# Promoting a better future - Harvard Astronomy Statement on Geoff Marcy October 14, 2015 - [ News ](/news-categories/news) Dear Astronomy department colleagues, We have all read the distressing reports about Geoff Marcy in [Buzzfeed](http://www.buzzfeed.com/azeenghorayshi/famous-astronomer-allegedly-sexually-harassed-students), [The Atlantic](http://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2015/10/sexual-harassment-geoff-marcy/410089/), [AAAS](http://news.sciencemag.org/scientific-community/2015/10/berkeley-astronomer-found-guilty-sexual-harassment), [Forbes](http://www.forbes.com/sites/janetstemwedel/2015/10/09/astronomy-community-mounts-stronger-response-in-sexual-harassment-case-than-uc-berkeley/), [Chronicles of Higher Education](http://chronicle.com/blogs/ticker/charges-of-harassment-by-a-star-astronomer-prompt-soul-searching-about-sexism-in-the-sciences/105763) and [The New York Times](http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/11/science/astronomer-apologizes-for-behavior.html). It gives me pride to be a member of a department which played a leading role in bringing these reports to light, thanks to the efforts of our faculty members Dave Charbonneau and John Johnson, former SAO Scientist, Ruth Murray-Clay, and former graduate student, Sarah Ballard (all Cc'd on this e-mail). Please join me in reaching out to these individuals in acknowledgement of their extraordinarily important work. It is our special duty to make sure that sexual harassment will not occur in our immediate environment. If you notice any inappropriate incident, please report about it immediately to me or to our Title IX contact person, Kwok Yu ([kwok\_yu@harvard.edu](mailto:kwok_yu@harvard.edu)) at the FAS Dean office of Harvard University. The promotion of diversity is a multifaceted battle, including the way we add colleagues to our department, as highlighted in a recent [panel discussion at Harvard](https://www.faculty.harvard.edu/events/22723/exclusive-session-senior-faculty-helpful-guidance-effective-search-process) (where our department was featured after the 47th minute). Together we can promote a better future for women and underrepresented minorities in Astronomy, not just at Harvard but everywhere.Yours,Avi ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Abraham Loeb Frank B. Baird, Jr. Professor of Science Chair, Astronomy Department, Harvard University Director, Institute for Theory and Computation (ITC) See also:- [ Faculty ](/announcements/faculty) - [ News Media ](/filter_by/news-media) - [ 2015 ](/news-date/2015) - [ October ](/news-date/october-1) Share on:- [ Facebook ](#) - [ Twitter ](#) - [ Linkedin ](#)