Esteemed Ebola researcher at UW fired for sexual harassment

SEATTLE – A University of Washington researcher has been fired at the conclusion of a sexual harassment investigation against him.

The Seattle Times reported Thursday that Michael Katze was fired for “conduct counter to the core values” of the university.

The decision was made by a faculty adjudication panel and upheld by university President Ana Mari Cauce.

Katze, a microbiology professor and associate director for research in the Regional Primate Research Center, was responsible for cutting-edge work that put the university on the forefront of Ebola and flu research.

An investigator in 2016 found that Katze had created a hostile work environment for a woman under his direct supervision because he “persistently, and for an extended period of time, made unwanted sexual comments and jokes.”