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jtn_11

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    Beware Northwestern University

    in Chemistry Forum

    Posted

    On 3/15/2022 at 9:15 PM, NotWesternUniversity said:

    Northwestern Chemistry is hosting recruiting events shortly and I think it is imperative that prospective students are aware of issues within the department before they decide where they will attend. During recruiting events, students are typically under a lot of pressure from their advisors to recruit students. Some faculty even threaten to prevent their current students from graduating if they do not recruit enough new students. This means that students will generally only provide the positive aspects of their group or PI, or outright lie. This year especially Northwestern Chemistry has limited graduate student interactions with prospective students (kept many students from participating) to the point that they don’t have enough volunteers to keep the process moving smoothly. The following is a list of issues that I have heard in the Northwestern Chemistry community.

     

    Northwestern does not provide additional stipend to those with outside funding like NSF fellowship. Competing universities provide this additional funding. In addition, despite making substantial gains to the endowment, the stipend has not increased to match inflation. In a recent meeting with the department, the department Chair asked if anyone had questions then ignored students who clearly raised their hands and did not take any questions at all. The general disrespect for the time, happiness, safety, and dignity of the graduate students is clear both from the departmental level and from the professors. 

     

    Professors frequently lie to prospective students about their funding situation. During recruiting events, professors often tell students that they will be funded as a research assistant if they were to join their labs. After joining, students will be forced to teach every quarter. In addition, multiple students were forced out of the program recently because their professor didn’t try to reapply for the grant they were working on. 

     

    Some professors lie about expected graduation times or expectations. There are numerous faculty that have been known to keep students for about or greater than 7 years. Sometimes this can be viewed on their respective website, however some professors have not updated their website in several years. There are numerous examples of students having their PI sign agreements regarding graduation requirements due to the constant shifting of goal posts and unenforceable verbal agreements.

     

    Policies involving bullying, sexual harassment, racism, sexism, retaliation or civility are not enforced on faculty. This has resulted in numerous lawsuits against Northwestern University. Northwestern’s response to these issues has been to deny, downplay, and dismiss.

     

    During a visit weekend in 2018, an intoxicated faculty member began to inappropriately touch prospective female students in front of a large number of witnesses. Despite numerous complaints to the chemistry department chair, no investigation was conducted, and their only action was removing alcohol from visit weekend events. Practically no students have joined this professor's lab as a result of this behavior. Prior to this incident, there were numerous allegations that this faculty member groped students at his house parties, Northwestern responded by banning him from hosting parties at his residence. 

     

    Faculty members frequently retaliate by kicking out students when they raise complaints or engage in protected activities. A student in one particular lab complained about lab safety to ORS and OSHA. When investigated, it was found that the lab had numerous mercury spills which were so severe Northwestern hired a third party to clean it. Shock-sensitive explosive crystalline peroxides were simply pushed to the back of fume hoods that are frequently in use. Our waste management contractors picked up the bottles wearing full kevlar suits. Immediately following this, the professor in charge of the lab removed a student who he believed made the complaint.

     

    Northwestern has recently had numerous severe laboratory safety incidents, such as, a fire that left a student in a burn ward for a month (https://chicago.cbslocal.com/2020/09/07/northwestern-grad-student-injured-in-fire-brought-on-by-lab-accident/). A few years ago, a janitor was severely injured handling glass waste containers, prompting the Chemistry department to opt for open 5 gallon buckets instead of closed cardboard glass waste containers, for glass waste disposal, increasing the risk of students lacerating themselves on the waste containers

     

    There are two types of professors at Northwestern, those that yell, scream and gaslight, and those that do not care or do anything. Some professors frequently yell at students in their offices, it’s not uncommon to see distressed students coming out of meeting rooms or professor’s offices. Some faculty are unable to retain students, there are examples of professors with under 5 lab members due to their conduct. 

     

     

    Insane tea

    University of Washington chemistry PhD

    in Decisions, Decisions

    Posted

    On 3/27/2022 at 1:22 AM, thegreatkabob said:

    I am thinking about going to the University of Washington for my PhD in Chemistry and was wondering if anyone had any insight on what they think about the program/seattle area in general?

    for reference, i am planning on joining the chem bio track

    Their Inorganic Program is spectacular but Seattle is very expensive to live and it is a great university overall. But their investment in analytical and inorganic is far superb. I do not know about chem bio.

    Help Need Regarding progress of BU Chemistry PhD application

    in Chemistry Forum

    Posted

    On 3/14/2022 at 8:47 AM, camron said:

    I've had an unusual experience regarding my application to Boston University for their chemistry PhD program. I did not receive any information about the status of my application till mid February, when a PI of my interest contacted me asking for a Skype interview. They never followed up on my reply though, even after a reminder, and so I never had that Skype interview. Then at the end of February I got an email from the grad office saying I was on a small waitlist, stating that they could only make a limited number of initial offers and that they didn't have space for me in that initial round, chatrooms hence the waitlist. I responded to that waitlist email basically saying thank you and that I look forward to the result.omegle

    So my three questions:

    1) Is it worrying that the PI never had the Skype call?

    1) Is the waitlist email a standard boilerplate response?

    2) What would my chances be of getting through the waitlist? BU is very high up on my priority list of universities.

    3) Is there anything else I should do, or just wait till the 15 April deadline and see what happens?

    Btw, I'm an international student, if that would be of any relevance.

    Most of the time, it can mean a waitlist. But I would wait until April 15th to have an idea on who accepted you and denied you.

    2022 Chemistry Admissions Cycle Thread

    in Chemistry Forum

    Posted

    On 3/15/2022 at 9:52 AM, ilsc said:

    If I still haven't heard back from schools at this point (UIUC, UF, GTech) should I just assume it is a rejection? I want to accept an offer so I can begin looking for housing but I'm still "awaiting decision" to my top choice. 

    Most likely yes I wait until April 10th so you know exactly what is up

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