My Name is Brin

My name is not Brin

My Worst Moment Crying on the phone to my academic advisor begging her to help me change my major my junior year of college. She kept asking me what had happened, but I couldn’t tell her that if I stayed on my current path, I would sit the rest of my science classes with my rapist.

I eventually told someone at my college, but it was swept under the rug.

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Brin was in college when she was sexually assaulted. She told her professor because she couldn’t face the student who raped her. Nothing happened to him and he applied to the same fellowship programs she did. Brin declined to provide a photo art via Martin Hexeberg@nitramography

Another worst moment came when he got into the same graduate program as I did. The graduate program of my dreams, so I told them no and went somewhere else.

I still fear the day I go to look for academic positions, and I have to decide if I want to actively avoid where he is.

I Have Given Up On: Letting this one incident define me. I am an amazing scientist and that one moment will not take away my career and my future.

I’m Afraid: That his will happen to someone else. My incident was not a faculty or staff member. It was a fellow student, and it still has lasting effect.

Something You Should Know About Me: I am strong, and he did not stop me. I am getting my PhD despite the hoops I had to jump through.

My Secret Weapon: Kick boxing class!