Yes, in one way or another, at some time or another, we ALL face this problem.  I have friends that edge down and lean against something to be at eye level with me, automatically, just because they love me, love my company, find me fascinating to converse with, and are tired of the eye-level disparity.  I am blessed in that way in social situations with good friends.

Out in public alone I hate being trapped up against great big "real" men.  It is so threatening to me, even if no one says anything humiliating.  I hate going to stand-up parties and trying to walk around and talk to other men who are all between 6 and 14" taller than I am.  WAY too uncomfortable.  I avoid it a lot more nowadays because I am old enough that I don't have to attend such parties very often anymore.  Really-- it depends on my mood.

Chests-- that's what we see and talk to: people's chests, not their faces.  In a random crowd, 96 out of 100 men are looking down at me, and half of the women are too.  To say it bothers me is an understatement.  And yet, I put myself in that situation once in a while. Why?  Because I refuse to live life as a recluse just because it's uncomfortable.  Also, I have an extroverted, take-charge, Type A personality that gives me the appearance of being larger.  So, it bugs me, but it doesn't conquer me.  Craning my head back to talk to all the big men is a literal pain in the neck.  But-- I do it.  

Only you other short guys get this.  I never talk about this hassle with anyone else. Thanks for listening.  

What are your thoughts?

True, no one but another short man cares, understands, gets it, lives it, or can really help you.  Stick together, everyone.  Be supportive.  Other than this anonymous group, we have no one else who wants to listen, or can offer real, solid advice, because tall men and women don't know the heck we live through every day.  If you can find any way to help out someone else on this board, do it.  No one else can. Or will.

Don't repay evil for evil.  Report it to HR and have her cited for insubordination to doctoral staff, harassment, and bullying.  She has no right whatsoever to be rude and hateful to you.  have a documented sit-down meeting with a 3rd person from HR, and hold her accountable. Nip this one in the bud, but don't play her game of insulting. Win the match by showing everyone how professional you are.

I've had a couple such moments myself.  I'm a VP at a college. We took on a really kind, wonderful guy to supervise all the building renovation.  Good-hearted but a little less then professional in demeanor.  He was taking a photo and started talking about how short I was, and calling me "Little ..."  I nipped that one in the bud.  Sat him down immediately and explained that would not be tolerated.  I also pointed out that I would never chide him about how enormously overweight he is.  He and I are the best of friends, and he never tried it again.  He just needed to understand boundaries.

Another time at a church dinner the pastor's very rude obstreperous son shoved in front of me in line and said, "Outta my way, shorty."  I pulled him into the library and explained in no uncertain terms that I was an elder in the church, and that he was never to ever address me that way again.

I never was bullied by either one after that ever again.

James Madison, one of the key leaders that founded our nation, was only 5'4", but in his day in the 1810s there were no TV cameras. No one saw him stand next to an opponent.  100 years later the U.S. President was William Taft who tipped the scales well over 300 lbs.  Neither of them--one too short and one too fat for the image-conscious American public-- could EVER even be nominated to run today, thanks to mass media, and our obsession with superficiality and image.