'Toxic' lab: Read all coverage of the aftermath from a UW-Madison student's suicide
A UW-Madison graduate student's suicide in October 2016 sparked a university investigation into the faculty member at the center of the lab where the student worked. University records describe College of Engineering professor Akbar Sayeed’s lab as "toxic" and his behavior as "abusive." State Journal reporter Kelly Meyerhofer writes about the university's report and fallout from the initial story, including Sayeed's reassignment and UW-Madison's plans to start centrally tracking bullying complaints.
(11) updates to this series since Updated
John Brady faced a stressful work environment under an engineering professor before taking his own life.
National Science Foundation fired engineering professor Akbar Sayeed after receiving a detailed report on the toxic lab environment he oversaw.
The change will ensure reports of hostile and intimidating behavior "do not simply remain hidden inside a department or unit," Chancellor Rebecca Blank said.
College of Engineering Dean Ian Robertson reassigned professor Akbar Sayeed to administrative duties in the Dean's Office.
Firing of faculty members is rare. The UW Board of Regents dismissed six professors in the past decade.Â
Nearly 200 students and others gathered on the Engineering Mall on campus Thursday to demand the university hold abusers accountable and to protest the possible return of professor Akbar Sayeed.
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Students said the policy doesn't go far enough to protect them from potential exploitation.
The most recent investigation of tenured professor Akbar Sayeed is "currently underway regarding additional information that surfaced in fall 2019."
The professor's resignation comes more than four years after the suicide of one of his students.
Engineering professor Akbar Sayeed left behind a "career-long string of victims," according to a recently released report.Â
"This is a real problem that we do have to wrestle with," said the deputy director for extramural research at the National Institutes of Health.
Despite UW-Madison confirming 30 allegations of abuse and bullying, the USDA lets the former professor run a lab out of the agency's Madison office.Â
At least two UW-Madison professors accused of hostile and intimidating behavior resigned amid the investigative process and now work for different institutions.Â
UW-Madison recommended the professor be monitored but most students couldn't recall that happening, calling into question the level of oversight applied.
