![]() NDP science critic Helene Leblanc said in an email statement she supports the “creation of an independent body with clearly defined powers to investigate and sanction instances of academic misconduct in Canadian private and public institutions.” Industry Minister Christian Paradis, who is responsible for NSERC, did not respond to requests for comment on NSERC‘s approach. In another document it blacked out references to six journal articles on the scientist’s CV, at least some of which were fictitious. NSERC blacked out the numbers of students and staff involved. NSERC did however release a letter from one of the unidentified misconduct perpetrators that offered abject apologies, and pleaded for reconsideration arguing that cutting off his research funding would harm his students and research staff. The names of the wrong-doers have been blacked out in the documents released by NSERC, along with details on the faked research and the identity of the universities where the misconduct took place. The NSERC documents, obtained by Postmedia News under the access to information law, describe one case in which a researcher faked experiments, then moved to another institution that may have known nothing of his misconduct.Ī second case, which Nature describes as “even more remarkable,” involved a scientist who padded his CV and grant application with studies that did not exist anywhere in the published literature. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. NSERC even kept secret information on how the misconduct was punished, which Nature says “seems absurd.” The editorial in Nature said “Canada’s practices take privacy concerns too far.” It pointed to two cases of “seemingly egregious” misconduct at Canadian universities involving scientists who had received funding from NSERC - which recently released heavily censored documents describing the cases.īut council officials say the Privacy Act will not let them name the researchers or universities involved. ![]() “I don’t think you can build academic and scientific excellence with that kind of policy,” says May, who hopes the renewed controversy and international attention over NSERC’s secretive approach will prompt change. ![]() “You can’t be known as a country that has any kind of claim on legitimacy in science but say: ‘Well, we don’t really like to let people know when we have cheaters’,” she said in an interview. He says those who plagiarize, or fake or fudge studies or experiments should be named. “If it is done on purpose I am in favour of pretty harsh consequences,” says Hsu. Activate your Online Access Now Article content If you are a Home delivery print subscriber, unlimited online access is included in your subscription.
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