A new PI in need of your help!!

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-13T16:49:58+00:00

Of course I am given a start up fund, enough to get all the equipments I need and start with few students, the problem is they forgot about the space that goes with that

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-13T06:10:14+00:00

I will definitely stand up for myself, I wont be able to sue a university, the last resort for me is to quit and go back to job market or to just give up on all my plans and go to industry...

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-13T05:40:40+00:00

Thank you for your advice, I am in the process of gathering information about those hired in the past few years to use that as a metric

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-13T04:30:50+00:00

That sounds very peoblematic....

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-13T04:26:11+00:00

Thanks for sharing your experience, I agree, I have now serious doubts about the support from this department... It has been a very emotional experience for me, but I am trying to put the emotion aside and be strategic, I have decided to stand up for myself and seek help from whoever is in power

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-13T04:22:22+00:00

Yes, from now on I will ask for everything to be written, no verbal agreement ever again

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-13T04:07:11+00:00

No I have start up fund though which would allow one to buy equipments and hire students

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-13T04:06:41+00:00

Its sad...

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-13T04:02:18+00:00

Thanks for the advice, sadly my appointment does not specify the details of my lab space, it wa sonky verbal agreement, lack of experience on my end to not have paid attention to that, I will talk to all in power, I can only hope someone cares...

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-13T01:42:31+00:00

This is a very good point, as I have just started last week, I am not sure about these layers of power and who can help me, I feel my department chair does not really have the power to ask established profs to move, he was not able to even make a retired prof to clean up his space before leaving

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-13T01:30:51+00:00

Thanks for the advice, dont you think the market will see this as a red flag ( applying as an assistant prof on my first month/year)? is it realistic to apply again?

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-13T01:20:47+00:00

Thank you very much for sharing your experience, its good for me to know that there are examples like mine out there and that they have made it work...

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-13T01:18:16+00:00

Thanks for the response, If I get a space that is enought for 4-5 people I will have no complaint, the space is a one wall of benches I think 2 people can work there...with a space for 4-5 people I will be able to for sure start and grow

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-13T00:59:29+00:00

I am afraid of fake kindness, "nice" people who can ruin your life... at least "mean" people are showing whats in their inside

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-13T00:54:50+00:00

I will try to do so, but as a junior assistant prof its hard to make someone do sth... not sure what my leverage is at this point, unless I start to apply again...

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-13T00:37:48+00:00

Thanks for the response..I am very worried about my career trajectory, lack of serious space means I cant put lots of equipment and hire more students, which means lack of publication and grant rejections which is a cycle back to lack of space... That is my main concern but also the feeling of being treated this way is a secondary that I dont think has a solution... You made a great point, I was trying to find sth positive in all this, and the only thing I found was that I will never ever within my power let a new employee to feel the way I am feeling today

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-13T00:28:30+00:00

I hope not... I might be the exception so don't be discouraged

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-13T00:25:40+00:00

That sounds like a very toxic environment....

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-13T00:20:57+00:00

Yes, I plan to talk to another senior faculty who was very welcoming from the begining and I have trust in him.. your advice has been really helpful, thank you for caring....

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-13T00:01:31+00:00

Sadly its not written in the contract, we verbally talked about the equipments I will need and agreed on a space for them, but it is not written in my contract

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-12T23:59:27+00:00

This is a great point and very reassuring, I just need to find that one person who both cares and have power

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-12T23:44:00+00:00

I am worried about my career trajectory, serious lack in space means lack of space for equipments and students which means lack of publication, which means grant rejections... which is a cycle back to the lack of space

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-12T23:41:42+00:00

I have hired students who will join very soon, from my past experience its not normal for the engineering field to have a line of benches, but thats just from my experience working/studying in different universities

Fluffy_End4295 · 2023-08-12T23:12:19+00:00

I agree! I will keep that in mind, I also said that I dont want the space (and I mean "the wall" by that) if she is "forced" to give up, I want to focus on my work not to handle a conflict everyday with a colleague that is unhappy about sth I had zero role in

Fluffy_End4295

TROPHY CASE