able to beef up the physics you need to succeed in the lab, why would you want to stay in that lab in the first place?  You don't have the background you need to succeed.

[SymmetryOfImperfection]

I think I get your feeling. You joined a professor that was crosslisted between physical and another discipline, and found out he was mostly physical. That's fine. You should do one of 2 things that would be least cost prohibitive: learn more physics that would be relevant to your lab, or change advisors.

 

If I'm guessing right your project may be theoretical which is very challenging in terms of physical and mathematical insight required.

[crazyphd]

Wow getting kicked out of lab stings. But look at is this way, you now have an opportunity to find a prof who is a better fit. My adviser changed universities in my second year - I was unable to join him.  He took two students on after he ALREADY knew he was moving, not cool.  

 

After much stress and tears and a least a full semester lost trying to find a new home......   I found the worlds greatest adviser. 

 

My point is is that your first home was not a good fit, but now you know much more clearly what you are looking for in a lab. Take your time to find the right place for you, it will be worth it.  That being said you may well loose time - you will probably not graduate in 4 years.  Because I changed labs it as taken me 7 years to complete what should have taken 5. 

 

But you know what?  Who cares.  Find a new home and enjoy you time in school - get published - drink beer - don't make CN gas by accident..... :-)

 

When you graduate no one cares how long it took they care about the quality of your work, you can now find some where where you can excel. 

[pringles]

Thank you all for writing. I have been trying to find a new advisor but at this point of the year most labs are out of funding. I am meeting a lot of professors but in the end everything comes down to funding. It just seems impossible to join a lab right now.  Even if I decide to get out with a terminal masters, it is already too late to apply for jobs. Being an international student I will have to have a job when I graduate with a masters in order to stay in the US.  If I decide to get a terminal masters I need to decide within a month, otherwise the application deadline will pass. I don't know if I should apply for the masters and take the risk and start applying for jobs or just wait out till next year to drop out. I will be wasting an entire year if I do so

[selecttext]

You should probably appeal to your student union and to the university ombudsman at this point. have you spoken to your department chair? as far as i know, you can't simply be kicked out of a lab because the professor doesn't like you

[dumpling]

So sorry to hear this...  THis happened to two of my friends too...  Both of them are international, so they have to go back where they from.

Hope you can find someone soon.  But life is not just one way, maybe you will find something suit you better.

 

I just talked with my director of graduate studies. I have time to find a new adviser till the end of this semester. However, people in my department usually join labs in december of each year. So most of the spots that are open in a lab during a year are mostly taken. That is why I am extremely stressed out. The research that my advisor did was pretty different and there is no lab that does stuff similar to what he does. So I will have to start from scratch. My life is so fucked up right now. Is switching in the 2nd year to a different lab a really bad idea? I think it will add two more years to my PhD which really suck and at this point I don't know if it is even worth trying to find another adviser. so so so stressed

[new_to_kin]

Technically speaking u don't need a job to stay on. There is a year after your student visa ends where u can find work. It's called OPT. check it out