Max Planck Society: With a Law Firm Against Moral Harassment

Unfounded harbadment, personal insults and threats: Young researchers told SPIEGEL at the beginning of the year how they had been harbaded by professors of a renowned institute of Max Planck. At that time, the Max Planck Society confirmed that there were "leadership deficits" in the department of a professor. The scientist, director of the Max Planck Institute of Astrophysics (MPA), then took part in a coaching and was accompanied by professional life.

According to the SPIEGEL article also have "Buzz Feed" and "Nature" on intimidation reported to the MPA. According to Christina Beck, spokesperson for the Max Planck Society (MPG), the professor now only looks after two postdocs and a PhD student, "a mini-group".

But the problem is deeper: many young scientists do not dare to turn problems into internal touch points – the fear of ruining one's own career when he criticizes his own caregiver is too great.

This has now acknowledged the MPG and taken further steps to clarify allegations of intimidation and allegations of badual harbadment. A law firm should serve as a point of contact for young scientists. "The people involved can turn to the firm while maintaining absolute confidentiality and the law firm will not disclose the names of MPG," Beck told SPIEGEL

After the publication of the SPIEGEL article, employees interviewed PhD students and postdocs from the institute. About half of the 115 young researchers participated in the survey. Now the results are available: Although the majority is satisfied with the scientific environment (61%) and the social situation (70%) at the institute, three young scientists have reported being victims of # 39; intimidation. Victims of abuse, mistrust and discrimination, as well as unwanted physical contact.

Three-quarters of respondents are also dissatisfied with the MPA response to SPIEGEL's article and would like other measures to combat bullying and badual harbadment. Participants hope that incidents will be reviewed, that they want more transparency and a public statement about the incidents.

They want supervisors to take mandatory educational courses and all employees receive training on how to recognize and combat badual harbadment. A scientist told SPIEGEL that the situation at the institute was very tense. Many were disappointed that the director did not apologize for their behavior and that no consequences were drawn.

"Nobody wanted to help"

Andreea Scacioc is also very interested in the fact that the Max Planck Society is finally doing something against bullying. Scacioc was the spokesperson for the PhDnet MGP PhD student in 2014. She told SPIEGEL that she had then worked for a doctoral student who had first been harbaded by the professor and then finished with a two weeks notice. "I followed all the complaint instances with him, but nobody wanted to help him." Although he initially received the offer to do his PhD in a nearby institute, the supervisor in charge withdrew the offer, apparently because he did not want to play with the directors of the MPA. "

The MPG was then informed of the case However, the spokesperson contradicts: five years ago, the PhDnet would not have denounced intimidation, but only the unfair payment foreign PhD students and postdoctoral fellows

displease for the fa Who the MPG With the allegations of avoiding air, Scacioc has created a website called "Academia Leaks". There, she blogs about her experiences as a spokesperson for PhD students and makes suggestions on how to defend herself against bullying. "It's amazing how the Max Planck Society reacts to the allegations, and instead of opposing it, it puts all its power to cover them."

Scacioc is now working at another prestigious research institute. She resigned at the Max Planck Institute, where she was working because she was working 100%, but was only receiving 65% job pay. She received her certificate of employment more than a year later.