Power trips of the powerless

As part of being a post-doc in a new institution, I need to undergo training for equipment, procedures, etc. that I am already quite familiar with.  But, because of historical issues, my new department has put in place training modules that require assessment and approval before I can use their facilities.

One such area that I’ve had to address recently is the use of the microscope facilities.  Having limited experience, I welcomed the idea of actual microscope training by a qualified instructor.  Instead, the “training course” was a series of videos that identified each part of a microscope and the general turning on/off of each instrument.  That’s all acceptable, if unsatisfactory.

EarlyMicroscopeMammoth

The problem began when the assessment course was administered by the “Department Engineer”, essentially a glorified technician. (I went to an engineering college, and you sir, are no engineer.)  This “engineer” feels the need to exert his unfounded power on helpless post-docs and students to make himself feel better, all the while holding us captive because we can’t move on with our research until he says so.  The assessment course was written in broken English by him, of course, and he feels the need to lecture you on the questions you got wrong before allowing you to use the facilities.

Let me be perfectly honest, there is nothing that makes me twitch and shake with anger faster than being condescended to.

phd-frustration-072707s-crop

It is impossible to relate here the manner in which he corrected me on the room number (seriously, I know where the room is, why do I need to know the room number?), the fact that he is the department engineer responsible (with illustration of his “title” on his email signature), and that I underestimated the magnification required to see bacteria on a tape strip.  I doubt he could tell me the difference between bacteria and viruses, but that’s beside the point. Unfortunately, I did not meet his criteria for passing, he categorized my performance along with a specific racial group (so not cool, dude. way to be racist.), and I had to take the test again.

Luckily, this time, I did pass, but still with a few answers wrong, including, again, the room number. Ha!  Take that! He didn’t miss the opportunity to be condescending again, even in an email (highlighted):

microscope results

At least today, I can respond to this email with laughter instead of angry eye twitches.  My boss offered up a bottle of champagne to celebrate, or to use as a weapon, my choice.  At least my boss gets it.  I was this close to making Mr. Engineer address me as Dr.!

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