NASEM Paper Offers Guidance to Support Postdocs Facing Sexual Harassment

By: CJ Neely
Wednesday, May 21, 2025
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) has released a new issue paper, Considerations for Supporting Postdoctoral Scholars Experiencing Sexual Harassment in Higher Education. This resource was developed by the Action Collaborative on Preventing Sexual Harassment in Higher Education, a network of colleges, universities, and research organizations convened by NASEM to advance evidence-based strategies for addressing and preventing sexual harassment in academic settings.

This paper focuses on postdoctoral scholars, a group frequently overlooked in institutional policies and harassment prevention strategies. Postdocs occupy a uniquely vulnerable position within the academic research enterprise. Their employment classification is often ambiguous, which can limit access to the protections typically available to students or faculty. Most depend on a single faculty advisor for mentorship, funding, and career advancement, and many are disconnected from broader campus communities. International postdocs, who comprise more than half of all postdoctoral positions in U.S. science and engineering fields, face additional challenges, as visa restrictions can further constrain their ability to report concerns or seek support. These structural conditions reinforce power imbalances and create substantial barriers to reporting and resolution.

The new issue paper builds on NASEM’s 2018 report, Sexual Harassment of Women: Climate, Culture, and Consequences in Academic Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which called for efforts to diffuse the concentration of power in faculty-trainee relationships. While it does not provide formal recommendations, the paper serves as a practical resource for university leaders, Title IX officers, and postdoctoral affairs professionals. It includes examples of institutional strategies such as clarifying expectations through postdoctoral handbooks, fostering community through orientations, buddy programs, or cohort models, and strengthening access to ombuds services and postdoc associations. Reflective questions throughout the paper help institutions assess and improve existing structures. Additional resources, including an institutional assessment rubric and case examples, are available through the Action Collaborative. The paper also acknowledges the growing role of postdoctoral unionization in strengthening grievance protections and promoting institutional accountability.

As higher education continues to confront systemic inequities, strengthening support for postdoctoral researchers is essential to fostering safer and more inclusive research environments. FASEB remains committed to promoting equity, safety, and respect across the scientific workforce.