CHAPTER 3 "HASTINGS RESEARCH INSTITUTE"

When January arrives in 1952, Calvin Evans and Elizabeth are both employed at the Hastings Research Institute. Calvin is a brilliant scientist who has already made significant contributions to his field. He is a perfectionist who expects a lot from himself and others, which often leads to friction and conflict.

Calvin is also an avid rower, which serves as a healthy distraction from his demanding work schedule. His passion for rowing is unmatched, and he dedicates a significant amount of time and energy to mastering the sport.

After completing his PhD from Cambridge, Calvin is offered several prestigious opportunities, but he ultimately chooses to accept a position at Hastings due to its favorable climate for rowing.

Elizabeth and Calvin first meet when she storms into Calvin's laboratory, demanding to borrow some beakers for her own laboratory, which is running low on supplies. Calvin, unaware of Elizabeth's importance, mistakes her for a secretary and turns her away. A week later, Calvin locates Elizabeth and apologizes for the mistake.

In an unexpected turn of events, Calvin asks Elizabeth out on a date, but she declines his invitation. A lab technician who overhears their conversation informs Elizabeth that Calvin has a reputation for harboring grudges and is shocked to learn that Elizabeth stole the beakers from him.

The technician also informs Elizabeth that Calvin is known for his vindictive behavior, which piques Elizabeth's interest. Elizabeth, who also harbors resentment, recognizes her own mirrored traits and feels a sense of solidarity with Calvin.

Elizabeth refuses to apologize to Calvin, despite the technician's insistence. However, the following morning, an anonymous person returns the beakers to Calvin, and Elizabeth's chemists treat her with disdain, believing that she has put their laboratory in jeopardy by provoking Calvin.

Elizabeth overhears them talking negatively about her and feels sick to her stomach due to a past experience where she was called the same derogatory term by her advisor, Dr. Meyers, during her graduate studies at UCLA.

Elizabeth was working late one night when Dr. Meyers sexually assaulted her by using the same derogatory term. She claims she was acting in self-defense when she stabbed him with a number two pencil, but the authorities did not believe her story.

The authorities instead believed Dr. Meyers' fabrication that Elizabeth had cheated on a study and had offered him sex to keep him quiet, leading to her being forced to leave UCLA with only her master's degree.

As a result of the incident with Calvin and the beakers, Donatti reassigns Elizabeth to a low-level amino acid study, despite her being the leader of the group research project. One evening, she runs into Calvin at the theater.

Calvin isn't feeling well and, unfortunately for Elizabeth, accidentally spits up all over her. He expresses his regret to Elizabeth for both the mishap and his initial mistake in thinking she was a secretary.

Elizabeth assists Calvin in getting back home, and they begin to get together for coffee on a regular basis. During one of these meetings, Elizabeth reveals to Calvin that she has been demoted from the abiogenesis study to a lower-level position due to sex discrimination.

Calvin expresses surprise at her demotion and offers to help her by telling Donatti that Calvin's work requires Elizabeth's research. Elizabeth makes it clear that this is purely professional and has nothing to do with their personal relationship.