Professor Qais Al-Awqati
ASKED & AXED: Doctoral student Alberto Leguina (left) says he was harassed and fired by Professor Qais Al-Awqati. (
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A brainy Columbia University doctoral student claims his medical supervisor gave him a $5,000 computer to apologize for having sexually harassed him — but then fired him for filing a complaint, according to court papers.
Chilean native Alberto Leguina says he was a week into his gig as staff associate under Qais Al-Awqati, a professor of medicine at the Ivy League school, when he got a request via the gay iPhone app Grindr asking if he “would date an older man.”
The solicitation allegedly came in the spring with a photo of Al-Awqati.
Leguina claims when he rebuffed the advance, the professor responded, “I have many guys as beautiful and as young as you.”
The longtime professor then allegedly stormed out of his office and screamed, “You are out!” at Leguina, which led the panicked 25-year-old to file a complaint with Human Resources, according to a suit filed in Manhattan federal court.
The filing states that instead of launching an investigation, Department of Medicine officials threatened the young researcher.
Just months later, Leguina lost his $12,000 post based on negative feedback from the department.
Al-Awqati, citing university policy, referred questions to the school’s Public Affairs Department.
A spokesman noted the school’s “strong policies” against sexual harassment and retaliation, but said he couldn’t comment because of the lawsuit.