A is a fourth year student doing her final year research project which lasts the entire year.
B is a Ph.D student who is also A’s mentor and guides A in her research and final report.
C is a lecturer who is both A and B’s supervisor for their final year project (FYP) and Ph.D studies respectively.
A is supposed to go directly to B when she has anything in doubt and goes to C only when B is not around.
Both B and C will be grading her performance in the laboratory and the grades make up forty percent of her final grade.
Main problem:
B uses hurtful and sarcastic words when guiding A in her experiments and A finds it stressful working with B.
B is temperamental who can be very nice yet turns nasty suddenly, thus A is very stressed since she has got to guess B’s mood when she approaches B.
B always uses hurtful and sarcastic phrases such as “you are very slow” (she nags with that phrase all day long) and “You dare to use this technique? Only experts like the lecturer can use it successfully. Even I dare not use it.”.
B complains that she is very busy, sends A for a break and then takes a break herself. B then tells C that, “A has lessons” or “A is having her lunch”, when C finds A missing.
A is worried that if C sees her around when she was supposed to be “having lessons”, C will think that she is lying and leaves a bad impression in C.
A finds it a toil working with B but does not dare to complain to C since both B and C will be grading her.
What would you do if you were A?
B is a Ph.D student who is also A’s mentor and guides A in her research and final report.
C is a lecturer who is both A and B’s supervisor for their final year project (FYP) and Ph.D studies respectively.
A is supposed to go directly to B when she has anything in doubt and goes to C only when B is not around.
Both B and C will be grading her performance in the laboratory and the grades make up forty percent of her final grade.
Main problem:
B uses hurtful and sarcastic words when guiding A in her experiments and A finds it stressful working with B.
B is temperamental who can be very nice yet turns nasty suddenly, thus A is very stressed since she has got to guess B’s mood when she approaches B.
B always uses hurtful and sarcastic phrases such as “you are very slow” (she nags with that phrase all day long) and “You dare to use this technique? Only experts like the lecturer can use it successfully. Even I dare not use it.”.
B complains that she is very busy, sends A for a break and then takes a break herself. B then tells C that, “A has lessons” or “A is having her lunch”, when C finds A missing.
A is worried that if C sees her around when she was supposed to be “having lessons”, C will think that she is lying and leaves a bad impression in C.
A finds it a toil working with B but does not dare to complain to C since both B and C will be grading her.
What would you do if you were A?
The figure on the right is taken from the blog of a mediator as a profession, ttp://newresolutionmediation.blogspot.com/2008_02_01_archive.html.jpg)
, abstracted from an article by Christopher W. Moore.
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, abstracted from an article by Christopher W. Moore.It summerises the different types of conflicts that we may face in our lives. Did you have any similar experiences?
2 comments:
Hi Jia Yi!
I believe that this is a problem that is very real and pertinent to many students in NUS students due to the result oriented academic environment in Singapore. Students not only have to work hard but also please those who grade them.
From your example, can i safely assume that there is no other PhD student that can offer assistance to A?
If so i would advice A to speak to C and explain the situation that she is facing. This is because i believe B's attitude to A will affect her interest and thus motivation in her project which requires alot of effort as it takes 1 year. Also, A's dubious actions due to B's request of lunch breaks may cause C to doubt A's commitment to the project and thus affect her grades. This may affect the relationship between A and B ,however, by voicing out her problems it may cause B to voice out the problems he is facing that causes such actions on his part. Such problems include obstacles he is facing in his PhD project that requires extra attention on his part thus reducing the time he has to help her.
Hi Hui Ming!
There are other PhD students who can help her in the usage of some equipments and apparatus, however only her mentor can guide her in her entire project since only her mentor knows clearly about her project.
Just to share the good news, although A's mentor, B, still makes sarcastic remarks at times, B treats A much better now. A has made subtle hints to her lecturer, C, about B and C understood A's plight. However, we are not sure of the reason for the change in B since it is unlikely of C to talk to B due to his personality.
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