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Publications: Sexual Harassment in STEMM

Academic Sexual Misconduct Database maintained by J. Libarkin
From the database: The Academic Sexual Misconduct Database was initiated in February 2016. The compilation of these data and the creation of the database is done as part of a program of research. This database includes public cases of academic sexual misconduct, including violation of relationship policies. All cases are based on publicly available documents or media reports, and only cases documented publicly can be included. For now, the database is limited to cases within the United States and its territories.
Further Resources on Sexual Harassment A page of resources compiled by Marie A. Vitulli
Federal #MeToo: Examining Harassment in Government Workplaces, April 1, 2020.
This report published by the US Commission on Civil Rights on April 1, 2020 summarizes an examination of the federal government’s response to workplace sexual harassment, including a review of how the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) has enforced preventative and responsive efforts to sexual harassment. USCCR reviewed the frequency of claims and findings of harassment, resources dedicated to preventing and redressing harassment, and the impact of enforcement efforts. The report finds that about 1 in 7 federal employees experienced sexually harassing behaviors at work between 2016 and 2018.
Reporting Requirements Regarding Findings of Harassment, Sexual Harassment, Other Forms of Harassment, or Sexual Assault, March 3, 2020.
This Final Notice of a new NASA term and condition regarding sexual harassment, other forms of sexual harassment, and sexual assault was published in the Federal Register on March 3, 2020. Institutions of higher education and other organizations that receive NASA funding are now responsible for fully investigating complaints under and for compliance with federal non-discrimination laws, regulations and executive orders.
AAMC Statement on Gender Equity, January 2020.
The Board of Directors of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) endorsed a statement and call to action for leaders in the academic medical commuting to address gender equity at their institutions. More information, resources, and toolkits can be found here.
NASEM Action Collaborative on Preventing Harassment in Higher Education: 2019 Public Summit, November 19 - 20, 2019.
This event sponsored by the National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine was held at the University of Washington, Seattle, WA, on November 19 - 20, 2019. Slides from the lectures and videos from the event can be found at this website.
Announcement of Societies Consortium on Sexual Harassment in STEMM, February 15, 2019.
Leading academic and professional societies have announced their launch of the Societies Consortium on Sexual Harassment in STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine) to advance professional and ethical conduct, climate, and culture across their respective fields. There is a wealth of information and tools on the Consortium website.
500 Women Scientists Page on the NAS Report on Sexual Harassment, June 2019.
NAS Members Approve a Bylaw Amendment to Permit Rescinding Membership, June 2019.
National Academy of Science member approved an amendment to the bylaws that would permit the NAS Council to rescind membership for the most egregious violations to a new Code of Conduct, including for proven cases of sexual harassment.
Change.org 2019. Remove Sexual Harassers from the National Academy of Sciences
Petition started by BethAnn McLaughlin to remove sexual harassers from the NAS.
Action Collaborative on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Higher Education, NASEM 2019.
National Academy of Sciences Code of Conduct, December 2018.
The code includes a complaint process for reviewing alleged violations of the code.
Summary of the National Academy of Sciences Conduct Review Process, December 2018.
AAAS Fellow Revocation Policy, September 2018.
The AAAS Council adopted a Fellow revocation policy on September 15, 2018. This policy will go into effect and revocation requests will be accepted as of October 15, 2018. In the rare case where an elected Fellow no longer meets the Association’s standards of professional ethics and scientific integrity, or otherwise fails to merit the continued status of Fellow, the following set of guidelines and procedures are to be followed to request revocation and for the consideration of the revocation request to revoke an individual’s Fellow status.
Sexual Harassment of Women: Climate, Culture, and Consequences in Academic Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2018.
Sexual Harassment of Women explores the influence of sexual harassment in academia on the career advancement of women in the scientific, technical, and medical workforce. This report reviews the research on the extent to which women in the fields of science, engineering, and medicine are victimized by sexual harassment and examines the existing information on the extent to which sexual harassment in academia negatively impacts the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women pursuing scientific, engineering, technical, and medical careers. It also identifies and analyzes the policies, strategies and practices that have been the most successful in preventing and addressing sexual harassment in these settings. This is a consensus study report by the National Academies of Sciences · Engineering · Medicine.
National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine Report on Sexual Harassment in Science, Engineering and Medicine, June 12, 2018.

NASEM policy on Preventing Discrimination, Harassment, and Bullying: Expectations for Participants in NASEM Activities Updated June 7, 2018.
The Sex Study That Could Alter Our Understanding of Campus Assault Chronicle of Higher Ed, February 9, 2018
Columbia University has this project aimed at changing our understanding of sexual harassment and assault. A link to initial publications on the involved surveys are included.
Is there a culture of denial around sexual misconduct in academia?, Times Higher Education, November 16, 2017.
From the article: “Hollywood and Westminster have been rocked by tales of sexual assault and abuse. Is academia similarly plagued by misuse of power and sexual misconduct? Five scholars offer their views.”
National Academies Study on The Impacts of Sexual Harassment in Academia, 2017.
The study scope will include the following:
- Review of the research on the extent to which women in the fields of science, engineering, and medicine are victimized by sexual harassment on college and university campuses, in research labs and field sites; at hospitals/medical centers; and in other academic environments;
- Examination of existing information on the extent to which sexual harassment in academia negatively impacts the recruitment, retention, and advancement of women pursuing scientific, engineering, technical, and medical careers, with comparative evidence drawn from other sectors, such as the military, government, and the private sector.
- Identification and analysis of policies, strategies and practices that have been the most successful in preventing and addressing sexual harassment in these settings.
For purposes of this study, the definition of sexual harassment includes unwanted sexual advances and requests for sexual favors and other unwelcome conduct that is sexual in nature, as well as those situations in which the work or study environment is made intimidating or offensive as a result of actions that are gender-based and that interfere with an individual’s academic or work performance, opportunities for advancement, and morale. The committee will issue a consensus report at the conclusion of the study.
Workshop and Third Committee Meeting of the National Academies Committee on Impacts of Sexual Harassment in Academia, June 20, 2017
This workshop held in conjunction with the National Academies Study on the Impacts of Sexual Harassment in Academia on the career advancement of women in the scientific, technical, and medical workforce can be attended via webcast. Visit the site for details.
Alleged Harassment by Renowned Researcher Prompts Suit Against Yale, Chronicle of Higher Education, December 2, 2006.

Renowned researcher and National Academy of Medicine member Joseph Schlessinger is accused of sexual harassment by his former secretary. The secretary sued Yale for back pay, benefits, legal fees, and damages.

Stanford surgeon tells all, Science, May 8, 1998.
Book review of Frances Conley’s book Walking Out on the Boys which is an autobiographical account of the clashes between Conley, a female neurosurgeon, and the aggressive male department chiefs at Stanford University’s Medical School in the 1980s and 1990s.
Congress probes charges of harassment at NIH, Science, April 29, 2005.
Peter Aldhous, Virginia Hughes, and Azeen Ghorayshi,University Puts Physicist Lawrence Krause on Paid Leave while It Investigates Sexual Harassment Allegations, BuzzFeed News, March 6, 2018.
Peter Aldhous, Virginia Hughes, and Azeen Ghorayshi, He Became A Celebrity For Putting Science Before God. Now Lawrence Krauss Faces Allegations Of Sexual Misconduct, BuzzFeed News, February 22, 2018.
From the article: Lawrence Krauss is a famous atheist and liberal crusader − and, in certain whisper networks, a well-known problem. With women coming forward alleging sexual harassment, will his “skeptic” fanbase believe the evidence?
Lauren M. Aycock, Zahra Hazari, Eric Brewe, Kathryn B. H. Clancy, Theodore Hodapp, and Renee Michelle Goertzen, Sexual harassment reported by undergraduate female physicists, Phys. Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 15, 010121 – Published 22 April 2019.
A survey of attendees of a conference for undergraduate women in physics revealed that approximately three quarters of survey respondents experienced at least one form of sexual harassment.
Michael Balter, After the accusation, Science, February 12, 2016.
Discussion of sexual harassment in the field of paleoanthropology and the case of Brian Richmond, in particular.
Paul Basken, NSF Requires Reporting of Researchers Who Harass, The Chronicle of Higher Education, February 8, 2018.
The National Science Foundation announced a policy that requires colleges and universities to tell NSF if any NSF-funded researcher has been disciplined for any kind of harassment. The policy does not commit NSF to any specific action when a case is reported but NSF Director France A. Córdova suggested the likelihood of suspensions or terminations of NSF grants.
Julie Beck, ‘ Trouble with girls’: the enduring sexism in science, The Atlantic, June 11, 2015.
From the article: “Nobel Laureate Tim Hunt resigned over inappropriate comments, but such blatant instances of bias are only the most publicized examples of a more pervasive problem.”
Robin E. Bell and Lora S. Koenig, Harassment in science is real, Science, 08 Dec 2017.
Two researchers in geophysical and environmental sciences relate the problems that exist in their field.
Hailey Branson-Potts, Caltech professor resigns after investigation finds he harassed female grad students, Los Angeles Times August 2, 2017.
Caltech astrophysics professor Christian Ott resigns after an internal investigation found him guilty of harassing two female grad students.
Joan Bridges, Is it harassment only if it’s sexual?, The Chronicle of Higher Education, June 1, 2016.
Sarah Brown Colleges Had 3 Months to Overhaul Sexual-Misconduct Polices. Now They're Scrambling, NY Times, August 13, 2020.
Nancy Chi Cantalupo and William KidderA Systematic Look at a Serial Problem: Sexual Harassment of Students by University Faculty, Utah Law Review, 2018, Posted May 22, 2017.
The article review include over 300 cases of sexual harassment and violence in education and the workplace.
Kathryn B. H. Clancy, Lilia M. Cortina, and Anna R. Kirkland, Opinion: Use science to stop sexual harassment in higher education Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, September 15, 2020.
Three members of the NAS who were part of the committee that authored the NAS Report on Sexual Harassment in Academia in 2018 claim that to a large extent the strategies that many higher ed leaders are putting into practice to stop harassment simply do not work.
Daniel Clery, Shining a light on sexual harassment in astronomy, Science, October 23, 2015.
Frances Conley, Walking Out on the Boys, Farrar Straus & Giroux, 1998.
Frances Conley, the first female tenured professor of neurosurgery in the U.S., writes about the treatment of women in the world of academic medicine. Conley resigned from Stanford University&rquo;s Medical School to protest the school’s unabashed gender discrimination.
Laura Crimaldi, BU professor is fired after investigation finds he sexually harassed grad student in Antarctica Boston Globe, April 13, 2019.
Boston University fired tenured geology professor David Marchant after an internal investigation found he violated the school’s sexual harassment policies during expeditions to Antartica in 1997 and from 1999 to 2000.
Colleen Curry, As calls grow for more women in STEM fields, sexual harassment complaints increase, Vice News, February 4, 2016.
Stassa Edwards, Persistent Sexual Harassment is a Primary Reason Women Leave STEM, Jezebel, March 07, 2016.
Lindsay Ellis and Sarah Brown, How a Department Took On the Next Frontier in the #MeToo Movement, Chronicle of Higher Ed, November 09, 2018.
This article reports on the the integrative-biology department at the University of Texas, Austin, responded to sexual harassment complaints.
Thomas Fuller, Sexual Harassment Cases Tarnish Berkeley’s Image as a Center of Social Activism, NY Times, March 24, 2016.
High profile cases in the law school and astronomy department are discussed as well as 16 cases that involved sexual violence.
Gordon B. Feld, Jan Born, Exploiting sleep to modify bad attitudes, Science, May 29, 2015.
Summary: Since the age of enlightenment in the 18th century, liberty and equality have spread across the Western world, leading to a decline in explicit racism and sexism. Nevertheless, the tendency to hold implicit prejudices of race or gender continues to drive discrimination. Indeed, recent news has been filled with reports on the rise of nationalistic groups, excessive police violence against minority group members, persisting unequal pay for women, and sexual harassment all across the developed world. On page 1013 in this issue, Hu et al. show how such unwanted attitudes may be persistently changed by a social counterbias training when the fresh memories of this training are systematically reactivated during sleep after training.
Colleen Flaherty, Zero-Tolerance Mind-set, Inside Higher Ed, August 11, 2017.
Higher ed sees a round of faculty terminations and resignations over allegations of sexual misconduct: Could institutions be cracking down on even big-name professors? The cases of Michael Katze, University of Wisconsin professor of microbiology and Christian Ott, Cal Tech professor of theoretical astrophysics are mentioned.
Caroline Fredrickson, When Will the ‘Harvey Effect’ Reach Academia?, The Atlantic, September 30, 2017.
From the article: “In the hypercompetitive world of higher education, many academics who face sexual harassment remain silent to avoid forfeiting a promotion or research gig.”
Jennifer J. Freyd, How to Talk About Sexual Harassment, Downloadable guide at Lean In.
From the article: “ This guide is designed to facilitate conversation between people who have been sexually harassed and people who want to support them. You can use it with your Lean In Circle, in another small group, or with a partner.”
Jennifer J. Freyd, When sexual assault victims speak out, their institutions often betray them, The Conversation, January 11, 2018.
Cary Funk and Kim Parker, Women and Men in STEM Often at Odds Over Workplace Equity, Pew Research Center, Social & Demographic Trends, January 9, 2018.
Findings from a Pew Research Center study conducted in the summer of 2017, which speak to broader problems across various occupations and industries are presented. More than 4900 workers were polled. About 19 percent of the men said they experienced sexual discrimination at work, versus 50 percent of the women. In certain heavily male-dominated subsets of STEM, 78 percent of the women experienced gender discrimination.
Sara Ganim, Sexual harassment in STEM:‘It’s tragic for society’, CNN, September 30, 2016.
Anne Gibbons, Elizabeth Culotte, Saying no to harassment, Science, April 29, 2016.
Azeen Ghorayshi, Nobody Believed Neil DeGrasse Tyson's First Accuser. Now There Are Three More, BuzzFeed News, December 5, 2018.
From the article: No one believed Tchiya Amet when she said Tyson had raped her in the 1980s. Now, three other women tell BuzzFeed News that he harassed them, including one who’s sharing her story publicly for the first time.
Azeen Ghorayshi, “He Thinks He’s Untouchable”: Sexual Harassment Case Exposes Renowned Ebola Scientist, BuzzFeed News, June 29, 2016.
From the article: Michael Katze, famous for his studies of Ebola and the flu, ran a lab at the University of Washington where intoxication and sexual harassment went unchecked, and where he misused public resources for personal gain, according to two investigations obtained by BuzzFeed News.
Azeen Ghorayshi, He Fell In Love With His Grad Student − Then Fired Her For It, BuzzFeed News, January 12, 2016.
From the article: Christian Ott, a young astrophysics professor at Caltech, engaged in “discriminatory and harassing” behavior toward two female graduate students, a university investigation has found.
Azeen Ghorayshi, Here’s How Geoff Marcy's Sexual Harassment Went On For Decades, BuzzFeed News, November 11, 2015.
From the article: Colleagues looking the other way, dysfunctional sexual harassment policies, and a “culture of quiet” in science enabled Geoff Marcy’s harassment to go on for so long.
Azeen Ghorayshi, Famous Berkeley astronomer violates sexual harassment policies over many years, BuzzFeed News, October 9, 2015.
This article discusses Berkeley astronomer Geoff Marcy’s history of sexual harassment.
Nell Gluckman, What Happens When Sex Harassment Disrupts Victims’ Academic Careers, The Chronicle of Higher Education, December 6, 2017.
Nell Gluckman, How One College Set Out to Fix ‘a Culture of Blatant Sexual Harassment,’ The Chronicle of Higher Education, November 29, 2017.
From the article: “Hundreds of people rallied against sexual harassment at the Berklee College of Music this month. Now the college is trying to repair its culture and emerge as a model for other higher-education institutions and the music industry, where its graduates work.”
Nell Gluckman, Brock Read, and Katherine Mangan, Tracking Higher Ed’s #MeToo Moment: Updates on Sexual Assault and Harassment, The Chronicle of Higher Education, last update on December 9, 2017 (A version of this article appeared in the November 24, 2017 print issue).
From the article: “The #MeToo movement, which has sought to publicize allegations of sexual harassment, has spread through academe.”
Sharona E. Gordon, Excluding scientist survivors from the NASEM Action Collaborative is a step backward in changing culture to prevent sexual harassment, J Gen Physiol. July 1, 2019.
Abstract from the article: By excluding scientist survivors from leadership of the Action Collaborative, the NASEM undermines its goal of positive culture change to reduce sexual harassment.
Zoe Greenberg, What Happens to #MeToo When a Feminist Is the Accused, NY Times, Aug. 13, 2018.
Article about N.Y.U. female professor of German and Comparative Literature Avital Ronnell and the harassment charges brought against her by former grad student Nimrod Reitman.
Emanuella Grinberg, How to make science safer for women, CNN, November 4, 2015.
Astronomers reflect on attitudes toward serial harassment after the resignation of Berkeley astronomer Geoff Marcy.
Matthew Haag, Lawrence Krauss to Retire from Arizona State After Sexual Misconduct Accusations, NY Times October 22, 2018.
Christine Hauser, Science Academy Pushes to Eject Sexual Harassers, NY Times , May 2, 2019.
From the article: The National Academy of Sciences moved this week toward a landmark shift in policy that would allow it for the first time to eject members who have violated its code of conduct, including in cases of sexual harassment.
Amy Harmon, Chicago professor resigns amid sexual misconduct investigation, NY Times, February 3, 2016.
The case against University of Chicago molecular biologist Jason Lieb is discussed.
A. Hope Jahren, She wanted to do her research. He wanted to talk ‘feelings‘, NY Times, March 6, 2016.
Jocelyn Kaiser, Astronomer Geoff Marcy booted from National Academy of sciences in wake of sexual harassment, Science, May 27, 2021.
Geoff Marcy becomes the first member expelled from the National Academy of Sciences after the NAS bylaws were changed in 2019 to allow for expulsions if an employer, funder or other institution documented that the member violated the NAS Code of Conduct.
Sarah Kaplan and Ben Guarino, Half of women in science experience harassment a sweeping new report finds, The Washington Post, June 12, 2018.
The article reports on the study Sexual Harassment in Academic Science, Engineering, and Medicine by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
Karen Kelsky, A Crowdsourced Survey of Sexual Harassment in the Academy, on The Professor Is In, a blog by Karen Kelsky, December 1, 2017.
The link is to a crowdsourced survey on sexual harassment in academia. As of December 11, 2017, there were 1589 reported instances of harassment(see linked spreadsheet).
Donald Kennedy, Academic Duty, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA 1997.
This book by President Emeritus of Stanford University Donald Kennedy explores the implications of academic responsibility and the obligations of the professorship. In the chapter on student mentoring Kennedy speaks about student mentoring and harassment.
Marina Koren, Lawrence Krauss and the Legacy of Harassment in Science, The Atlantic, October 24, 2018.
Kai Kupferschmidt, New Case of Alleged Bullying Rocks the Max Planck Society, Science, 17 Aug 2018.

From the article:Earlier this year, allegations surfaced that Guinevere Kauffmann, a director at the Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics in Garching, Germany, bullied and harassed researchers. Now, Tania Singer, a director at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig, Germany, is facing similar allegations. Singer has denied the charges, but the Max Planck Society (MPG) has acknowledged granting Singer a 1-year sabbatical to "calm things down." In a letter, MPG President Martin Stratmann has raised the question of whether there are structural problems in the society and has announced a special task force to look into the matter.

Tamar Lewin, Handling of Sexual Harassment Case Poses Larger Questions at Yale, NY Times, November 1, 2014.
A sexual harassment complain about former cardiology chief Dr. Michael Simons was conducted under the social media radar for nearly five years. Findings resulted in an 18 month suspension. Simons ultimately resigned his position.
Julie Libarkin, Academic Sexual Misconduct Conduct Database, Initiated in 2016.
Julie Libarkin, a geoscientist at Michigan State University, maintains this database of more than 1,000 incidents of scientists who have been found guilty of sexual harassment. The database is searchable by an individual's name or institution. Evidence presented includes institutional finding, admission on the part of the accused, a settlement by either the accused or the institution was reached with the victim/survivor; documented evidence (usually in form of texts or emails) of sexual misconduct exists; a legal finding of fact was made by a court, with or without legal punishment. There are also links to online articles.
Katherine Mangan, U. of Georgia Math Professor Faces Sexual-Misconduct Actuations From at Least 8 Women, The Chronicle of Higher Education, May 5, 2019.
University of Georgia professor William H. Kazez was put on paid administrative leave in March and was banned from teaching and appearing on campus while complaints of sexual harassment are being investigated.
Katherine Mangan, Here’s What Sexual Harassment Looks Like in Higher Education, The Chronicle of Higher Education, November 16, 2017.
From the article: “Students protest this week against sexual assault and harassment at the Berklee College of Music. Berklee’s president acknowledged on Monday that 11 faculty members have been fired for sexual misconduct in the past 13 years.”
Julia Martinez, What Happened to These 15 Accused Harassers?, The Chronicle of Higher Education, December 11, 2017.
Sheila McMillen, Dirty Old Men on the Faculty, The Chronicle of Higher Education, December 6, 2017 (a version appeared in the December 15, 2017 print issue of the Chronicle).
Jennifer Medina, Sexual Harassment Allegations Wipe a Name Off the Map, NY Times, September 24, 2018.
A glacier formerly named after Antarctic geologist David Marchant was renamed the Matataua Glacier after sexual harassment findings against Marchant.
Jeffrey Mervis, Caltech suspends professor for harassment, Science, January 12, 2016.
The case against Caltech astrophysicist Christian Ott is reported.
Christopher Mele, Nicholas Dirks resigns as chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, NY Times, August 16, 2016.
The chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley, announced his resignation on Tuesday, August 16, 2016, amid criticism over how he had handled sexual harassment cases involving high-profile faculty members and the university’s budget.
Dennis Normille, Women faculty battle Japan’s koza system, Science, February 2, 2001.
Summary: After a hollow court victory last fall [2000], a Japanese researcher is stepping up her fight to improve conditions for women in academia. She and a small band of supporters are setting up a nonprofit organization to tackle the issue of academic harassment, which many women faculty members say has marginalized them at institutions throughout the country. The root of the problem is the hierarchical structure of the "koza" system, in which professors hold near-absolute power over their subordinates.
Dennis Normille, Japanese societies tackle gender issues, Science, October 4, 2002.
Laurel Oldach, Women in science take on sexual harassment, American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Today, September 1, 2018.
Ivan Oransky and Adam Marcus, UCSF settles sexual harassment suit involving star researcher, STAT, October 16, 2018.
UCSF agreed to pay a former postdoc $150,00 after allegations made against Stanton Glantz, director of the UCSF Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education. Glantz and USCF &ldquo:deny and dispute” the allegations.
Rodrigo Pérez Ortega, National Academy of Sciences ejects biologist Francisco Ayala in the wake of sexual harassment findings Science, June 24, 2021.
The U.S. National Academy of Sciences rescinded the membership of Francisco Ayala, effective June 23, 2021, for violation of Section 4 of the NAS Code of Conduct.
Dennis Overbye, Geoffrey Marcy to resign from Berkeley astronomy department, NY Times, October 10, 2015.
Sara Reardon, US science academy leaders approve plan to expel sexual harassers, Nature, April 30, 2019.
The article announces that the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS) is moving ahead with a policy that would allow the academy to expel members who are found guilty of sexual harassment. The article also mentions that Julie Libarkin, a geoscientist at Michigan State University, maintains a database of more than 700 incidents in which scientists have been found guilty of sexual misconduct including six members of the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine.
Frank H. T. Rhodes, Rules of the game, Science, December 5, 1997.
Book review of Stanford President Emeritus Donald Kennedy’s book Academic Duty.
Corey Robin, The Unsexy Truth About the Avital Ronell Scandal, Chronicle of Higher Ed, August 20, 2018.
The Chronicle reviews the case against N.Y.U. female professor of German and comparative literature Avital Ronnell filed by her grad student Nimrod Reitman. The article has a link to the actual lawsuit filed.
Caitlin Roman, Univ. faces harassment lawsuit, Yale News, December 1, 2006.
A former secretary at the Yale School of Medicine sued Yale for monetary damages, charging that the head of the department of pharmacology, Joseph Schlessinger, sexually harassed her throughout her three-year employment and the University did nothing to stop him. Schlessinger was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2005.
Marina Rosenthal and Jennifer J. Freyd, Sexual Violence on Campus: No Evidence that Studies Are Biased Due to Self-Selection, Dignity: A Journal on Sexual Exploitation and Violence 3:1, 2018.
From the article: Abstract: Numerous research studies suggest that at least one in five female college students is sexually assaulted while enrolled. However, many studies exploring sexual violence prevalence on campus use methodology permitting students to self-select into the study based on interest in the topic (i.e., students receive an email offering them the opportunity to participate in a study on sexual violence). Self-selection may bias these prevalence estimates of campus sexual violence. To explore this issue, we surveyed two samples of college women on their experiences of sexual assault. We recruited Sample 1 in a typical way: by emailing a randomly selected subset of students provided by the university registrar and inviting participation with information about the survey topic. We recruited Sample 2 using a human subjects pool where students in introductory psychology and linguistics courses sign up for studies without prior knowledge about the topic of the research they will participate in (hence greatly minimizing the risk of self-selection). The two samples yielded nearly identical victimization rates. Over a quarter of participants in both our samples had experienced sexual contact without consent, consistent with recent research from the Association of American Universities. College victimization estimates do not appear to be biased by self-selection based on knowledge of the survey topic.
Cristine Russell, Why Tim Hunt’s sexist comments were no “joke”, Scientific American, June 15, 2015.
Subtitle: The British Nobel Prize-winner has complained that he's been treated unfairly, but it is the women he insulted that deserve sympathy and support.
Cristine Russell, Confronting Sexual Harassment in Science, Scientific American, October 27, 2017.

Harvard Kennedy School senior fellow Cristine Russell writes about some recent moves by major organizations that may mark a sea change in confronting sexual harassment.

Sarah Scoles, Month by Month, 2016 Cemented Science's Sexual Harassment Problem, Wired, December 29, 2016.
From the article: “This year yielded a lot of front-page stories about celebrity professors breaking bad, but it is also the year scientific societies and policy-influencers decided to try to do something about it. And if the momentum holds, 2017 could be the year they do more than try, as they transform new initiatives, brainstorming sessions, reports, and promises into action and cultural change.”
Stephanie Singer, I Spoke Up Against My Harasser---and Paid a Steep Price, The Chronicle of Higher Education, December 6, 2017.
Stephanie Singer, former tenured faculty member in mathematics at Haverford College, writes about her experiences with sexual harassment.
Savannah Sicurella, UGA math professor investigated for sexual misconduct resigns. The Red & Black, December 5, 2019.
Math professor William Kazez resigned from the University of Georgia and is no longer permitted on campus after finding of sexual misconduct.
Frances Grandy Taylor, Yale Professor Found Guilty of Sexual Harassment, Hartford Courant, November 9, 1996.
A Yale grievance board found Jay Jorgenson, an assistant professor of mathematics, guilty of sexual harassment following revelations that he allegedly had an affair with a freshman in his class.
Giuliana Viglione, The US National Academy of Sciences can now kick out harassers. So why hasn’t it?, Nature, September 21, 2020.
From the article: The NAS told Nature that no one has used the complaint system put in place last year, even though several academy members are known sexual harassers.
Rukmani Vijayaraghavan, Kristy L. Duran, Kelly Ramirez, Jane Zelikova, Emily Lescak, 500 Women Scientists, It’s Time for Science and Academia to Address Sexual Misconduct, Scientific American, December 12, 2017.
From the article:Almost every woman in science has either personally experienced or knows someone who has experienced sexual harassment, racism or assault.
Meredith Wadman, Salk Institute hit with discrimination lawsuit by third female scientist, Science, July 20, 2017.
“Following two gender discrimination lawsuits filed last week, a third senior female professor at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies has similarly sued the storied independent institute in San Diego, California.”
Meredith Wadman, Salk Institute under fire for ‘smear’ on women suing it for discrimination, Science, July 19, 2017.
“Alleging decades of gender discrimination, two senior female scientists last week sued the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, sparking a public relations debacle that has engulfed the venerable institution and could threaten its appeal to donors and new researchers. Leaders of the San Diego, California, research center have strenuously denied the allegations made by biologists Vicki Lundblad and Katherine Jones, and publicly questioned their productivity and the quality of their scientific work.”
Meredith Wadman, Two female scientists sue Salk Institute, alleging discrimination at ‘old boys club’, Science, July 14, 2017.
“Two senior female scientists are suing their employer, the prestigious Salk Institute for Biological Studies, alleging pervasive, long-standing gender discrimination. The independent institute, in San Diego, California, was founded by polio vaccine pioneer Jonas Salk 57 years ago.”
Meredith Wadman, Leaked documents expose long-standing gender tensions at Salk Institute, Science, August 23, 2017.
“Senior female faculty at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies raise more than twice as much in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding for scientists working in their labs as their male counterparts, according to a 2016 internal report on "faculty issues" requested by leaders of the San Diego, California, institution. Yet Salk leaders favored male scientists by granting them greater access to internal funds and other resources, the report implies, echoing gender discrimination lawsuits filed last month against the research center.”
Meredith Wadman, Disturbing allegations of sexual harassment in Antarctica leveled at noted scientist Science, October 6, 2017.

This article discusses Boston University's investigation of charges of sexual harassment against prominent Antarctic geologist David Marchant, made by two of his former graduate students.

Meredith Wadman, University of Rochester president resigns as outside attorney issues report on sexual harassment case, Science, January 11, 2018.
Meredith Wadman, Rochester roiled by fallout from sexual harassment case, Science, January 19, 2018.
Meredith Wadman, Boston University fires geologist found to have harassed women in Antarctica, Science, April 12, 2019.
On April 12, 2019 Boston University fired David Marchant following an investigation launched after former graduate student Jane Willenbring filed a complaint to BU’s Title IX office about Marchant’s behavior toward her in Antartica at the turn of the century. Earlier a faculty hearing committee recommended that Marchant be suspended for 3 years without pay and prohibited him from leading Antartica expeditions. However BU President Robert Brown overruled the Hearing Committee and recommended termination. The Board of Trustees accepted Brown's recommendation.
Meredith Wadman, Famed cancer biologist sexually assaulted women for decades, Science, April 26, 2018.
Eight women accuse prominent geneticist and cancer scientist Inder Vermer of sexual harassment from 1976 to 2016. Verma spent his career at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in San Diego, California. Verma was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1997 and was editor-in-chief of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) from 2011 to 2018, He stepped down after being name in a gender discrimination lawsuit against the Salk Institute.
Meredith Wadman, Prominent geneticist out at UC Irvine after harassment finding, Science, June 29, 2018.
Famed evolutionary biologist Francisco has resigned from the University of California, Irvine, effective July 1, 2018.
Meredith Wadman, Report details harassment by famed biologist, Science, July 27, 2018.
An investigative report by the University of California at Irvine, concluded that prominent evolutionary geneticist Francisco Ayala had a pattern of sexually harassing behavior toward women. The report triggered the ouster of Ayala from UC Irvine. A link to the report originally appeared in the article but was taken down.
Meredith Wadman, World's largest general science society OKs stripping honor from scientists found to be sexual harassers, Science, September 18, 2018.
The governing council of AAAS unanimously adopted a policy on sexual harassment and other misconduct by scientists who have been elected as AAAS fellows. Starting on October 15, 2018, fellows who have been proved to have violated professional ethics including sexual harassment may be stripped of the fellow designation. AAAS Fellows who have been sanctioned for sexual harassment or misconduct include Francisco Ayala, formerly of the University of California, Irvine; Thomas Jessell, formerly of Columbia University; Lawrence Krauss of Arizona State University’s Tempe campus; and Inder Verma, formerly of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in San Diego, California. As of October 1, 2020 all of these scientists are listed in the AAAS database of AAAS fellows. Jessell passed away on April 28, 2019.
Meredith Wadman, AAAS adopts new policy for ejecting harassers, Science. 361 (6408): 1165.
Meredith Wadman, National academy may eject two famous scientists for sexual harassment, Science, April 13, 2021.
The National Academy of Sciences is adjudicating complaints filed by computational chemist François-Xavier Coudert against astronomer Geoffrey Marcy and evolutionary biologist Francisco Ayala. Coudert also filed charges against information theorist Sergio Verdú and cancer biologist Inder Verma. The NAS could not move forward on the case against Verma because his former employer, the Salk Institute kept their findings of sexual harassment under wraps. Action on the case against Verdú is being deferred pending the outcome of a lawsuit Verdú filed against his former employer, Princeton. The NAS has received a complaint against a fifth scientist for findings of sexual harassment; his name is not divulged in the current article. Others, including the author of this website, have filed complaints against these scientists.
Julie Walters, Connie L. McNeely, Recasting Title IX: Addressing Gender Equity in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Professoriate, Review of Policy Research, May 11, 2010.
Abstract: Questions of gender equity and the underrepresentation of women in the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professoriate in U.S. institutions of higher education have become central issues in debates on the role and makeup of the STEM workforce in today's innovation-driven economy. In response, policy makers, advocacy groups, academics, and other stakeholders have called for the dedicated enforcement of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 as a tool for combating gender inequities in the academic workforce. Although previously applied primarily to gender bias in athletic programs and participation, Title IX was created to address myriad aspects of gender equity in educational institutions and, as such, currently is being invoked in the realm of STEM academic employment. Accordingly, we analyze Title IX relative to categories of potential regulatory development in light of the policy environment and related dynamics. Providing an historical overview of Title IX and its associated regulations as background, we characterize and delineate its relevance to gender disparities in the STEM professoriate, identifying areas for policy consideration and future application.
Vivian Wang, Sexual Harassment Charges Roil Elite University Department, NY Times, September 15, 2017.
Charges of retaliation have been brought against the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at the University of Rochester, an elite private college in upstate NY.
Laura Waxmann, UCSF professor faces second sexual harassment lawsuit, San Francisco Examiner, March 28, 2018.
A second woman filed a lawsuit against USCF professor and prominent tobacco control activist Dr. Stanton Glantz.
Joan C. Williams and Kate Massinger, How women are harassed out of science, The Atlantic, July 25, 2016.
From the article: “A 2015 report that one of us co-authored found that one in three women science professors surveyed reported sexual harassment. There’s been a lot of talk about how to keep women in the STEM pipeline, but it fails to make a crucial connection: One reason the pipeline leaks is that women are harassed out of science. And sexual harassment is just the beginning ”
Joan C. Williams, Katherine W. Phillips, and Erika V. Hall, Double Jeopardy? Gender Bias Against Women of Color in Science, Report from UC Hastings College of the Law, 2014.
The authors interviewed 60 scientists for this study; every one of them reported encountering one or more of the patterns of gender bias discussed in this report.
Alexandra Witze, Berkeley astronomer in sexual harassment case to resign, Nature, October 14, 2015
Astronomer Geoffrey Marcy steps down from his tenured position at University of California, Berkeley, after a university investigation found that he sexually harassed multiple women students between 2001 and 2010. Marcy also quit the $100 million dollar hunt for extraterrestrial life.
Alexandra Witze, Berkeley releases report on astronomer sexual-harassment case, Nature, December 19, 2015, Updated: December 23, 2015.
From the article: “University also reveals internal correspondence and other documents related to complaints against former professor Geoffrey Marcy.”
Bernard Wood, Zero tolerance. Period, Science, October 30, 2015.
Summary: Earlier this month, famed astronomer Geoff Marcy's sexual harassment of female students was exposed. He has since resigned from the University of California, Berkeley, in the face of concerted pressure from peers and students. It is unconscionable for someone to use academic power to be a sexual predator, but the reality is that Marcy operated in an academic culture that turned a blind eye to such behavior.
Sarah Zhang, A New Twist in the fight against sexism in science, Wired, October 19, 2015.
Sarah Zhang, Rep Jackie Speier on why she’s taking on sexual harassment in science, Wired, January 13, 2016.
Discussion of Jackie Speier’s determination to craft legislation that would first require that any investigation at one university where the professor either resigns or is fired, that information would follow them.