HELP!… Authorship

[cafe_lungo]

Hi there,

 

I am not sure if there are any postdocs following gradcafe?  I have been struggling with this issue for quite some time now (3 years), I am desperate, frustrated and thinking about quitting my job.

 

I have been working as a postdoc with an international Professor for about 3 years now. Ever since I started she hasn't allowed me to publish ANYTHING as first author. Everytime I bring it up she either threatens to fire me or tells me that the order does not mater in academia. I have attended several orientations regarding authorship and I know it does matter.

The situation is the following: Everytime I come up with an idea, I do all the work to get results. The other scenario is that I am working/ collaborating on some project with other departments and doing all the work. Once she sees that it is in fact something interesting, without telling me she would start writting a paper about it and then just tell me to write the abstract. Meaning that she is the 1st author and I could be maybe co-author… Ah! and if I dare to say anything about it the answer is: "if you don't like it that's the door". Really?? I have already been told this twice and it is just too much and such poor judgement on her part.

 

I am sick and tired of her doing this over and over and me getting threaten to get fired every single time I bring it up. Is this normal? Does anyone know what can I do about it? I am trying to get out of here and away from her. I have applied for Assistant Professor positions, but the first thing they tell me is that I don't have enough publications… of course I don't, because I can't!

Should I address this with the head of the department? I thought about doing so but I think I would come off as problematic and they might just take her side since she is a full Prof. I feel that this anger towards him is giving me at least an ulcer or something. 

 

Please advise me if there is anything I can do besides meditation (hehe). I would really appreciate any suggestions.

 

Thank you!

 

 

[fuzzylogician]

I'm not a postdoc but I don't think that really matters for what I have to say -- what you describe sounds like inappropriate behavior on the part of your PI. As you say, in terms of being competitive for jobs, you really need these publications. And in terms of the work, it sounds like you deserve the first authorship. The fact that authorship is not discussed at the appropriate time (at the beginning of the project), that it's effectively taken from you in this backhanded way, that your advisor is not letting you get the experience and credentials you need (and deserve!) and that she is threatening you in case you complain, all don't sound good. I worry that with this kind of relationship with your advisor, you also can't expect a very strong letter from her for job applications. What's sure, though, is that if you get into a head-on clash with your advisor, it'll hurt your letter. 

 

I think this is something you need to address because something needs to change. If you have a trusted professor or other mentor in the department, you could try and consult them about the best course of action in your department. Otherwise, I might seek the advice of an ombudsperson before I file any official complaint with the department. The crucial question is how you might expect the department head to treat your complaint; if this professor is tenured (and it sounds like she is) then she will stay long after you leave and everyone needs to get along. This is probably not the first time this has happened either. They may choose to sacrifice you in order to maintain a good relationship with her. I'd watch my step there. 

[summoner]

The fact that she threatens to fire you is a terrible sign.  Is this all verbally?  It would be best if you have something on email or voicemail that provides evidence should you go to your department or the institution.

[threading_the_neidl]

As a professor and your PI, I'm confused why she isn't sitting happily with senior authorship. Three years is about the time when I would cut off a postdoc, publication or not, and it sounds like a seriously dysfunctional environment, anyway. Maybe it's best now to cut your losses. Start looking for another position. Don't make a big deal out of it. Post-docs are regularly 2-3 years, so there shouldn't be anything negative about this.

[Trilobite]

At the very least, cut off the flow of valuable info. Secretively accumulate research and ideas to publish later. Get out of there as soon as possible.

 

Reporting her for this abhorrent behaviour could be beneficial or backfire, and remember that most people who have worked with her (such as faculty, department heads) will know she is scum unless she hides it well with superiors and other profs. Keep in mind that people such as your PI have personality disorders, and involving higher authorities could make them more destructive (i.e., spreading misinformation about you to damage your reputation in the academic community).

 

As much as justice would be nice, sometimes it is just easier to stay polite, quiet, and plan an exit strategy that is most beneficial to you (such as keeping all new research to yourself). I've been through this with a collaborator who tried to churn out drafts first so that he would be 1st author.

 

Best of luck

Edited March 2, 2014 by Trilobite

[soylatte5]

this authorship business is ridiculous and there should be more protective measures in place for subordinates..if only EVERYONE was ethical in this world!!

 

i was almost burned once but luckily my advisor was logical enough to understand my argument for why i should be first author - i literally did all of the work. 

 

authorship really is important, especially if you plan on staying in academia. as others have mentioned, i would suggest speaking with someone you trust on your campus/department and get their advice on the matter. if you don't have anything about authorship in writing, i would probably bring a cell phone/voice recorder the next time you discuss authorship to have your conversation on record in case you need it for future purposes (such as bringing the matter to an ethics committee or department head). the research world really is a small world and you'll eventually run into people again at some point in your career if you continue to do research in the same topic area, so it would be a smart move to maintain a cordial relationship unless you know for sure that reporting this PI will actually lead to real consequences or you will probably suffer more repercussions. 

 

best of luck securing a different position! i suggest screening out people you'll be working with in the future to avoid crappy situations like this.

Edited March 4, 2014 by soylatte5

[Maverickvessel]

I would like to share a story. My supervisor in China's best university is a man who cannot even READ English paper. I wrote one with a corresponding author who was in GIT and we published the paper in one of the best journals in my field. I finished the writing and the co-author in GIT  helped me to polish it. But finally my supervisor in China took the first author. 

 

I applied another PHD program in the US and CA and now I am waiting. Luckily, my co-author as referee explained my work and authorship in his letter. Hope I would be accepted and leave China for a just normal place.

[Scat Detector]

Policies and Procedures also known as P&P's: They dictate bureaucracy. I've found myself in many hairy bureaucratic situations for reasons beyond my control due to my demographic membership.

I've seen it ALL, almost. As others stated be secretive with new research and keep them to yourself pursuing them under cover, so to speak.

Find a new place of research to call home first and THEN file a complaint. DEFINITELY make noise make sure there's a record of the misconduct with the school because she's only going to do it to everyone who crosses her path after you.

Play nice and get your good reference letter exiting on good terms as someone mentioned but once you have a new place do what you can to hold accountability as high as possible.

I feel like I could write a book on policies and procedures in the university system. I'm too familiar with this stuff. Some universities are all too eager to shove it underbthe rug and forget about it. Some universities have an impartial investigation by HR and not by the all to biased dept chair favoring their tenure faculty. Some (even HR, and then office of the university president) will be quick to threat to fire you if you "rock the boat."

When filing a formal complaint, always include recommended action that you are requesting. As a tenure she is required to sit on committees and then sort putting in a certain number of administrative hours to contribute to. These hours also can be accounted for when faculty attend "professional development" courses and seminars. This can take the form of sensitivity training, ethics in research ethics in academia.

Its like traffic school for academia lol.

it sounds like she needs to learn ethical conduct.

[irinanj1]

It seems that in European universities, taking the authorship away from students is all too common. 

 

My daughter (currently graduating with BA from U. of Cambridge) just completed her research project and while writing her report came up with with a novel interpretation of the results.  After her PI and several other people commented on how interesting her interpretation was, she asked if they could publish this work.  Her PI suggested a few conferences but said that he cannot support her travel.  My daughter has chosen a conference, filled up the paperwork, paid some fees, etc, and then sent an abstract for the PI to review before submission.  He returned the abstract with some edits, and also put his graduate student as the first author--which for that particular conference also means the person who would be presenting the work.  When my daughter said that she would like to be the one presenting her ideas (not even mentioning the fact that she was the one paying membership and submission fees out of pocket), he said that his lab is too important to allow an undergraduate to present.

 

I am still trying to find a benign explanation for this, but I'm failing.

Edited May 5, 2014 by irinanj1

[Igotnothin]

I strongly recommend taking action against this professor as soon as you secure your next job. There is no place for this behavior in academia. It's dishonest, selfish, and damaging to young researchers. If you are polite and do not take any action, the next person who works with the PI will have the same problems you are currently having. Good luck!