A while back, a professor in my department contacted my PI about setting up a collaboration. The professor had generated a new reagent and wanted to test a hypothesis using an technique in which our lab has expertise. My PI asked if I would be interested in doing those experiments, and since it was a neat idea and would likely result in a nice little publication if it worked, I agreed.
Many, many hours of work later, all I had were negative data, so we all agreed to abandon this particular line of experiments. Well, today I learned that the professor recently told someone else that he never thought these were the right experiments to do, that he didn't think they would work, and that it was all our idea to begin with.
Rat bastard! When I was still doing the experiments, he kept telling me how interested he was and how eagerly he was awaiting the data. And now that they didn't yield the results he'd hoped for, he's saying he never thought we should've done them?!
If he really hadn't thought they were the right experiments to begin with, why didn't he just fucking say so? Was I twisting his arm to make him agree to these experiments so I could have more work to do? I don't think so.
It was a good idea. It didn't work. End of story. What the fuck is the purpose of this finger-pointing shit? Fucking weasel.
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4 hours ago
14 comments:
I hate such things. The world is full of idiots.
Hehehe.... what an idiot... I do run into people like like that every once in a awhile.
I always get a kick out of saying something like "Oh, yeah, absolutely, the responsibility for this was all mine, this was totally not your idea -- what was your idea again ?"
Asshat. Just one of those insecure people who need to deflect blame in order to preserve their fragile egos.
Sounds like someone who doesn't deal well with the null hypothesis. Sorry the experiments didn't yield what you were looking for, but I guess I'm still in that space where that sort of "didn't work" information is useful.
What a fucking douchescrote. There is no shame in a failed idea. In fact, if none of your ideas ever fail, it suggests that you are not thinking at all creatively.
What an arse. May your revenge be sweet and creative.
Negative results are still results. What a moron.
Can you confront him? I am always amazed how people think they can bad-mouth others in our small field and it not get back to them.
This is one thing I never knew was so common in science, and is definitely not desirable! I personally think it's unprofessional on their part, if they didn't think it was going to work, why do it in the first place? They aren't fooling anyone!
Obnoxious. How unprofessional. Of course, I doubt that this is the first time this guy has fingerpointed, so hopefully his colleagues know that and take his bitchings with a grain of salt.
Stepwise Girl--I think you've hit the nail on the head! Thanks for visiting.
Okham--Unfortunately, I heard about this from someone else, so there was no opportunity for me to respond....
Candid Engineer--Exactly. Although you wouldn't know from talking to him that his ego needed protecting! :-)
Academic--"Didn't work" information is always useful in the sense that it tells you which path not to take. But unfortunately, it's often not useful in the publication department.
PP--Huh...I just learned a new word. And you're absolutely right...although in my experience, even dull and uninspired ideas can fail!
Cath--Not sure I'm actually going to get any revenge. I think going to him and saying, "I heard from so-and-so that you said..." is just going to seem petty. But I'll have fun thinking about revenge possibilities, though! :-)
Mad Chemist--I could confront him, but I probably won't, partly for the reasons I gave to Cath above, and partly because he's a lot more senior than I am and it's just not worth it.
A. Wray--I agree that it's unprofessional. Scientists are just like any other people, and unfortunately some of them will be petty and obnoxious. Luckily for me, I've mostly managed to stay away from them!
UR--I think you're right, and this professor does have a certain "reputation" in our department. So I'm not worried about damage to our reputation...just annoyed by the weaselly behavior!
weasel indeed. in fact, one of the worst examples of weasliness, 'cause it encourages people (students, grant makers, the public) to judge whether an experiment was a good idea based on whether it came out the way we wanted it to.
(neurolover)
Neurolover--I totally agree. Not to mention the fact that the whole point of experiments is to test one's hypothesis!
"Negative results are still results". Very true!
Can I shamelessly suggest that you (and anyone else in the same situation) might want to submit your research to BMC Research Notes? It could be suitable as a Project Note.
This find of apparently 'failed' work is still valuable for others to see - as you say, the idea was reasonable!
Wow - just wow. One more person to avoid.
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