I am a PhD candidate and I have been offered an internship that I want to take. My advisor objects. Should I take it anyway? I am a PhD candidate in computer engineering. I've just finished my 2nd year. I finished all courses and passed the comprehensive exam. Currently working in a nice research project in collaboration with a big company but I haven't published yet.
I applied and got accepted into a one-year-long internship at the same company (20 hours a week) in the very same topic. I see it as a great opportunity because I want to work in the industry after my PhD and the internship fits perfectly with my research and thesis. But my supervisor disagrees with me and doesn't want me to take it. He thinks that it will compromise my PhD and told me if I take it, that will be at my own risk.
What should I consider when making this decision? How should I weigh this opportunity against my supervisor's advice?
Make a decision. Do you want a PhD or not. If you do, then make that the priority. Such opportunities as the internship will probably come along later. The doctorate would probably be harder to restart if you stumble.
Your advisor is giving good advice provided that the PhD is what you want.
Slowing down your research may get you scooped before you complete it, requiring at least a partial restart. Why take a chance.