Toxic Academia | Part 7: Semester 4 — something is still off.
It’s Spring 2021, and we are coming to work in the lab in person a few days a week now. Our lab of over 10 girls is buzzing with work and an unspoken bond of female STEM camaraderie. So far, my experience in this mostly female lab has been such a wonderful bubble of friendship and collaboration.
Elizabeth, the newest PhD student and starting her second semester, has been working with me on Project Omega, which includes multiple types of data from the same samples involved with the COVID pandemic. All of my interactions with Elizabeth have been virtual, so we finally meet in person.
A weird scenario
Our lab is mostly computational, and we have two office spaces. Half of us are Office Space #1, and the second half are in Office Space #2, with several desks in each office space. Our PI likes to group us by what kind of research we are doing when it comes to assigned desks. Now that we are working somewhat in person now, our PI assigns Elizabeth to a desk in my office space (Office Space #1), since we are working on Project Omega together and I am instructed to train her. The idea is that being in the same room will make communication a bit easier for our project.
If you read my “Red Flags” blog, you’ll already know that our PI is pretty stern about us coming to work in person. Now that we are getting a handle on the pandemic, the expectations are to come in person minimally twice a week. Personally, I really like this hybrid schedule.
After a few weeks into the spring semester, I notice Elizabeth is no longer sitting at her assigned desk. Maybe she’s coming in on days that I’m not coming in. Normally I don’t pay too much attention to who’s coming in when, but since we are working on Project Omega together, I notice because I don’t have the luxury of communicating with her in person. That’s okay, maybe she gets distracted easily and prefers to work from home when I’m in the lab. One day, I notice Elizabeth has actually taken a desk in the other office space.
Again, maybe I distract her too much? I’m not sure. But what I am sure about is that our PI is very particular certain things, including desk assignments, and he is surprised when he sees Elizabeth has decided to claim another desk without asking permission. He even asked me why she changed desks and chose one in the other room. In the past when students have asked to change desks he has never allowed it, so I’m surprised when he lets her stay there. Maybe she talked with him about it later to justify the switch, it’s really no big deal. Why am I harping on this so much when it’s probably nothing? I’m sure I’m reading too much into it. Keep this story in your back pocket.
A second weird scenario
Our PI has a pet that needs babysitting when he goes out of town, and because his pet is spoiled, he prefers someone to stay at his home to keep his pet comfortable. I’ve house sat for him before, his home and backyard is a nice get away from my small apartment so I’m happy to help. The first time I house sat for him was the summer of my MS, so almost a year prior to this spring semester. Obviously as someone house sitting for him, we exchanged cell phone numbers in case of emergency and to also send pics and updates of his pet.
I was chatting with Elizabeth one time, just about this and that, and I get a pic of our PI’s new car. If you’ve read my previous blogs, you may remember a situation where I jokingly called this car and “old man” car and he threw his keys at me… go back to my “Red Flags” blog post. Apparently that comment really struck a nerve, because he texts me this picture of his new car (it’s pretty by the way, no “old man” car here) and also texts “No teasing!”. Hah, at least we can joke about it now. I show the picture of his new car to Elizabeth and I’m caught off guard when she says “Wow you and XX text? You have his cell phone number?” I explain that we don’t normally text, and I only have his phone number because I had house sat for him previously. She responds “Oh wow, I want to house sit for him!” Um, okay?
Looking back on this conversation, it feels off. Almost like Elizabeth feels jealous that I’ve texted with our PI a total of three separate occasions over the course of 12 months, and that I’ve house sat for him. Again, why am I harping on this so much when it’s probably nothing? I’m sure I’m reading too much into it. Keep this story in your back pocket.
Project Update
Fortunately, Elizabeth and I have managed to make a lot of progress on our pilot project for Project Omega. She’s needed quite a bit of help, but she’s new, everyone starts somewhere. She’ll be taking the capstone coding class next fall semester, so I’m sure after that class she’ll be caught up to speed. We’ve been providing updates to our collaborators in our Co-PI Eileen’s lab, and to my own satisfaction, I’ve been able to develop a pipeline for my own data analyses including something novel and creative that has been received well by everyone. Things are looking good.
XX Rosie Frank
