Dear Professor Supervisor

In the past weeks, I have come across some almost 'horror' stories of supervisor and supervisee relationships and I thought to put these together into a  letter to the Professor supervisor.

Dear Professor Supervisor,

1. I am your mentee  - As your student, I expect you to be knowledgeable about my work and create time to answer my many questions. You have been a tutor for many years and this is evident in your wealth of knowledge. I need you to please share this wealth with me. I believe I am in school to learn and the purpose of my research is to answer questions. Therefore, if I ask you questions, it is not because I am a lazy cow who has done nothing to answer the questions on her own but means that my research is yet to satisfy my curiosity.  So, please answer my questions.

2. Create time to read my work- It shouldn't really take you three months to give a feedback on my 30-page written document, not especially when I need the feedback to proceed to the next phase of my work. Please read my write-ups on time and provide me a feedback. I understand you are very busy and have just been burdened with another administrative position but sir/ma, I'm languishing from lack of direction. I see my time and funding running out yet you have been unable to meet with me for four whole months. Please help me create time out of your busy schedule.

3. Don't make me feel stupid all the time- I know that you are not responsible for my self-confidence but your words really cut deep to my soul. I realized that my self-esteem has plummeted to its lowest ebb since I started this program 4 years ago. I feel more stupid every day and every meeting I have with you results in another plunge of my now very fragile esteem. How come you never see anything good in my work? even when I break my back and get only 3 hours of sleep per night just to please you? Please stop putting me down. 

4. Pregnancy is not a curse - Yes I agree this is my second pregnancy in 18 months but I have chosen to keep the baby. Don't judge me for being a fertile chick. Trust me when I say I can handle it and please don't frustrate me out of the program.

5. Give me credit for my work - I know you are in charge of my project but I'm just wondering when I will ever get credit for work done. We have published a number of journal articles where I do most if not all of the work but my name gets tossed in number 3 position constantly. My project has yielded many results and we've been invited to talk about it in many countries of the world but you never let me speak. Most times, when you are done with the presentation, you do not even acknowledge I, your student who has toiled tirelessly fo the success of the project. You have only acknowledged me once and that was because it was a local conference right at our university where you could be called out for not acknowledging me in the final slide. Please giving me credit will boost my ego and encourage me to even spend longer hours in the lab. Try it.

Thank you, Sir/ma and I shall be expecting your response and consequent behavioral improvement

Regards,

Your Student Supervisee.

Note: This is no way a representation of my current or past supervisors as I have been fortunate to work with the very best (I'm not even exaggerating) but this letter is representative of many different stories I have been privy to over the years. 

Picture credit: ferris.edu & socialworker.com