PhD Metallurgy Research Design Template Request

[Okechi]

Hello everyone,

I have a request. Can someone please provide me with a metallurgy research design template? I'm starting my 5th year in a MSE PhD program and for the last 3 years my advisor has instructed me to perform experiments on my alloy without reason. And while I thought this was weird because I should've studied the microstructure before wasting material on experiments, I trusted his instructions because he's the professor and I'm the student adjusting to a new major. Now, after all of this, he is saying it's not good enough. So, instead of wasting more of my time doing a "1 page dissertation statement" with his very vague requests, I would prefer to clearly design my future research to blend with my current work in a logical manner.

In addition, he himself doesn't know what he wants in this "dissertation statement".

I greatly appreciate any help you can give me.

 

[dipstik]

i don't have a template for you but i had a similar experience working on my masters in MatE. there was one advisor who got on my panel that was pretty relentless. he was suggested by my graduate advisor, but after he signed on everyone came out with horror stories. as bad as he was, in terms of trying to redefine my scope and changing the theoretical lenses of my paper, i heard worse stories from classmates doing research for nasa, ibm etc.; where they would have their project redefined several times without the ability to define their own scope.

my only suggestion, i don't think will help you, but may help others who read this. make sure you get what they want in writing and go over each point with them after each revision of the proposal/paper. get your advisor(s) to agree that if these issues are resolved, you will be closer to fulfilling the requirements of the degree. if they begin showing patterns of contradicting themselves, remind them of what they said, and how you have fulfilled your duties. This flies in the face of taking them as your authority and begins a dialogue, which is counter-intuitive. Do not be afraid to voice your concerns, or even speak with other faculty about your experiences.

A sound design of experiment before any money is spent, and showing how revisions of the DoE affect project budget, can go a long in making the process clear to the advisors. I don't know how long this "never good enough" phase has lasted, but it can last quite a while. Its more about trying to focus on what they think is deficient and making them happy, like you would deal with any admin/exec/manager/client.

It might be helpful if any of the professors on these boards could chime in on this topic. I think it would be an interesting discussion.

Best of Luck
Don't Give Up