The teacher-student relationship has always been difficult to handle. If they are harmonious, they complement each other. If they are not harmonious, they are also incompatible. I have a very harmonious relationship with my graduate supervisor. I have been away from Northeastern University for more than three years, and I still keep in touch with him.
For graduate students, many times they feel that their supervisors are superior. In most cases, graduate students will complete whatever the instructor requires them to do. There are very few graduate students who want to do something that their advisor immediately does. Obviously, this is an inequality. Many times, everyone thinks that talking about equality between graduate students and supervisors is nothing more than touching the tiger’s butt and seeking death. This is the case, especially in China. First, let’s take a look at what the instructor can offer graduate students. (1) Experimental equipment and office conditions are of course the most basic. Of course, it does not rule out that some subjects do not require these things. (2) Research ideas, that is, research directions. In my more than 10 years of scientific research experience, I feel that this is more important than anything else. I have seen a few unremarkable second-level students stay at Northeastern University because they are doing well. And those students who were originally very good had no chance at all. (3) Certain living allowance. To be honest, I personally feel that it is not very reasonable for the tutor to privately provide living allowances to graduate students. Indeed, a graduate student becomes a veritable "student worker" by receiving a small amount of "fees" from the tutor. Compared with the scholarship system of foreign universities, there are many areas that need improvement. But there is nothing we can do about it. The state subsidy is only small, and the tutor won’t give it. Instead of working part-time, graduate students have to ask for it from home. (4) Doctoral degree. Many people believe that a PhD is not given by a supervisor. However, everyone has forgotten one thing. If the supervisor does not agree with the graduate student's defense, the graduate student has no recourse. Because of this, I have seen graduate students fight to death before their supervisors allowed them to graduate. Let’s look at what graduate students do for their supervisors? (1) Scientific research tasks. Many domestic tutors assign topics to graduate students that are not research-based topics. But some topics with a project nature. Of course, some "niu mentors" also said that this is to conduct in-depth research based on practical problems. But, obviously, it was the graduate students who helped them complete the scientific research tasks. (2) Academic papers and patents. Sometimes, we see some outstanding people publish 100 papers a year, and at the same time, they can be away from the laboratory for half of the year. Isn’t this the credit of graduate students? (3) A lot of chores. This article is only for domestic graduate students. Abroad, it is rare to hear of tutors arranging graduate students to be reimbursed. From the above comparison, we can see that since tutors can directly affect the direct interests of graduate students (income, degrees, etc.), the teacher-student relationship is destined to not be so equal. Therefore, if the supervisor arranges a graduate student to do a job, the graduate student will "comply" even if he complains a little. At the same time, graduate students are less proactive in asking their supervisors to do some work. Next, I think that as far as graduate students are concerned, tutors can help in the following aspects. (1) Graduate students can request from their supervisor the papers of all graduate students in relevant research groups. Many graduate students enter school and feel they don’t know where to start. Personally, I feel that the papers written by graduate students whose research groups have graduated will provide a lot of help to graduate students. (2) Graduate students can ask their supervisor to revise their thesis as soon as possible. Nowadays, we often hear some doctoral students complain that they have worked hard to write academic papers and gave these papers to their supervisors. However, they don’t know when they will be able to return it. Personally, I think graduate students can ask their supervisor to return their opinions within a specified time. It is also pointed out here that in order for the tutor to return as soon as possible, it is necessary for the graduate student to try his best to improve it. Don’t write a draft and give it to your instructor. (3) Graduate students can request to participate in academic exchanges with their supervisors. Now I attend many conferences, and I often see graduate students “acting alone” without their supervisors around. However, since many professors do not have much "interest" in graduate students, it is difficult for graduate students to get to know some well-known scholars on their own. It's very different if you attend with a mentor. You can get to know many "seniors" through mentors. This will undoubtedly have many benefits for the future development of graduate students. (4) Graduate students can ask their supervisor to analyze the experimental results together. The graduate student finished the experiment and got some results. There is no problem in asking them to write an experiment report, but it is still difficult to analyze the results from the experiment at the beginning. Therefore, graduate students can ask their supervisors for some help. Of course, I have also seen some tutors arrange topics for graduate students that have nothing to do with their own research directions.
Personally, I feel that graduate students can make requests to their supervisors for all academic matters. For example, the platforms and funds required for experimental samples, experimental testing, etc....