Accusations of sexual harassment and assault are rocking the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
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Tewksbury says the allegations and the dialogue he wants to foster are particularly pertinent to field-research stations, where scientists of various ages and levels of seniority both live and work in close proximity. He adds: “There’s a lot of willingness for change, and it’s a time when we can create change faster than we could before. Habits die hard, and sometimes they only die when they have to.”The STRI was already aware of some of the allegations.
Tewksbury says he can’t comment on any ongoing investigations or specific personnel matters. He declines to clarify whether Turner quit the STRI or was dismissed, but says that, in the past, the institute has terminated the employment contracts of people who committed “monumental breaches of the ethics code”.
Crofoot says that she “reached a level of closure” with Leigh years ago, but she thinks that issues at the STRI remain. She says the time and emotional energy that alleged victims have spent trying to get results only adds to their trauma. “This is a huge tax on our professional productivity,” she says. For her part, Batterman estimates that she’s lost three years of work out of the last decade as a direct result of mistreatment.
Dunn helped to craft the 9 December letter to the GPC; the council was set up by Biden in March 2021. The Smithsonian receives two-thirds of its budget from the federal government, and, by charter, the US vice-president sits on the management board. The administration has acknowledged receiving the letter, but has not yet publicly commented on the contents.
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