Xiaofei Bai at UFGI has been reported for misconduct
I really wish someone had warned me about this lab before I joined. The issue isn’t just that Bai is “strict” or “has high expectations.” He makes completely unnecessary personal comments about people’s appearances, their personal lives, and other things that have absolutely nothing to do with their work. There’s a difference between giving someone constructive criticism and constantly making things personal.
There’s also been an HR report concerning his behavior, which honestly shouldn’t be surprising if you’ve spent any amount of time around the lab.
And the turnover speaks for itself. Of the 4 graduate students he has had, 3 have left. At what point does the department stop looking at each person who leaves as the problem and start asking what the common denominator is?
Now undergrads are apparently being asked to sign a 7-page contract just to work in the lab. 💀 I genuinely don't know what kind of undergraduate research position needs a seven-page agreement, but given everything else, it definitely raises some questions.
The most frustrating part is that he seems completely incapable of recognizing that HE might be contributing to the problems in his lab. Somehow everyone else is always the issue.
If you're thinking about joining Bai's lab, talk to former lab members before you commit. Seriously. Ask why people left, ask about mentorship, and ask what the day-to-day environment is actually like.
I’m not saying this because the research isn't interesting. I'm saying it because good research is not worth putting yourself through a terrible lab environment.