A man accused of assaulting a woman at a research station in Antarctica was sent to a remote icefield where he was responsible for the safety of a professor and three graduate students, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press. Stephen Tyler Bieneman has pleaded not guilty to misdemeanor assault and is set to go on trial in Honolulu. The National Science Foundation, which oversees the U.S. Antarctic Program, declined to comment on why Bieneman was assigned to a critical safety role while under investigation. This incident raises concerns about decision-making in the program, which has previously come under scrutiny for its handling of sexual harassment and assault claims.
Last year in November, prosecutors allege that Bieneman physically assaulted a woman at McMurdo Station. The incident occurred when the woman took Bieneman’s name tag as a prank and refused to give it back. Prosecutors say that Bieneman then took her to the floor and placed his shin over her throat while searching her pocket for the tag. The woman struggled to breathe, signaling that she was choking, until Bieneman finally removed his shin. The woman sought medical attention and later reported suffering from anxiety, depression, and other symptoms as a result of the assault.
Bieneman’s lawyer, Birney Bervar, claims that eyewitnesses did not support the woman’s account and that a doctor who examined her found no evidence of the described assault. However, Marc Tunstall, the NSF station manager, began investigating the incident after hearing about it. Two weeks after the incident, Bieneman and the scientific team flew to a remote icefield to collect radar data. Bieneman, assigned as the mountaineer, was responsible for the safety of the group. The team eventually complained about Bieneman’s behavior, describing him as domineering and critical towards the female graduate students. They felt uncomfortable and unsafe around him.
Court documents reveal that an arrest warrant was issued for Bieneman on December 12. However, the team at the icefield was not informed about the investigation or the reason for his removal. They only learned about it later when the case became public. The professor who filed the complaint expressed astonishment that Bieneman had been assigned to their team despite being under investigation, and that he remained in the field with them for a week after being charged with assault.
After returning to McMurdo, Bieneman was fired and arrested upon landing in Hawaii. He was released on $25,000 bail pending his trial, which is set to begin on Monday. The National Science Foundation referred questions about Bieneman’s assignment to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Hawaii, while the office did not respond to a request for comment. The incident further highlights the need for improved decision-making and accountability within the U.S. Antarctic Program, as well as the importance of addressing and preventing sexual harassment and assault in the remote research stations.
