Two years into a Ph.D. program in the biological science (in the US) and I am in a lab doing research. The lab I'm in takes a hand-off approach to our research, so much of the motivation to do projects must come from me. Unfortunately I'm the kind of person who needs deadlines and strong guidance, and without these two things I've begun to drift a little. Any tips for keeping my eyes on the prize and staying immersed in my field?
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posted by Archibald Edmund Binns
on Feb 1, 2013 -
8 answers
Are there ways for a federal research scientist to attend law school and remain a government employee after graduating?
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posted by anonymous
on Jan 2, 2013 -
9 answers
I know I want to study genetics but I don't know where to go from there. What kind of things in genetics did Professor X and the Drs. Suresh on
Heroes study? I want to study that.
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posted by acthelight
on Dec 14, 2012 -
10 answers
New to PhD candidacy and tanking fast - academics of MeFi, help me figure out how to get through this mess.
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posted by SNWidget
on Oct 17, 2012 -
21 answers
Wondering whether I should go for the PhD that I wanted when I went back to school, or whether it's more sensible to stay where I am and do a Master's first.
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posted by Scientist
on Jul 1, 2012 -
18 answers
I am in my 7th year of a science Ph.D. at MIT and I need to graduate. I have invested an incredible amount of time and energy in this process, and I definitely have a Ph.D. level of skills and knowledge by now. 7 years is not outside the norm for my department. The problem is that a number of circumstances occurring in a row have lead to a bad/toxic relationship with my advisor and slow performance on my part.
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posted by anonymous
on May 7, 2012 -
11 answers
Seeking 2nd Bachelor's degree in Applied Mathematics from UCLA, then PhD.
Details below.
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posted by Hassoon
on Apr 17, 2012 -
5 answers
My girlfriend is 5 years in to a PhD program with an abusive (verbal, emotional, and mental) PI/lab. This seems to be a common theme in academia, just how common is it?
How do you go about graduating if they seem to be working against you (assuming no fault on your part)?
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posted by anonymous
on Mar 13, 2012 -
12 answers
I'm looking for scholarships or fellowships that could fund, or help fund, a molecular/microbiology Ph.D. in Belgium for an American.
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posted by Blasdelb
on Aug 30, 2011 -
4 answers
I'm currently living in the UK and am trying to apply for science PhDs in Germany. But how?
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posted by daisyk
on May 2, 2011 -
1 answer
Finishing a Ph.D. in the sciences and want to leave the bench behind for something that’s more “big picture” (i.e. has some elements of business, strategy, or product development). Things are getting a little time-sensitive. Looking for input from people who have made a similar switch and/or work in a related area (i.e. consulting or the business end of industrial R&D).
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posted by noted industrialist
on Mar 22, 2011 -
5 answers
Can I take 2 or 3 years off after getting my PhD to be a parent full-time without seriously reducing my ability to be a researcher (not necessarily a professor) in the hard sciences?
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posted by anonymous
on Feb 23, 2011 -
15 answers
I had a rough PhD candidacy exam with a provisional pass. I have three months to "make things more specific and do an experiment." Some of my committee comments were constructive, but something seems off.
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posted by anonymous
on Feb 9, 2011 -
11 answers
Four days ago, my partner got an email from her #1 grad school choice that sounded good. How excited should we be? I know there are many variables at work here that neither you nor we can know at this time, but I want to know if I can be excited and happy or if I should try to calm myself down. I know many people here are phD's from the hard sciences as well and I am hoping you can provide some perspective. Here are the details:
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posted by anonymous
on Jan 22, 2011 -
27 answers
If you gave your science PhD defense in the US, tell me all about it!
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posted by xm
on Oct 8, 2010 -
19 answers
Should I do a PhD with a view to a research career? I'm an undergraduate bioscientist in the UK, and I think science is awesome - is that enough?
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posted by teraspawn
on Sep 1, 2010 -
12 answers
Is it too late for me to gain admission to the top PhD programs in the life sciences? What can I do to improve my chances besides the obvious?
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posted by WhitenoisE
on Aug 29, 2010 -
18 answers
Studying in Germany Filter: I want to get a PhD in materials science at a German university, hopefully starting in 2011. Please help me get started figuring this out!
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posted by daisyk
on Jan 21, 2010 -
6 answers
How have you reconciled failure vs. quitting? How have you managed to pick up the pieces of your most passionate undertaking after dropping it? Is the desire to reinvent myself and undertake a new passion/direction just a mechanism to hide the pain of giving up?
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posted by Gaeacon
on Nov 24, 2009 -
7 answers
Help my friend get into a Canadian political science PhD program on his second try.
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posted by thisjax
on Jul 5, 2009 -
6 answers
I'm at that point in my PhD where my experiment is (almost) up and running, so I have more free time to do other stuff. I've decided that writing a general introduction to my thesis will be less beneficial than trying to get a review article published.
How do I go about writing a review article, from the perspective of an unpublished graduate student?
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posted by doctor.dan
on May 16, 2009 -
12 answers
Will my Chemistry/science grades keep me from getting into a PhD program in a physical science?
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posted by anonymous
on May 7, 2009 -
9 answers
I am looking for cross-disciplinary graduate/phd course in web technology. More specifically, relating to societal use of web from a global perspective. My goal is to become an expert in use of web based technologies in developing countries (which involves computer use, censorship, etc.). So far, what I have found is STS (science, technology and society) which sounds perfect, but from what I have seen, tend to be more in the areas of applied sciences and engineering. Then there is basic CS programs which tend to be more technology than societal aspects. Does anyone have any thoughts, ideas, recommendations?
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posted by _zed_
on Mar 31, 2009 -
7 answers
A few questions that I'm running into while submitting my graduate school applications about fellowships, diversity statements, other schools I am applying to, and accepting admission without funding.
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posted by davidstandaford
on Dec 29, 2008 -
7 answers
I will be applying to graduate school soon and I cannot visit all of the campuses that I am applying to. I have been contacting these schools so that they can put me in touch with current graduate students who I can ask about their campuses, and I wanted to make sure I'm not missing anything important in my list of questions below.
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posted by davidstandaford
on Oct 16, 2008 -
11 answers
Is there anything I can do to help myself get into grad school (PhD, political science/international relate) between now and January?
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posted by davidstandaford
on Aug 15, 2008 -
15 answers
Background: I am 41 years old. I am 16 credits shy of graduating with a BS in Mathemathics. my GPA is 2.79, I have over 250 hours of attempted coursework, 144 of that is being counted towards my degree. I program and design software systems for a living.
The Problem: I really love math and computer science but I am lousy at learning. when I say lousy I mean slow.
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posted by WannaBeAPhD
on Apr 13, 2008 -
24 answers
I'm looking for information for applying to grad school while abroad. (PhD programs in Political Science/International Relations). I graduated from college in spring 2006, and I'm planning on applying next year (Fall '09) to start in Fall 2010. I'm also considering going to Israel in July and staying for about 10 months, and I want to make sure this won't impact my grad school plans in any way.
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posted by andoatnp
on Mar 11, 2008 -
7 answers
What is involved in a PhD interview? What should I expect, and how should I prepare?
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posted by waxwing
on Jan 31, 2007 -
18 answers
