By nothesisforme - 11/03/2015 14:01 - France

Today, I asked my professor for his opinion on the subject I plan to study in my thesis. Turns out, he likes it so much that he's going to steal it from me. FML
I agree, your life sucks 36 981
You deserved it 2 953

Same thing different taste

Top comments

I don't have anything witty to say, that just sucks. I'd report him to the higher-ups.

bethers_ 22

This happened to my roommate when she started her PhD! It took her an extra 8 months to find another lab after the experience. You need to report that professor for stealing your idea. Don't let the same thing happen to you.

Comments

Just report him and continue on with your thesis idea.

Knightchaser27 25

I hope you told a few other people or have some other record of it,or it might just be your word against theirs.

Obviously you had a good subject,Still uses it...

My science teacher once took my telescope I made for the project as a demo for the next batch students. I guess I was happy with my work and so should you!

I don't think you understand what this FML is about. There isn't really much for OP to be happy about...

They have not done the work yet, they have just come up with a topic. It would be like you coming up with a design for your telescope that you have been planning for ages, discussing it with your teacher, and the teacher then taking that idea and using it to build a telescope and telling everyone that it was their design. Now you have to come up with another new design.

Attacksloth 33

It really isn't about that. Programs that require you to write a thesis expect you to create original work that adds something to the subject you're specializing in. It isn't like high school or undergraduate at university where courses largely give people knowledge and you talk about things that are already published. So no, OP shouldn't be happy. It's theft of intellectual property. When you get to the level where you need to write an original thesis (which is usually 60-100 pages for the average Masters and 200-300 pages for the average doctorate), "using" someone else's ideas is equivalent to fraud or theft. You can face criminal charges.

rocker_chick23 27

#19:here is a difference between your science teacher using your telescope as a demo for other students, and OP's teacher stealing his/hers thesis idea.

Wow, you could understand it as a compliment but if he wasn't joking that's mean and setting a bad example. Options that come to my mind: Is it possible for you to post it online or give it to a known magazine so they can proofread it and maybe publish it. Talk to someone from the same department and ask them for advice .... Definitely not a YDI

70 - Not exactly but, if this is a graduate thesis then some amount of higher level oversight is expected. It might even result in real publication rather than just the school rag.

Also, if it is really well done then they might bump the masters up to a phd. It happens all the time.

That's awful OP. You've got to report him.

bethers_ 22

This happened to my roommate when she started her PhD! It took her an extra 8 months to find another lab after the experience. You need to report that professor for stealing your idea. Don't let the same thing happen to you.

You should have elaborated something before telling anyone.. Do you have notes? Did you write any ideas down? If you have, gather them and defend yourself as best you can.