My advisor put too much work on me and blame me for everything

[dodger98]

My advisor has a project he really wanna do. Nobody else in the lab would like to do it. He just push it on me. There are steps in the project requires more than one people. I could not find another one to help me, as no one would like to be even got involved. The experiments are not done, my advisor got mad and blame me alone for it. I explained that it is multi-person tasks. I already work 15 hours every day in the lab with my other lab work. He did not do anything except for urging me to do more. Sometimes I got people in the lab to help me, but they are not required by the advisor to do so and not commit to this project. I feel it is still me doing almost all of them, and sooner or later, I will burn out. The project is not get done. My advisor will blame me for everything again. I feel so powerless and hopeless.

What should I do?!

Edited December 15, 2013 by dodger98

[aberrant]

Will undergrad volunteer(s) help? Also, just because you have other lab work, I'm sure there are things (or projects) that get higher priority than the other (i.e. the one that in need of preliminary data for grant application/renewal).

 

you'll also have to work even more efficiently than you are -- if nobody can help you.

[danieleWrites]

There are a lot of labor abuses with graduate students, it seems. I think there's less than it may appear from the people who speak about it, simply because no one ever writes polemics about how great they're treated by their professors and supervisors and advisers.

 

What should you do? Different nations have different laws about what grad students can do in your situation. Different universities have different policies in place. I get the feeling that you're not from a place that has English as it's main language. I don't know what nation you're attending college in. So, honestly, no really useful help here.

 

If you are in the US, you can start by speaking with the international students office to get some advice on what your rights are and how you can discuss the issue with the professor. There may be a cultural barrier there that's making things worse. You can also visit the university's counseling center. Therapists there can help you figure out how to communicate with the professor and role play scenarios so you can practice your discussion before you have one. The advantage of the counseling center is that there are laws about doctor-patient confidentiality, so you can complain about the professor without anyone doing or saying something about it. So, figure out what is his best time of day and go to him to speak with him. Acknowledge that the work is not getting done as he expected, and then ask him if he has any ideas on how you can safely and correctly do specific tasks that require more than one person. For example: Not enough is getting done in the lab and we're falling behind on the work. I am hoping that you might have some advice for me. In the second part of the experiment, I am supposed to move a three hundred pound anvil from the floor to the table top, to test for strength. Do you know where I can get someone to help? Or is there equipment I should use?

 

If you're not in the US, or even if you are, the first step is always to have a discussion with the person first. The professor obviously has ridiculous ideas about how much work you can do. Since his research pretty much hinges on you doing things, it's in his interests to either get your help (which may not be possible if it has to be paid for) or take over some of it himself.