A psychology professor at New York University angered colleagues and students alike with an offensive tweet that implied obese PhD students are not capable of completing their advanced degrees.

Geoffrey Miller, who specializes in evolutionary psychology, tweeted on Sunday: “Dear obese PhD applicants: If you don't have the willpower to stop eating carbs, you won't have the willpower to do a dissertation. #truth.”

Professor Miller quickly deleted the message; he is a tenured professor at the University of New Mexico.

Jay Rosen, who teaches journalism at NYU’s journalism institute, wrote: “Astonishing fat-shaming tweet, since deleted, from an academic, @matingmind. The mind boggles.”

Rosen was not the only one to find fault with Miller’s tweet. New York Magazine quickly had a piece up about the social media blunder and other Twitter users began chiming in.

Dr Jason DeCaro, a former PhD student who is now a biological anthropologist in Alabama, tweeted: “Dear rejected UNM psychology applicants: save now-deleted tweet for potential lawsuit. Jerk.”

All of the negative attention prompted Miller to offer this apology: “My sincere apologies to all for that idiotic, impulsive, and badly judged tweet. It does not reflect my true views, values, or standards.”

He quickly followed his apology with this: “Obviously my previous tweet does not represent the selection policies of any university, or my own selection.”

Miller has previously conducted research at the London School of Economics, the Max Planck Institute for Psychological Research in Munich, Germany and UCLA, The Daily Mail reported.

Sources: The Daily Mail, New York Magazine