Astronomy
- Making Our Workplace A Place Of... Work
I have been thinking recently on how different my perception of my workplace is from the one experienced by many of my junior colleagues who are women. For myself and (I think) most of my senior male colleagues, the Observatory is exclusively a place...
- A Culture Of Silence
This week the Astronomy community was rocked by the news that Geoff Marcy was found to have violated campus sexual harassment policies after a six-month investigation by Berkeley's Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination....
- My Response To ?bothered? From The Science Magazine Career Advice Section
On June 1st, a postdoctoral fellow wrote in to Science Magazine?s Career Advice Editor to ask for help with an issue she is having in her lab. Her advisor has been looking down her shirt when she meets with him in his office, and she was upset by the...
- Advice: Responding To Workplace (and Other) Bullies
As previous blog entries have discussed, bullying behavior is a vexing problem in academic communities as it is in other environments. Often bullying is an abuse of power, and the most vulnerable are those with the least power. Conversely,...
- Stop Sexual Assault And Violence
American women and men in astronomy are generally safe against personal violence. However, sexual harassment, assault and other forms of misconduct are a continuing problem for men and women, especially against women. Moreover, our sisters elsewhere are...
Astronomy
Guest post by Debra Fischer: Harassment hiding in plain sight
Today's guest post is by Debra Fischer, a Professor of Astronomy and head of the exoplanets group at Yale University.
We?ve all been witnessing the embarrassing charges of sexual harassment by San Diego mayor, Bob Filner. As the number of women coming forward continued to increase, it seemed surprising that this could have gone on for so long. However, the women subjected to his predatory behavior were generally subordinates or emotionally compromised; they were not on equal footing with this man. They may not have even realized that this was a pattern of misconduct rather than a particular, and perhaps flattering interest in them. Bob Filner?s behavior was egregious and should have been easy to recognize ? yet it was years before he was exposed.
Fortunately, sexual predators are rare. The problem is that these individuals can also be difficult to recognize. The offenders can be charismatic and may well have high social IQ?s, even though their behavior is actually manipulative and sociopathic. They hide in plain sight in either large or small departments because their behavior is not directed toward their peers ? it is directed toward those who would find it difficult to come forth or who might lack credibility.
Students, postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty can all be vulnerable targets if inappropriate attentions come from someone who is in power. The conundrum is that networking is a critically important part of carrying out the business of science. The vast majority of leaders in our field are activists who try to seek out and encourage new talent and this recognition of your talent is an affirmation that you are an emerging scientist and a valued colleague. However, if the attention begins to feel too flattering or if you are the target of inappropriate behavior, it is in your best interest to find the ear of someone you trust. If multiple allegations of misconduct begin to pile up, departments should see this as a red flag for behavior that is detrimental to a vibrant academic climate.
- Making Our Workplace A Place Of... Work
I have been thinking recently on how different my perception of my workplace is from the one experienced by many of my junior colleagues who are women. For myself and (I think) most of my senior male colleagues, the Observatory is exclusively a place...
- A Culture Of Silence
This week the Astronomy community was rocked by the news that Geoff Marcy was found to have violated campus sexual harassment policies after a six-month investigation by Berkeley's Office for the Prevention of Harassment and Discrimination....
- My Response To ?bothered? From The Science Magazine Career Advice Section
On June 1st, a postdoctoral fellow wrote in to Science Magazine?s Career Advice Editor to ask for help with an issue she is having in her lab. Her advisor has been looking down her shirt when she meets with him in his office, and she was upset by the...
- Advice: Responding To Workplace (and Other) Bullies
As previous blog entries have discussed, bullying behavior is a vexing problem in academic communities as it is in other environments. Often bullying is an abuse of power, and the most vulnerable are those with the least power. Conversely,...
- Stop Sexual Assault And Violence
American women and men in astronomy are generally safe against personal violence. However, sexual harassment, assault and other forms of misconduct are a continuing problem for men and women, especially against women. Moreover, our sisters elsewhere are...