BUZZ
Ethics professor reportedly fabricated data in studies about honesty
A federal judge sided with Harvard University against a former professor who alleged wrongful termination following an investigation of data fabrication.
The Nov. 2 ruling likely ends Professor Francesca Gino’s lawsuit against her employer. She first sued the school in 2023, after it revoked her tenure and fired her following accusations of data fraud. specifically that she tampered with data. One of these claims revolves around a study on honesty.
Harvard also countersued Gino – a lawsuit which remains pending.
Gino made eight claims, including breach of contract, retaliation, and sex discrimination. All eight were tossed by District Judge Myong Joun.
Addressing Gino’s claim that her due process rights were violated, Judge Joun wrote:
Harvard’s decision had a substantial contemporaneous evidentiary basis. The record describes forensic examination of anomalous data in four research papers; analysis of the history and characteristics of relevant datasets; consideration of Gino’s explanations; a faculty investigation finding misconduct by a preponderance of the evidence, and; a subsequent hearing committee finding, by clear and convincing evidence, of misconduct grave enough to warrant revocation.
The judge also dismissed the sex discrimination claims. Gino had argued that two male professors accused of similar data issues had faced a lesser punishment. Her lawyers also argued that the Harvard Business School has a history of treating women less, but the judge dismissed general rumors and claims about discrimination.
The two male professors who did not lose their jobs or tenure had different problems with their research, the judge found.
Joun wrote:
Additionally, the allegations against Mr. Serafeim had to do with a misleading footnote that was later admitted and explained to be an error, and the allegations against Mr. Soltes had to do with his conduct in connection with
subjects that he interviewed. In contrast, the allegations against Plaintiff involved thirteen allegations of data falsification and fabrication in nine papers co-authored by Plaintiff, and after a preliminary assessment, five of those allegations were found to be sufficiently credible to fall within the definition of research misconduct.
Judge Joun concluded: “The asserted procedural irregularities do not, without supported causal connection, compel or permit a reasonable finding that the decisionmakers acted because of her sex.”
Gino now appears to work as a private business consultant, according to publicly available information.
