The Full WIBR Sabatini Investigative Report (links to individual sections)
This will be updated as we release more sections
COVER PAGE
TABLE OF CONTENTS (Pages i-ii)
INTRODUCTION | INVESTIGATIVE MANDATE (Pages 1-2)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY (Pages 2-10)
INVESTIGATIVE PROCESS (Pages 10-18)
I. General Overview (Pages 10-12)
II. A-C. Complaints Made to Whitehead’s Human Resources Office (Pages 12-15)
II. D. The DEI Survey (Pages 15-18)
RECORDS AND EVIDENCE REVIEWED (Pages 18-23)
I-VI. Witness Interviews | Email Communications | Slack, Social Media and Personal Communications | Records Produced by Sabatini | Records Produced by Whitehead Fellow 1 | Records Produced by Postdoc 6 (Pages 18-23)
RELEVANT BACKGROUND FOR FINDINGS (Pages 23-30)
I-III. Sabatini’s Lab at Whitehead | Culture of the Sabatini Lab | Whitehead Fellows Program
IV-V. Investigator’s Observations Regarding Sabatini’s Persona at the Whitehead | Sabatini Lab Members’ Candor and Cooperation in the Investigation
VI. Credibility of Sabatini (Pages 27-30)
STATEMENT OF CONCERNS AND FINDINGS
I. Interference by Sabatini in the Investigation (Pages 30-43)
I. 1-3. Sabatini’s Interference Affected the Investigation | Discussions with Lab Members Influenced the Investigation | Sabatini Directly or Indirectly Threatened Lab Members and Others (Pages 31-33)
I. 4. Background – Whitehead Director’s Directive Not to Interfere with the Investigation (Pages 33-35)
I. 5. Sabatini’s Discussions with Lab Members and Personnel (Pages 35-43)
I. 5. (a-b). Discussions Involving and/or Regarding Visiting Postdoc 2 | Ad Hoc Outreach to Lab Members (Pages 35-37)
I. 5. (c). Scheduled Individual Meetings with Lab Members (Pages 37-39)
I. 5. (d-e). Sabatini’s Threats to Lab Members Concerning Participation in the Investigation | Other Attempts to Shape Testimony or Influence Participation in the Investigation (Pages 39-42)
I. 5. (f). Other Acts of Interference by Sabatini (Pages 42-43)
II. Threats of Retaliation by Sabatini (Pages 43-45)
II. A. 2. Actions by Sabatini to Undermine Whitehead Administration (Pages 45-47)
II. A. 3. “Cake-Gate” (Pages 47-50)
II. A. 4. Sabatini's Exertion of Influence over Whitehead Faculty (Pages 50-52)
II. B. Sabatini’s Conduct Chilled Good Faith Concerns of Potential Research Misconduct or Data Invalidity (Pages 52-53)
II. C. Sabatini Threatened Trainees in Response to Rumors Regarding Non-MIT Undergraduate Student 1 (Pages 53-56)
II. D. Sabatini Carried on an Improper Relationship with Non-MIT Undergraduate Student 1 (Pages 57-59)
III. Sexual Harassment in the Lab and/or Sexually Inappropriate Environment Created by Sabatini in His Lab (Pages 59-62)
IV. Sexual Harassment and/or Inappropriate Relationship with Whitehead Fellow 1 (Pages 63-106)
IV. A-B. Background and Sabatini’s Status as Whitehead Fellow 1’s Fellow Mentor (Pages 63-68)
IV. C. 1-3. Sabatini’s and Whitehead Fellow 1’s Conflicting Accounts of the Origins and Nature of their Sexual Relationship | Sabatini's Involvement in Whitehead Fellow 1's Application to the Whitehead Fellows Program (Pages 68-75)
IV. C. 4-5. Events Leading Up to First Sexual Encounter and April 18, 2018 Encounter (Pages 75-79)
IV. C. 6. Sexual Encounters May 2018-January 2019 (Pages 80-87)
IV. C. 6. (b). Sexual Encounters Between Sabatini and Knouse at the Whitehead (Page 80)
IV. C. 7. Sexual Encounters at Whitehead Retreat (Pages 87-88)
IV. C. 8. Disclosure of Whitehead Fellow 1-Sabatini Relationship (Pages 88-93)
Pages 93:
IV. C. 9. Knouse and Sabatini's Text Messages/Communications in 2020 (Pages 93-94)
IV. C. 9. (a). Text Messages Relating to Potential Relationship (Pages 94-96)
IV. C. 9. (b). Text Message Reference to Der Fuhrer (Pages 96-97)
IV. C. 9. ©. Text Messages/Statements Relating to Knouse's Use of Sexualized Language (Pages 97-98)
IV. C. 10. Inappropriate Ogling of MIT Athlete (Pages 98-99)
IV. D. Sabatini's Relationship with Knouse Violated Whitehead's Policies (Pages 99-102)
IV. D. 1(b)-2(a). Sabatini Violated Whitehead's Anti-Harassment Policy | Compliance with Whitehead Policies as of August 30, 2018 | Sabatini Improperly Exerted Influence over Whitehead Fellow 1 (Pages 104-106)
V. Issues Affecting Gender Inequality (Pages 106-109)
V. A. The Personality Barrier (Pages 106-109)
V. B. The Pregnancy Barrier (Page 109)
CONCLUSION (Page 128)
APPENDIX A (Pages 129-153)
APPENDIX B (Pages 154-156)
APPENDIX C (Pages 157-163)
APPENDIX D (Pages 164-251)