Are all PhD students entitled to a desk?

woodchuck

I've recently started a PhD in molecular biology and I've been told that I won't have a desk until my final year when I'll be writing up my thesis. I was surprised and disappointed when I found out, but I assumed that this was the norm for the whole college and accepted it.

I haven't started properly in the lab yet (lectures for the first couple of weeks) but so far any other new PhD students that I've talked to have all been given a desk/study space. I have my own lab bench but it's not big enough to double as a study area if I have an experiment on the go. Even if I'm not doing an experiment and I just use it for study it's not very practical because I'd be nervous about chemicals getting on my laptop and papers. And we're not allowed to eat or drink in the lab, so I'd have to go to my locker on a different floor every time I just want a sip of water while I'm studying.

Does this seem normal? Should I raise the issue again with my supervisor or just accept what I was told to begin with?

Red Alert

In eng in UCD pretty much everybody gets an office desk either in their lab or a different room (usually the latter nowadays).

fits

Norm for us to have a nice office space too (In Earlsfort Terrace), but seemingly each postgrad will be getting 1 paltry metre of desk space out in Belfield (science buildings).. Room seems to be tight out there. Hopefully I'll be long gone when that happens.

kevmy

I don't know of any PhD student in the science faculty in NUIG who doesn't have a desk. Most people in my group have a desk and then an experimental space

Red Alert

I was talking to my mum about this thread last night. Whereas all the work I do is in simulation (so i just have an office desk) she was saying that in most universities now it's required to have so-called 'think space' separate from 'work space'. Primarily it's for health and safety purposes - you shouldn't be in a lab longer than you need to be to use the equipment.

I think actually not having a suitable/comfortable desk is a bigger deal than you'd imagine. I'm in temporary accomodation at the moment because our own office is being re-done and I can never settle down and get much done on the tiny desk I've got up here.

Tom Dunne

Just an idea - are there any "hot desks" in your university? I lecture part-time and I am assigned a shared desk area. The desks are for anyone to use (well, anyone who doesn't have a permanent desk assignment).

woodchuck

Thanks for all the replies, I really appreciate it! I hadn't even thought about it from a health and safety point of view, that's a really good point. Just by physically being in the lab there's a constant risk of injury (our health and safety officer was telling us stories about bottles of chemicals spontaneously exploding because of improper storage!)

I've never heard of hot desks before... there's a computer room (that's usually full and noisy!) and the library (that's in another building that's a decent walk away, and presumably will be impossible to find a space coming up to exams).

I still haven't started in the lab yet, but I'm definitely going to ask around to see what the story with desk space is once I'm there. Because my supervisors main point seemed to be that if I get a desk then everyone else will have to get one too. But if everyone already has one then surely I'd be entitled to one! Wouldn't it count as discrimination or bullying or something otherwise?

Tom Dunne

Timmymaggot wrote: »

Tell them in the nicest possible way to stick their Ph.D.

Life is too short to be struggling away like some poor baxtard in a lab doing a Ph.D and then to be treated like crap.

Ditto if they aren't paying you enough.

Yeah, throw away your future because of desk arrangements. Great advice. :rolleyes:

Tom Dunne

Timmymaggot wrote: »

You would have a bettter future without a Ph.D.

You should be on stage.

Red Alert

Timmymaggot wrote: »

I actually am. Been in full time comedy the last 4 years but getting out of it to make some proper money now unlike most lecturers.

Having a PhD doesn't necessairly mean you will become a lecturer. It's a generally necessary condition to go that route. Earning potential with a PhD can be higher or lower depending on many career decisions you make.

Mod mode: I am becoming tired of your muppetry in posts. I threatened you before on it. Any further breaches of the charter and you are banned.

smirkingmaurice

My young chisler spilled a cup of boiling hot coffee over my laptop when i was doing my masters,luckily I had my stuff backed up, think you are right to be concerned about using laptop while experiments are going on

woodchuck

Yay, I was finally given a desk today I'm still waiting for my laptop to be delivered so not much use to me yet, but I'm very excited They still said that they usually don't give desks to first year postgrads but they just happened to have a couple free so I got one Thanks for all the comments and advice guys!

Red Alert

Enjoy it! I love the fact that unlike the last few years in college, I actually have a desk space that's 'mine' so it's very easy to get into a zone and do some work in it!