#MeTooSTEM
Lane Turner, The Boston Globe, Getty Images

This Scientist Was the Architect of #MeTooSTEM. Now Others Are Fighting to Save Her Job.

Posted by Women in STEM Editorial Board

Over the past two weeks, scientists nationwide have rallied behind a Vanderbilt University professor and prominent anti-harassment activist who is fighting to reverse her tenure denial.

BethAnn McLaughlin, an assistant professor of neurology and pharmacology at Vanderbilt's medical center, has become widely known over the past nine months as the architect of #MeTooSTEM, which began as a website and social-media community where people could tell their stories of experiencing harassment in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields. It's now a nonprofit organization.

But as McLaughlin was battling misconduct in science, she was embroiled in a battle on her own campus. Her tenure case at Vanderbilt has stretched on for more than four years. For 17 months, the process was frozen as her social-media activity was investigated. That review, she said, had its roots in retaliation. A colleague had filed a false complaint against her, she said, after she served as a witness in an investigation into his alleged misconduct.

To read the full article by Sarah Brown, visit The Chronicle.

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