Bullying as a pervasive problem in science research
Frank Gannon, in his October editorial for EMBO Reports (9, 937; 2008) identifies bullying as a pervasive problem in academic research, which scientists seem to accept "without further comment or disapproval as though it were a normal part of life." From bullying of junior scientists (PhD students) or of peers, to defending accusations of dishonesty, Gannon provides a host of situations in which he believes this behaviour is rampant. He writes: "the reaction of some scientists when their grant application or submission is rejected can be downright disgraceful. If they know that they are dealing with more junior people, they will emphasize that they are the expert and that the decision should not rest with 'some ignorant editor' who is not a 'real scientist' anyway. They will ridicule the referees who critically analysed their work; they will persist, bully and coerce until they get beyond the initial rejection."...
..."I might be exaggerating the extent and seriousness of bullying in academic science, but its existence is undeniable. Science certainly needs a degree of competition and is genuinely driven by the incentive to be the first to discover; we are a competitive species after all. Nonetheless, we should consider the damage we inflict on one another and on research itself if we tolerate bullying. Academic science needs all types of characters; not only the dominant and aggressive ones, but also the pensive and quiet workers. More importantly, scientific research flourishes best in an environment characterized by mutual respect, tolerance and support, and where bullying has no place."
