maxmarx Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 I'm just finishing my third year of my graduate program at a top 30 school (between 20 and 30). I came here to work with a certain faculty member and have just been informed that he is leaving after this summer. I actually turned down a higher ranked school (ranked 15-20) to come here largely because of him and I feel deflated right now. He's currently the chair of my Master's committee (which is optional in my program), but i won't finish it until this summer or fall due to data access delays. I developed a good report with him and am currently funded on his NSF grant for this school year, which I hope will still result in publications. I'm just about to start my desertion work at the beginning of next year. I should mention that I am also working on a couple of other projects with highly regarded senior faculty, but I'm not nearly as close to them. I just feel so down about this, worried that I won't be able to get that R1 job I dream of. We are also losing another faculty member (didn't get tenure) in the same area of interest, which means that we have 1 faculty member who will be serving about 8 students. I was just curious if any one else had gone through something similar? Am I blowing things out of proportion? Is there any bright side to this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zabius Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 (edited) What do you mean by "leaving?" Is he accepting a different job at another institution? If he is, there's a chance that you could move with him to his new lab at the new school. I know people who have done that before... it's not as uncommon as you might think. There's paperwork involved (I think technically you have to apply to the new school, but it's generally assumed that you'll get in), but it sounds like it would be worth it for you to continue working with this faculty member. Talk to him about it. You could also stay at the old school but make arrangements for him to still be your PI, and then hold meetings over Skype. This works best for students who are mostly done with research and who are now focusing mostly on writing. If he's being fired or retiring, then there's not much you can do, unfortunately. You could leave the program, apply to other schools, and start over... but you're so far along (at the end of your third year), that I don't think you should do this. I'd recommend staying at the current school and making the best of the situation by working with the remaining faculty. I don't think this would ruin your chances of a good job or your ability to publish, but obviously it's less than ideal. Arrange a meeting with your advisor before he leaves, and ask him what your options are and what he would recommend that you do. Good luck! Edited April 8, 2013 by zabius TakeruK 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoJingly Posted April 8, 2013 Share Posted April 8, 2013 SO many people in my program have had to move with their advisers. It happens. It stinks, but you can't do anything about it. Talk to him about this! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rising_star Posted April 9, 2013 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Duplicate post. See here: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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