What do I say to a professor about why I want to drop out of a lab project with a professor without burning relations?
January 26, 2011 4:48 PM Subscribe
What do I say to a professor about why I want to drop out of a lab project with a professor without burning relations?
Long story short - I've decided to drop out of a lab with whom I had serious discussions with a professor on the direction of a project.
How do I go about dropping out of the lab but still keeping my options open in the future?
I basically find the personality of this professor abrasive but I don't want to say that as the reason for why I would want to drop out.
Also concerned this professor will talk malicious to other professors in the department so that I would not be able to pursue other future ventures. Or the integrity of my commitment would be questioned in the future.
Any advice would be helpful. Thanks!
Long story short - I've decided to drop out of a lab with whom I had serious discussions with a professor on the direction of a project.
How do I go about dropping out of the lab but still keeping my options open in the future?
I basically find the personality of this professor abrasive but I don't want to say that as the reason for why I would want to drop out.
Also concerned this professor will talk malicious to other professors in the department so that I would not be able to pursue other future ventures. Or the integrity of my commitment would be questioned in the future.
Any advice would be helpful. Thanks!
How long would this lab go on for - one semester?
If it is a one semester lab, then they would be right to question the integrity of your commitment. Once you get beyond school, you will find that you don't always get to pick your boss (professor, lab leader). Sometimes you have to grit your teeth and learn to work with an abrasive personality.
posted by Flood at 4:53 PM on January 26, 2011
If it is a one semester lab, then they would be right to question the integrity of your commitment. Once you get beyond school, you will find that you don't always get to pick your boss (professor, lab leader). Sometimes you have to grit your teeth and learn to work with an abrasive personality.
posted by Flood at 4:53 PM on January 26, 2011
If you don't like him, why keep that door open? Just be polite and say "I don't think this project is the direction I want to go in" or "I don't think this is a good fit." It's kind of like breaking up. Actually, it's a lot like breaking up. And the above phrases were tossed around when a PI "broke up" with me. But the good thing is, if the professor is the type who talks a lot of shit, all the other professors already know it and won't take it seriously. When I got "broken up" with by that professor, I was worried about how others would perceive the situation. But my next two professors, when they heard my story, we're just like, "Oh, yeah. She's a nut like that."
Professors and students break up with each other all the time. It's VERY common. Don't agonize over it. Also, it frequently involves people being passive aggressive asses or like, just not showing up anymore. So if you do it professionally and politely, you're already ahead of a lot of other people.
posted by GastrocNemesis at 4:55 PM on January 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
Professors and students break up with each other all the time. It's VERY common. Don't agonize over it. Also, it frequently involves people being passive aggressive asses or like, just not showing up anymore. So if you do it professionally and politely, you're already ahead of a lot of other people.
posted by GastrocNemesis at 4:55 PM on January 26, 2011 [1 favorite]
Oops, I really should have used the word "PI" in my answer but you said professor, so I did too. But "PI" would have been more specific for the people I was referring to in my above comment. Sorry!
posted by GastrocNemesis at 4:57 PM on January 26, 2011
posted by GastrocNemesis at 4:57 PM on January 26, 2011
You know Miko's answer? Pretty much works in work situations, too. "This is a challenging research project, but I just can't give it the commitment you clearly need right now. I wish you nothing but success."
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:00 PM on January 26, 2011
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:00 PM on January 26, 2011
Response by poster: @brainmouse - I am a professional student. Would do the project for a semester.
posted by proficiency101 at 5:00 PM on January 26, 2011
posted by proficiency101 at 5:00 PM on January 26, 2011
Yep. All of the above answers along with similar stuff like "I'm not as enthusiastic about this topic as I should be/looking for something that's a better fit for my (academic) interests" is not too bad.
posted by yeolcoatl at 5:02 PM on January 26, 2011
posted by yeolcoatl at 5:02 PM on January 26, 2011
What is a "professional student" ? professional science master's, part-time working undergrad? What is the project FOR (credit, internship, volunteer etc). These are all important variables!
If I had an undergrad who'd worked with me for a few weeks & dropped out, I would have no real hard feelings. If I had a masters student who I had recruited to the program, and obtained a TAship for and trained for 6 months, and they then upped and left, my feelings would be less charitable.
posted by lalochezia at 5:03 PM on January 26, 2011
If I had an undergrad who'd worked with me for a few weeks & dropped out, I would have no real hard feelings. If I had a masters student who I had recruited to the program, and obtained a TAship for and trained for 6 months, and they then upped and left, my feelings would be less charitable.
posted by lalochezia at 5:03 PM on January 26, 2011
If it's for just one semester, I'd recommend finishing it and taking it as a learning experience. As others have noted, this will probably not be the last unpleasant person you have to work with/for, and you can use this short-term engagement to try out some coping/collaborating mechanisms that you will almost certainly find useful later on.
posted by L'Estrange Fruit at 5:12 PM on January 26, 2011
posted by L'Estrange Fruit at 5:12 PM on January 26, 2011
If it's for just one semester, I'd recommend finishing it and taking it as a learning experience.
I was recently in a similar situation, and think this is terrible advice. I backed down from my obligations with a PI who I didn't necessarily relate to, which left my academic future filled with uncertainty and doubt. I didn't regret it for a second, and walked away feeling like the weight of the world was off my shoulders. If you aren't devoted to the research or the working relationship, you will likely see less than stellar results and a loss in personal productivity that could be better applied elsewhere.
i would recommend that you are honest about how you feel, that you perceive that the relationship and/or research isn't a great fit for you. I would also thank the PI for giving you the opportunity to work under them, and suggest that you would like to keep the lines of communication open if you need advice for in the future.
posted by clearly at 7:08 PM on January 26, 2011
I was recently in a similar situation, and think this is terrible advice. I backed down from my obligations with a PI who I didn't necessarily relate to, which left my academic future filled with uncertainty and doubt. I didn't regret it for a second, and walked away feeling like the weight of the world was off my shoulders. If you aren't devoted to the research or the working relationship, you will likely see less than stellar results and a loss in personal productivity that could be better applied elsewhere.
i would recommend that you are honest about how you feel, that you perceive that the relationship and/or research isn't a great fit for you. I would also thank the PI for giving you the opportunity to work under them, and suggest that you would like to keep the lines of communication open if you need advice for in the future.
posted by clearly at 7:08 PM on January 26, 2011
If you aren't devoted to the research or the working relationship, you will likely see less than stellar results and a loss in personal productivity that could be better applied elsewhere.
Totally. I failed to go in-depth in my answer above, but this is so true. After two labs in which I did not connect with the PI at all, I was so discouraged and ready to give up on research. I felt like I was being judged constantly and always making mistakes and that they hated me and so I got nothing done. I thought I just sucked at research. But after a few months off, I gave it one last try, and I approached another professor who I didn't know very well, but he was laid back and interested in the subject matter I'd wanted to study in the first place (that the first two had been dismissive of.) He was just like, a million times better for me. Our personalities just clicked very well, and he was supportive and encouraging and didn't dwell or guilt me when I made mistakes or asked dumb questions. In this environment, I totally regained my confidence and learned a ton. I was able to do a project that actually interested me, and got published! That experience seriously changed me for the better and I am still so grateful to him. In fact I ought to send him a card and tell him all that.
Anyway, my point is that it's harder to be productive if the environment isn't a fit. That's not good for you OR the PI. If your productivity is suffering, you aren't doing them any favors by staying. (This is, of course, assuming that you're still somewhat new and they haven't wasted months training you.) You need to be with someone you work well with. It makes a huge difference.
posted by GastrocNemesis at 8:47 PM on January 26, 2011
Totally. I failed to go in-depth in my answer above, but this is so true. After two labs in which I did not connect with the PI at all, I was so discouraged and ready to give up on research. I felt like I was being judged constantly and always making mistakes and that they hated me and so I got nothing done. I thought I just sucked at research. But after a few months off, I gave it one last try, and I approached another professor who I didn't know very well, but he was laid back and interested in the subject matter I'd wanted to study in the first place (that the first two had been dismissive of.) He was just like, a million times better for me. Our personalities just clicked very well, and he was supportive and encouraging and didn't dwell or guilt me when I made mistakes or asked dumb questions. In this environment, I totally regained my confidence and learned a ton. I was able to do a project that actually interested me, and got published! That experience seriously changed me for the better and I am still so grateful to him. In fact I ought to send him a card and tell him all that.
Anyway, my point is that it's harder to be productive if the environment isn't a fit. That's not good for you OR the PI. If your productivity is suffering, you aren't doing them any favors by staying. (This is, of course, assuming that you're still somewhat new and they haven't wasted months training you.) You need to be with someone you work well with. It makes a huge difference.
posted by GastrocNemesis at 8:47 PM on January 26, 2011
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posted by brainmouse at 4:49 PM on January 26, 2011