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[phd_student]

Does anyone have input on how to deal with a colleague who has been "borrowing" a research idea of mine? I raised a question in a class last year and the professor encouraged me to investigate it. My colleague and I decided (very casually) to work together to submit a proposal on the topic to an upcoming conference. Although the reviewers gave positive feedback, it was rejected because it was clear that the project and the related paper had not been completed yet.

As I'm trying to finish my degree and focus on my studies, I put this on the back burner (it is not my main area of focus). The colleague however has since twice "borrowed" my idea (yes we agreed to work on it once but it didn't culminate to anything and the idea originated from me) to submit to other conferences. Both times, the colleague will inform me a day or two before the deadline and stated that he is submitting it with both of our names on it without discussing it with me prior to that. These have both been conferences for associations he belongs to and that I have no interest in joining. I know he is using my topic to establish his future career. It has now been accepted at one of the two conferences as a poster. Also, since the class, he has burned several bridges in the field and I'm seeking to disassociate myself professionally from him. I know part of this can be blamed on agreeing to working together on the first proposal, but I'm stuck in a bind now. Hindsight is 20/20, right? So what do/can I do? Much thanks...

[grad_geek]

I am new to academia myself and I hope some more experienced people will reply, but the feeling I get from your post is that it might be worth it to let this idea (which is outside your main interest, anyway) get away so that you can successfully disassociate yourself from this colleague. 

You are bright and responsible and will have other good ideas that are more closely aligned with your interests.  Meanwhile, your colleague will continue to burn bridges and will run out of colleagues to "borrow" from.

Good luck!

[twofish]

My main concern would be that your name would be on a paper that had quality issues or positions that you did not disagree with.  I see two approaches.  If the idea is one that isn't important for your career/reputation, it would probably be easier just to give it to them, and ask that they *not* reference you as a co-author in any future work.

If the idea *is* one that you want your name on, set things up so that there is a citable reference to the joint work, and at that point both you and the other person can cite that work independently.

[tamiam]

I think you ought to tell your colleague to omit your name from this research, as you haven't done anything with it.

Let it go....