Question

The graduate students, post-docs, and professor in your research group have spent the past week brainstorming ideas for a major new proposal to submit to the National Science Foundation. After much discussion, the professor selects Sally’s idea to be the core of the proposal, and invites John to be Co-PI with him, and to take the lead in coordinating preparation of the proposal. Both Sally and John are senior post-docs in the lab. It is a real honor and a career advantage to be a PI early in one’s career. By offering one of his post-docs the opportunity to be Co-PI and work with him on preparing the grant, the professor is helping launch the postdoc’s career. The issue is, why didn’t the professor offer this opportunity to Sally, since the core idea in the proposal was hers?



Question: In considering this scenario, how should the different students and post-docs respond to this decision by the professor?

Answer 1

Postdocs are quite dependent on their advisors for future career success.  The decision by the professor as presented above is biased and unethical.  This is a situation in which an ethical response by John, even though it involves risk would be essential.  Sally should try to talk to John and convince him to behave ethically, and speak with their professor.  If that does not work, consulting with a trusted faculty member who could talk to the professor about her concerns could be an option.