The Thesis Committee - The PHD Movie 2

WATCH THE PHD MOVIE 2 NOW: phdmovie.com
An excerpt from The PHD Movie 2. Cecilia tries to schedule her thesis defense, and finds that getting four professors to agree on a time and date is like herding cats (if the cats had Ph.D.'s).
Nature Journal called the movie "astute, funny" and The New York Times claims, "Well, postdocs will find it funny". Watch the movie that perfectly captures life (or the lack thereof) in Academia.
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[@LiamRedfield]

*sobs uncontrollably* This was supposed to be a quick video for a quick laugh, not a harsh dose of reality

[@cloudraven]

I think my thesis defense was not as hard to schedule as this one. The most interesting part of the story is that one of the committee members forgot my defense and was in a different city. My advisor found out just in time, and this professor flew back just in time for my defense. After my defense, he immediately left to catch the next plane and go back to where he was. Pretty cool, huh? On top of that my advisor kept it hidden from me, saving me from a panic attack.

[@SamanthaSE]

Your advisor is a godsend!

[@GooberFace32]

Your advisor and your committee did right by you for your defense. People screw up sometimes and that errant member of your committee is to be commended for actually doing his job, dropping everything, and being there for you. I had to defend mine remotely and had to send my advisor drafts of chapters via FedEx with a self-addressed stamped envelope for him to send his comments back to me (yep, I'm old). He provided me with minimal feedback and led me to believe that I was on the right track. Unbeknownst to me he was in the middle of switching jobs and was barely reading my drafts. My advisor told me to send my final draft to the rest of the committee for my defense. It was a disaster! Luckily, I was able to get excellent feedback from the other members over the subsequent semester. In the end, I passed the defense and I was able to turn my thesis into a publication.

[@joshuajohnson3296]

Wow that's smooth; your advisor got your back.

[@my_realm]

I am getting anxiety watching this, yet smiling for my turn next year....

[@AldoMarceloBenitesPalomino]

This just happened to me EXACTLY THE SAME, I was on Thursday looking to schedule my thesis defense... and the only date avaliable was next monday. Life is life...

[@alexchiu8829]

just got the degree this spring, and I can laugh now

[@strahd999]

This struck too close to home. I am so glad those days are over.

[@jcelko]

LOL! When I defended one of my Masters thesis I was working for a state Department of Corrections and I carried a gun. I went and I went into the defense, set up my slides and took off my coat. Since it was a crossover between computer science and mathematics (I have Masters in both), we had one person from the computer science department. One person from the math department and the poor new guy who new faculty that had both disciplines. The older faculty had known me for years (well, decades but that is another story…) And the new guy did not. As I started showing my slides. He turned and saw the handgun on my hip and announced "he passes! And I want you to remember that!" We all got the giggles and I continued my defense. At the end, he followed up with "do not leave the room, I want you to see how I voted!" More laughs At that time, about 10% to 20% of the night students were police officers, FBI, GBI, U known S Military, metro Atlanta police agencies, etc., making it one of the safest campuses in North America. :)

[@Kater123bln]

Why would anyone like to carry a gun? There is no answer to this question that gives me a good feeling.

[@rlburton]

+Joe Celko "The best thesis defense is a good thesis offense."

[@jcelko]

+Rodney Burton LOL!

[@BronzeAgeMan1350]

Damn!

[@lansej0]

TOTALLY RELATABLE

[@Nicole-em7iv]

This film is so well made.

[@absidd]

I love Cecilia's advisor! He's awesome

[@Gabysa1]

i've just buy your movie. Great job guys I really love your video and comic work. Go on that way!!!

[@hansmntfr]

I had to present a project about an np problem to some teachers , one was a mechatronics professor who said: "That looks way to easy how is that hard?"

[@puppetsock]

Secret weapon for PhD candidates. Contact the secretary of the head of the department. Tell him or her which prof is being a dick. Notice that said prof can no longer get meetings with the department head, and that soon after that the problem evaporates like dew on a hot summer morning. You should always stay good friends with all the support staff. They actually run the university. The profs are just decoration.

[@BronzeAgeMan1350]

Agreed. No doubt

[@marishkaaable]

Just finished watching the movie. Loved it.

[@spmallios]

She is a real phd graduate! I thought she was an actress… She is so great at acting!

[@shaonyousuf]

I just went through this last August. I still have nightmares! =(

[@alinabari9968]

It wasn't hard to schedule a viva for me as my supervisor is awesome and he handled it for me BUT the university misplaced my thesis a week before the viva.. took two days to find it after my supervisor yelled at the department handling it and then had my viva the week after, which is an interesting and frustrating story in it self. I suppose every PhD student goes through these experiences across the globe.

[@18amarage]

force professors to see this...

[@repsieximo]

they did the same to me until my defend happened on 9/11 from 9:00 to 11:00 am. it is still to soon to joke about it.

[@denisemendez1063]

+Boom Wow! To defend on 911 while everyone's attention was on the "happenings". I'm so glad you made it through... DOCTOR!!!

[@LironBerisha]

your name is the best thing ever when combined with this story

[@bulletproofbrain8194]

This is amazing!

[@SamanthaSE]

This was both a flash back and a flash foward for me ToT

[@BARUCHIAN99]

My dissertation committee scheduled my final defense in two weeks after my committee chair gave me the thumb up that I successfully completed my final draft of the dissertation manuscript, which took me over six years from start to finish

[@AryiannaL]

I recognize that building. This was definitely filmed at Caltech. 😊

[@COOCHIEnera]

This video makes me anxious

[@NanySofia]

Can I just say.. I (so) feel this right now... T.T

[@jneid6289]

last video i swear . then i go back to physics

[@MargaretSpintz]

this could have been half the length it is

[@samuelokhuegbe6107]

Lol...I wanted to have a good laugh but now i'm over thinking coupled with some anxiety😂

[@krissdbpc]

0:50 Are you thinking what I'm thinking ?... Or am I overworked ? 😂😂

[@MsKassandraKotaku]

Hahaha next year this will be me...hahaha ehehe uhhhh *sobs*

[@Dunewarrior00]

So how'd it go?

[@MsKassandraKotaku]

Dunewarrior00 I'm only at the start of trying to select my committee. I luckily have a few more months, but it is already painful. People I put forward I can't have for administrative reasons, people my supervisor want are never in the country at the right time. It's stressful to say the least.

[@Dunewarrior00]

Kimberly :(. Good luck though!

[@MsKassandraKotaku]

Dunewarrior00 Thanks! :)

[@herbertdaly5190]

So how did it go?

[@MisterTutor2010]

It's only funny because it's true :)

[@philw4025]

This is far too accurate; I would have graduated nearly a full semester earlier had it not been for scheduling the defense around 4 committee members' commitments and then paperwork deadlines.

[@SameerKumar-mr7bl]

This is the time of year when my DC committee meet; I have to be Cecilia for the next couple of days :(

[@yanpangcreatellc]

Lol just had this meeting last semester

[@OfisLab]

big time is coming for me and the trail made me even more nervous, but whatever, it will pass :)

[@musamusa990]

This make me anxious to apply PhD

[@teemum.9023]

Hey, few people get there ever. I was in soc...

[@ThamizhanDaa1]

This can be an advertisement for doodle poll.. haha i just sent a doodle poll to my professors

[@sukantasutradhar6264]

Nice

[@Emerauldy]

And I thought rounding up 3 profs for an oral exam was hard. Are you spying on me, Jorge Cham?

[@sanoiro]

5? We have 7... I don't look forward for that...

[@aswathik1595]

I would like to really know whether the older actors are actually professors or just actors. Coz if they are how did you guys manage to make them agree to act in the movie 😂

[@aidiana7933]

me...this year T.T

[@crliae7270]

Hey I'm trying to subtitle this as a favour to someone who's going to use the extract in a presentation. I'm french, I have no problem with English, but there's one part of a sentence I can't quite make out. When is says "Is ____ available? Because if he is, i'm definitely not." I can't understand what/who's he's talking about. Help ? ^^

[@lacklustermathie]

Is Chu available... Chu is the surname of the girl's (Cecilia) advisor.

[@ImoChan62]

Thanks !! (same person, different account XD)

[@bedoor11]

This represents me! hehe

[@xanthirudha]

hahaha this is my life

[@muhammadzakwanazizi9013]

Her face look alike khalessi from game of throne

[@personzorz]

My Life

[@AnkitCogn]

are you for real asking $5 to watch the full movie? i mean i'm a PhD student!!! oh C'mon

[@brunon.8962]

Why knowledge should be attached to institutions?

[@TheSerialHobbyistGirl]

I'm curious as to why they call it "thesis." This is a PhD movie based in the US where it is called a dissertation. Not criticizing, just curious as to the rationale behind that decision.

[@victorvien]

The Serial Hobbyist Girl PHD thesis is also called a dissertation. but then nothing ever makes sense in academia. what the hell is an assistant professor? who are they assisting?

[@ShikataGaNai100]

Oh, my God...FLASHBACK The difference between ABD and PhD.

[@hadramcoltzau6135]

is getting a Ph.D. harder than a degree in medicine?

[@ThamizhanDaa1]

Depends on what you're getting a phd in

[@JunSian1001]

I watched the movie and I just love it! More hilarious than the 1st one! Look forward to more romance in the PHD MOVIE 3!

[@sinekonata]

1st world problems, nerd sense of humour and unbelievable acting? Count me in...

[@joshuajohnson3296]

Except a PhD is a dissertation and an MA is thesis... this was kind how it was like to schedule my thesis, but I only had 3 committee members!

[@robertnrobretual2749]

😭

[@how-to-do5232]

OMG

[@qusayhamad7243]

hhhhh this video is awesome

[@SNing-eh5ow]

This is making me feel stressed... Gonna go watch some kpop...

[@KonzolConsole]

Piled Higher and Deeper: Still in Grad School (PHD 2 2015) HD torrent letölthető innen: a d . f l y / 1 j c M A 8

[@richc2419]

She is too distracting.

[@lijeff6277]

pretty girl

[@Will_Moffett]

I don't know why youtube keeps recommending me these grad-student-made movies about the tortures of graduate school. There are so many more of these movies then most would guess, so many I would call it a small genre. I don't think one of these movies, which have surprisingly high quality production values, is any better than horridly awful. They utterly lack true creativity or originality. Every scene is predictable after 2 seconds of intro. The music is as if chosen from a spoof stock. This genre is only interesting because how consistently horrible it's products are is fascinating in and of itself. These probably are literally the worst movies every made in history. Are they the worst movies ever made because the subject is the persecution of the most favored class? Or maybe they aren't the most favored class, which we be those claiming inherited wealth.The future PhDs are entitled to sympathy because in order to get into the 1% they have to work hard instead of just inherit wealth? No I don't think it's the absurd premise, that of the persecution of the upper class. I think they are horrible because the type of person who goes into PhD programs, the ultra ultra extra ultra conformist. These people are the walking, breathing antithesis of art. People think of them as the smart people but that's not quite accurate. Of the smart people, some who are ultra conformist go to graduate school. I mean, getting all those A's isn't really about understanding anything, is it? Sure you might have to have some native intelligence to do it, but not much. What you really need is grit, a drive to impress others, and the orientation to do what is asked of you without question. When such people try to make something artistic, this is like a deaf person trying to speak.

[@Dj992Music]

well said.

[@gabrielasofia4816]

As a PhD student, this movie was hilarious. yes, you are right. Not all the brigthest people necessarily follow the academic path. Probably those who want to prove the world they are smart. And yes, it is easy to go to graduate school if you get good grades. However, the pay is so bad in graduate school that I recommend people to think twice before they get into it. Getting a job in industry is enough to be sucessful in life.

[@Will_Moffett]

@@gabrielasofia4816 Your comment caused me to reread my harsh criticism and ask myself did I just have a really bad day that day. So I rewatched the video and I honestly think I was too nice. Thanks for helping me remember that grad student shorts about grad school are the worst movies ever made, in case that question ever comes up. I don't think most grad students want to prove the world they are smart. I think they want to prove to their parents that they are worthy of being loved. Sad, really.