Hi, I'm Rochelle Poole*, and I recently published a Working Life article in Science Magazine that detailed my experience of bullying during scientific fieldwork. Ask me anything!
Last year, I was working toward a PhD with a focus on predator-prey ecology. What seemed like a dream opportunity, however, quickly devolved into a nightmare as my adviser abruptly shifted field resources, denigrated me to others (in a foreign language he thought I didn't speak), and, when I confronted him told me “I have the power to do this. This is how science works; you are just naïve."
My entire story is this week's Working Life article in Science Magazine, and it details how my experience with this professor and the lack of support systems at my institute prompted me to leave research and change my focus to science communication instead.
I remind myself that leaving research doesn’t mean that I “lost.” I would have lost if I had accepted bullying as a rite in academe and sacrificed my mental health and quality of life. I know that taking on this bully was right for me, and I hope that speaking about my experience will encourage others to stand up for themselves, too. I feel it’s the only way to make academic life more egalitarian.
AAAS is facilitating this AMA as an important aspect in the conversation around making science more accessible and welcoming for everyone.
Have you experienced bullying or harassment? Are you an administrator or a professor who has worked on anti-bullying policies for your institution? I look forward to answering your questions and continuing this important conversation.
*Rochelle Poole is a pseudonym for a scientist who started out on a research track, and now works on science communications.
I’ll be back at noon EST (9 am PST, 6 pm UTC) to answer your questions, ask me anything!
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