The nerve

I’m not quite sure how to vent the frustration I feel at the various academics I work with that claim to be committed to collaborative research but in reality use what they can from students without giving due credit. I know that this is a common complaint among grad students, and as I read the horror stories I always thought that it would never happen to me. But my naivety has well and truly worn off as I realise I am in the thick of it now with both Advisor A and Advisor B.

The prep I did last year, adapting a methodology, recruitment procedures, pilot studies, the whole thing was just handed over to Advisor B to be used by her students, specifically Rival, who is working on research in an area that is scarily similar to mine. An area that I first explored in my previous research. This is where the mask of collaboration really annoys. If Rival was providing a new perspective, or a new methodology then I would be accepting of the blatant appropriation of my work. But this is just not happening. Instead I find myself providing support to Rival at my own cost. I just can’t say no. Sadly, I feel completely powerless.