Researcher Takes a Dig at University College London, Calls it a Toxic Place

A researcher and a former professor at named  University College London, Arthur Loureiro, recently  shared an open letter on Twitter on Friday, calling the university a  ‘toxic place.’

Arthur, who was in the Astrophysics Group of the Physics and Astronomy department, after seven years of leaving the university, has put out a tweet calling out the university. He even warned the potential students who are planning to take a post at UCL Astro. The letter’s title shared by the researcher read: “Open Letter about my years at University College London.” He started by letter by stating, “Today is my last day at UCL. After more than 7 years at the University, all I can feel is regret.”

He continued and said that he regrets the day he accepted a Ph.D. at UCL and all the consequences that came with it, it affected his mental health, professional and personal life and family. He revealed that during his Ph.D., he has been the victim of bullying, harassment and intimidation.

The researcher then mentioned that he followed their guidelines of ‘Report and Support’, and filed a formal complaint. The disciplinary hearing that upheld his allegation took after almost two years. “Even so, UCL were reluctant to take any actions to protect me any further and imposed only ineffective sanctions on the perpetrator,” he added.

He also quoted that UCL also refused to provide him with documents that justify why he did not have a supervisor reference letter. “You all know the consequences of that in a young researcher’s career,” he said. Arthur stated for almost two years, he has been asking the educational institute to help him deal with the consequences. He alleged that the University continues to hide behind the constantly changing staff, bureaucratic procedures and policies that have only worked in favour of the perpetrator.

He even mentioned that there are excellent astrophysicists and cosmologists and others at UCL who are brilliant, fabulous people that have stood for what is right. The researcher even took a jibe at the UCL’s Report and Support Cell and called it “nothing but a PR stunt.”

Arthur cited, “I reported, but they did not support. The ‘Zero Tolerance Policy’ once on all the walls at UCL is, in practice (and I quote an email I received from a UCL HR staff) ‘a very high threshold’.”

He advised future students, post-docs and faculty who are looking to join UCL Astro. He bolded the text in the letter and said to ‘Stay away’ and if they are already there, “Run away as soon as you can.” The researcher claimed the educational institute to be a toxic place and the astrophysics group is shattered and forced to shelter a dangerous person amongst excellent and great people.

In the open letter, he also warned potential students that UCL is not a safe environment. “There is only so much good staff members can do to protect you. Stay away,” he added. The tweet has been liked by more than 5,000 users and retweeted by around 900 people.

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