Crazy emails from superstar professor [closed]

Question

I'm working on my doctoral degree at a mid-ranked institute. I am visiting a super famous lab and professor for a short time, think the top of the very top in the USA. Some of their research relates to my project, and I thought it would be useful to have this connection. The professor first seemed normal, but he soon began to send me crazy email messages. I can't quite describe it, they do not contain any threats or clear harassment, but their senselessness itself is really frightening. They do not ask or request anything, so I've just been ignoring them.

I don't understand what he wants from me, I've been working very hard, I don't know what else I could do. But here everyone is working very hard, from morning to late night without stop. It's totally different from my lab at my home institute. People here are very distant and hardly speak to me. And when they do, it's superficial. They act like everything is fine, but I think they are just pretending and scared. I am. It's like I'm a total nobody and this guy can do anything to me.

I don't dare to talk with them about these emails. I also don't dare to tell about the situation to my PI at home. He is kind of nice, but I don't think he wants to hear such things. I only forwarded these messages to some of my friends at my home institute. They all agree that the messages are crazy, but they give different advice. Some say I should just keep silent and leave as soon as possible, some say I should confront this professor or make a complaint. I would never dare to confront him, but I do want to make a complaint. This is all just so wrong and crazy.

He still behaves normally when we meet in person, though he does sometimes look like he could snap at any moment, if he didn't like something I said or anything like that. But should it not be the opposite? Why does he not say crazy stuff in person, for which I would have no evidence, but only in emails, which I could show to anyone? I cannot be the first person to whom he does this. He has been working here for decades. What happened to all those other people? Did everyone keep silent about this? Or were they ignored, silenced? How can this guy be such a respected super successful professor, when he is certifiable?

My real question here is, what happens if I make a complaint? What is the worst he can do to me? I don't know what kind of connections such people might have, what they are capable of. Can he stop me from graduating? That's all I want, I don't think I will stay in academia, especially not after this experience. He is not on any of my main papers, I can just request to exclude him from paper reviews, and he does not have a very close connection to my PI or his field, so there is not much he can do, right? He could spread bad rumors about me, but they know me at my home institute, so I don't think that's a problem if I won't stay in academia anyway. Also, if these emails become known, everyone should understand that he is the crazy one. I'm afraid he can make up some explanation. Like that it was just some joke, or it was related to something we talked about. Or he could simply deny he sent them. He used his private email address, but he always uses that one, it's also written online at some places. But what if he still denies it? I see a complicated process described in this law SE post.

But this seems to mean that I would have to sue the professor to get proof. That's not something I'm really up to. Besides, I know that this is stretching it, but what if the email provider does not want to anger this professor with his super powerful institute by providing the evidence? Then he could even sue me for defamation.

But even if the emails are confirmed, I don't know what they would mean legally. I mean, I think it's not illegal to send sort of crazy messages as long as they are harmless on the surface? Or is it? Or in the worst case, if he retaliates, I could go to the press, but I'm not sure they would care. I mean, I never saw headlines like, 'professor sent some crazy emails'. There is no clear harassment, sexually or otherwise. Maybe just one, where he kind of wrote that I'm not doing things as I should, or something like that. I'm not even sure how to explain to people, especially outside academia, why these emails are so frightening.

And I'm totally alone with this, people in his lab would never dare to say anything. They will do anything the professor asks. And there are also a few postdocs here who seem really scary, similar to the professor. I mean, like they could snap at any moment. And they will always be on the professor's side. I can't wait to get away. But I also want to tell about this to someone, like HR, I guess right before I leave, or maybe after. I also thought about waiting for my graduation, but that's years away. But I don't even think anyone at his university will care or do anything about this.

EDIT:

Okay, so about the craziness. Sorry but I can't really reproduce an equivalent, and I don't want to include the originals. But the reply by Significance is off the mark, sorry, I should have clarified that the professor is not crazy in that sense. It is very clear that he is deliberately trying to upset me, either so that I would work harder, or I don't know. Maybe he is just a sadist.

Anyway, to give you an idea about the content, I asked ChatGPT to write random crazy frightening sentences about research and work. Here is a few: "I noticed the files on your computer changed by themselves last night. Someone must be trying to send you a message." "Every time you leave your desk, I hear whispers coming from your computer. It mentioned something about 'the deadline that never ends.'" "The lights flicker in your office only when you're working late. It's almost as if they’re trying to communicate."

Okay, these sound a bit silly, but they give an idea. Sometimes they are a bit more personal, like mentioning my home country or such.

Of course, he is asking me all the time to do work for him, even when it has nothing to do with my project. I never refused anything. I'm fine with that for this short time. He doesn't need to threaten me.

I don't dare to show them to my PI because he might talk with this professor, even if in good faith, I'm afraid it is me who will get all the repercussions. I'm not even entirely sure I'm important enough for my PI that he would take my side against this big professor. Besides, I'm not sure he could help anyway.

Yes, I'm originally from Europe. I think if this took place there, I would immediately confront the professor or make complain to some administrators. But in this atmosphere it seems unimaginable.

Answer 1

This sounds not so much like a "superstar" but an aspiring "supernova" professor.

However, after reading your overview, it is not really clear if that prof did something outright wrong, is mentally unstable (in a medical way), or explicitly uses this behaviour to elicit compliant behaviour from their students.

To be honest, as long as it is not outright threatening or otherwise inappropriate, what you can do is very limited. But of course if there is some crackpot rambling by your supernova host prof, this is unsettling. You make clear that you want to take action - however, if there is a medical reason for the prof's behaviour, this will backfire badly, and not just because they are powerful, but because you are seen as harassing somebody for a condition they are not guilty of. That they happen to be a prof is only a side show here.

Of course, mental instability can project onto the group, but still as long as there is no hard evidence for legally relevant misbehaviour, there is nothing you can do. Note that you mention that not only the prof, but also members of his group look as if "they could snap at any moment". This can very well be the case as groups often copy their bosses behaviour. But on the other hand, people could interpret this that, since you seeing the problem all around you, it might be a "you" problem rather than a "them" problem. Thus, I recommend to tread very carefully.

Personally, I would find some reason why you want to cut short your visit as soon as possible. Perhaps your dog died? You have to sort out some family issues? Something else?

Until then, understand that these mails may be simply random ramblings and, unless they contain concrete instructions that you are to implement, just ignore them and just be generally circumspect.

Just make sure you are not rude and remain respectful. Do not think about what the prof could do to you. They have not, as much as I gather from you, explicitly threatened you. If the prof is indeed mentally unstable (as opposed to explicitly nasty), I am not sure you even have a concrete case for a complaint. Stay out of their limelight and - "Get Out!".

[PS: I notice that you say they always use a private email which they use exclusively for these ramblings and never talks like that in person. Are you sure it is them? Or maybe some crazy twin sibling locked in the cellar? I am only half joking: maybe they have a secondary personality that they only permit to use their private email? Though not something like this, I have been witness to a number of quite strange and sometimes headline-worthy developments, so I am confident in saying that nothing is impossible.

The key for your sanity in the present case is for you to resist the temptation to make their problem your problem.]

Answer 2

If everyone agrees that the emails are “crazy”, perhaps he is struggling with mental health issues. Some conditions, like schizophrenia and other illnesses that cause psychosis, can have “crazy emails” and monologues as a symptom. These symptoms might come and go if poorly controlled. Drug abuse (for instance, using drugs to try to maintain unrealistically high productivity) could cause similar problems, and could result in periods of mania late at night. None of these are incompatible with high IQ and having achieved success up to now. But if this is what is going on, he is in trouble and might eventually be grateful if you intervene by drawing the issue to the attention of his department chair or a responsible colleague. Without knowing the content of the emails, it is impossible to say, but if they are not threatening or harassing you, my guess is that you probably don’t need to worry about reprisals.

ETA: https://www.gvhealth.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/1.-MHFA_psychosis_guidelines_A4_2020.pdf

Answer 3

It's difficult to know for sure without having a clearer picture of what is in the crazy emails, but my suggestion would be to politely push for clarification. Something like:

Apologies, I found your email confusing. Please can you clarify: is there something you would like me to action from this?

This essentially gives the professor the choice of backing off - in which case, great! - or doubling down, in which case you will hopefully get a clearer picture of whether this is behaviour that you need to object to or can just ignore. If they continue to be vague - e.g. "You know exactly what I mean!" - continue to be polite but firm:

I really don't, and I don't want to risk any misunderstanding by making incorrect assumptions. Please can you clarify?

Unfortunately, there are unpleasant people who thrive on carefully treading the line so that no single thing they say is unarguably inappropriate, but taken together they amount to abuse, even if there is nothing explicit in there. Without knowing the full details, I'm not saying this professor definitely is one of those people, but they could be.

In your favour is the fact that you have records of the interactions. Make sure you keep a copy saved somewhere outside the institution just in case. Right now you are reluctant to make a complaint but please consider it if things do not improve after attempting to address it directly. You deserve not to be made to feel uncomfortable, and you have my sympathy.

Answer 4

If the emails could be interpreted by a reasonable person as veiled threats or even at all threatening, even if only by suggesting the prof has some sort of paranoia involving you, don’t ignore it. Not trying to frighten you but your safety could be at risk. Prioritize your safety. Don’t confront the prof in question, but do raise it on your side if you feel unsafe. Don’t stick around, get out of there. Paranoid people do sometimes act out violently toward the objects of their paranoia. You really don’t want to be one. Hopefully not the case but sounds like it to me.