UCLA killing

The politics in doctoral programs and research is all too common with the balance tipped considerably in favour of the professors or guides. I know cases where the student could only watch helplessly as their chief guide/ co-guide remained absent for long periods leading to delays in the doctoral committee meetings as they could not achieve quorum. Failure in timely submission of DC reports can lead to delays in obtaining the necessary funds through the funding agencies which in turn could seriously jeopardize the ongoing research. Some have watched helplessly as the records from which they hoped to collect their data get destroyed/disposed. Some have been indirect victims as a result of their guide not getting along with his seniors and had to face the problems of cases relevant to his study being deliberately diverted elsewhere. The heavy investment in terms of time, efforts, money , career opportunity and emotions can lead to considerable anxiety and frustration in the students.

However in this case though there seems to have been delay in obtaining the PhD , the professor seems to be getting a clean chit from his colleagues and students. On the other hand the Indian student was reported as a quiet, introverted harmless person by those who knew him. Conflict with the professors regarding IPR seems to be a likely cause but does not explain the estranged wife's murder or the student's suicide. Prolonged stress can amplify perceptions of victimhood. The person turns blind to all that was in favour and feels persecuted. The blame is always on some other person or situation and failure to acknowledge ones own role or response gets in the way of seeking any professional help. Moral support by family and friends can play a crucial part. With that too missing it is easy to succumb to depression and its consequences. Its tragic that 3 promising lives were lost thus. Given his qualifications, Sarkar would surely have had many more opportunities for gaining IPR for his inventions. Problems with interpersonal relationships, loneliness and inability to cope with stress and the resultant frustration is the real cause behind the tragedy IMO.

Originally posted by: _Angie_

The politics in doctoral programs and research is all too common with the balance tipped considerably in favour of the professors or guides. I know cases where the student could only watch helplessly as their chief guide/ co-guide remained absent for long periods leading to delays in the doctoral committee meetings as they could not achieve quorum. Failure in timely submission of DC reports can lead to delays in obtaining the necessary funds through the funding agencies which in turn could seriously jeopardize the ongoing research. Some have watched helplessly as the records from which they hoped to collect their data get destroyed/disposed. Some have been indirect victims as a result of their guide not getting along with his seniors and had to face the problems of cases relevant to his study being deliberately diverted elsewhere. The heavy investment in terms of time, efforts, money , career opportunity and emotions can lead to considerable anxiety and frustration in the students.

However in this case though there seems to have been delay in obtaining the PhD , the professor seems to be getting a clean chit from his colleagues and students. On the other hand the Indian student was reported as a quiet, introverted harmless person by those who knew him. Conflict with the professors regarding IPR seems to be a likely cause but does not explain the estranged wife's murder or the student's suicide. Prolonged stress can amplify perceptions of victimhood. The person turns blind to all that was in favour and feels persecuted. The blame is always on some other person or situation and failure to acknowledge ones own role or response gets in the way of seeking any professional help. Moral support by family and friends can play a crucial part. With that too missing it is easy to succumb to depression and its consequences. Its tragic that 3 promising lives were lost thus. Given his qualifications, Sarkar would surely have had many more opportunities for gaining IPR for his inventions. Problems with interpersonal relationships, loneliness and inability to cope with stress and the resultant frustration is the real cause behind the tragedy IMO.

Originally posted by: _Angie_

UnEthical by intent not by action so its ok to be selfish in that sense. short cuts done pay is an ideal.. how many criminals n the US have made it big...US has taken away concept of morality and replaced it with concept of consequences.. R kelly, Michelle rodriguez, OJ Simpson ...many of the famous people have grown up drug traffickign and serving time in jail..iron man has been jailed 6 times so you see... ethics.. is not what this country can clearly understand...on the flip side it talks about opportunities for change etc,... in this specific case.. this sarkar guy might have been vicitm of all these wrong doings.. I guess he would have killed few more people, the other professor, his employers.. they allwere saved by being grographically dispersed and one being absent!

Unless intentions or thoughts , actions and beliefs are in alignment there is bound to be mental agitation. If it is OK for the student to be selfish shouldn't he consider it to be OK for his professor to be selfish too? You cant have double standards, one for yourself and a different one for others!

That makes sense but in US there are different rules and nobody cares since they let people finish off in couple of years as well.. they can't control if someone else takes 20 years...that somebody has to give up there...instead of blaming the system.

All the reason why an adversarial relationship with ones mentor should be avoided as far as possible.. Its in a students own interest to extract information, guidance and whatever help required from his mentor. Prof Klum reportedly had a supportive attitude towards his students. Was Sarkar an exception? Did the one year difference between teacher and student create ego hassles? Did the teacher find the student unresponsive, uncooperative and unapproachable? No clear answers yet. Being a good student at school, graduations and post graduation colleges is not a guarantee of continued good performance. Distractions, disciplinary issues or health problems - physical, mental or emotional can crop up anytime and affect ones performance levels.

Academic folks lack diplomacy that is the side effect of being brilliant.. how many instances are there where people have used somebodys intelligence to make money.. whereas that person has been unaware of his worth.. you cant blame someone like this guy for diplomacy!! its good to be one.. but experience says its by far and few. In main stream take case of keisha!! she is being exploited by the legal system.. sadly

Doesn't help their cause at all especially in such cases..The least that they can do is not get into unnecessary ugly spats with the mentors if they hope to get through the grueling course. Introverted people often get mistaken as arrogant and insensitive. Its fine to be the quiet types but where required they need to come out of their shell and communicate to allay any misunderstandings. Their silence and aloofness can act as a deterrent to others from taking the initiative.. But what a tragic waste of human talent indeed! Number of suicides have gone up at the Kota coaching institute that is , renowned for the success rate of its students making it to the IIT colleges. Suicide rates have also gone up at the premier academic institutes like IIT in the country. It doesnt stop even at the post grad and doctoral level or the professional level later on! Phew!!! Where are we heading!

Originally posted by: _Angie_

UnEthical by intent not by action so its ok to be selfish in that sense. short cuts done pay is an ideal.. how many criminals n the US have made it big...US has taken away concept of morality and replaced it with concept of consequences.. R kelly, Michelle rodriguez, OJ Simpson ...many of the famous people have grown up drug traffickign and serving time in jail..iron man has been jailed 6 times so you see... ethics.. is not what this country can clearly understand...on the flip side it talks about opportunities for change etc,... in this specific case.. this sarkar guy might have been vicitm of all these wrong doings.. I guess he would have killed few more people, the other professor, his employers.. they allwere saved by being grographically dispersed and one being absent!

Unless intentions or thoughts , actions and beliefs are in alignment there is bound to be mental agitation. If it is OK for the student to be selfish shouldn't he consider it to be OK for his professor to be selfish too? You cant have double standards, one for yourself and a different one for others!

Not necessarily true. The professor was not selfish. He was unfair. stealing someone elses work to hand it to someone else is not selfishness. .its cheating. So not sure how you comparing apples to oranges all of a sudden!

That makes sense but in US there are different rules and nobody cares since they let people finish off in couple of years as well.. they can't control if someone else takes 20 years...that somebody has to give up there...instead of blaming the system.

All the reason why an adversarial relationship with ones mentor should be avoided as far as possible.. Its in a students own interest to extract information, guidance and whatever help required from his mentor. Prof Klum reportedly had a supportive attitude towards his students. Was Sarkar an exception? Did the one year difference between teacher and student create ego hassles? Did the teacher find the student unresponsive, uncooperative and unapproachable? No clear answers yet. Being a good student at school, graduations and post graduation colleges is not a guarantee of continued good performance. Distractions, disciplinary issues or health problems - physical, mental or emotional can crop up anytime and affect ones performance levels.

Adversity at an intellectual level is necessary for true research... The sorry state of research today in the US is mainly the mindset you have described above!!

Academic folks lack diplomacy that is the side effect of being brilliant.. how many instances are there where people have used somebodys intelligence to make money.. whereas that person has been unaware of his worth.. you cant blame someone like this guy for diplomacy!! its good to be one.. but experience says its by far and few. In main stream take case of keisha!! she is being exploited by the legal system.. sadly

Doesn't help their cause at all especially in such cases..The least that they can do is not get into unnecessary ugly spats with the mentors if they hope to get through the grueling course. Introverted people often get mistaken as arrogant and insensitive. Its fine to be the quiet types but where required they need to come out of their shell and communicate to allay any misunderstandings. Their silence and aloofness can act as a deterrent to others from taking the initiative.. But what a tragic waste of human talent indeed! Number of suicides have gone up at the Kota coaching institute that is , renowned for the success rate of its students making it to the IIT colleges. Suicide rates have also gone up at the premier academic institutes like IIT in the country. It doesnt stop even at the post grad and doctoral level or the professional level later on! Phew!!! Where are we heading!

This whole program is flawed i would think.. and this event has just set a precedence.. Hopefully the mentors know they are not all controlling in unfairness and despotism..., the moment they act unfair.. they might think there could be a bullet with their name on it...😆

Btw I am ok with all the politics, diplomacy and sucking up to the bosses at work.. i am not ok with this happening in the field of research!