Retraction Watch, a Web site monitoring retracted papers, on Monday revealed that an academic involved in the government-backed National Energy Project plagiarized findings by his colleagues, credited other researchers without permission and duplicated his own articles for submission to a number of international journals.
The Web site published a National Taiwan University (NTU) and Industrial Technology Research Institute investigation report which found former project research assistant Lu Hsyi-min (呂錫民), a former employee at the university’s Energy Research Center, committed academic fraud involving 10 papers.
The Ministry of Science and Technology commissioned the university to execute the five-year project, which has a budget of NT$30 billion (US$892 million).
Lu confessed to the allegations and the retraction of all papers, the report said.
Six papers have been retracted, the latest of which were two articles by Dutch scientific journal Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews from November last year, the report said.
Lu was found to have reused portions of one of his earlier works in two papers — “Renewable Energy in Taiwan” and “Promotional Strategies for Renewable Energy in Taiwan” — which he submitted to the journal.
“One of the conditions of submission of a paper for publication is that authors declare explicitly that the paper is not under consideration for publication elsewhere. As such, this article represents a severe abuse of the scientific publishing system,” the retraction notes published by the journal said.
Lu also credited his NTU colleagues, including project chief executive Falin Chen (陳發林), as first authors or coauthors without their knowledge, while Lu himself was listed as the corresponding author.
In addition, Lu was found to have plagiarized his colleague's master's thesis in "Green Transport Infrastructure of Taiwan," which editors of the Open Journal of Energy Efficiency said was removed.
Chen told Retraction Watch he found out about the plagiarism after a student in August, 2013 informed him that Lu could have plagiarized a postgraduate thesis.
Former NTU president Lee Si-chen (李嗣涔), who heads the project, yesterday said he was astonished.
Lee apologized to the ministry for his failure to report Lu’s offenses and for damaging the nation’s academic reputation.
He said that he had consulted his lawyer over the incident and fired Lu.
A statement issued by the university said it would launch a new investigation to identify any other possible wrongdoers.
Minister of Education Wu Se-hwa (吳思華) said that the promotion of professors should not rely so heavily on the number of papers they submit.
Wu said that it would be difficult to ask a single university or academic to change their ways and that he would discuss the issue with university leaders in a meeting at the end of the month.
In standard practice, the host facility of a ministry-funded research program has the power to hire or dismiss researchers or assistants without having to report to the ministry, Vice Minister of Science and Technology Lin Yi-bing (林一平) said.
“It is best to notify the ministry of every significant breach of academic ethics, but that is a gray area. We are drafting regulations to request [research facilities] to inform the ministry of all such incidents,” Lin said.
Lin said Lu’s dismissal is the most severe punishment a researcher found to have breached academic integrity could face, and it is obvious that NTU and Chen handled down proportionate punishment.
The ministry is to begin an investigation into the incident and NTU has been requested to cooperate, he said, adding that the second phase of National Energy Program is running using a set of more thorough procedures.
STILL DANGEROUS: The typhoon was expected to weaken, but it would still maintain its structure, with high winds and heavy rain, the weather agency said One person had died amid heavy winds and rain brought by Typhoon Krathon, while 70 were injured and two people were unaccounted for, the Central Emergency Operation Center said yesterday, while work and classes have been canceled nationwide today for the second day. The Hualien County Fire Department said that a man in his 70s had fallen to his death at about 11am on Tuesday while trimming a tree at his home in Shoufeng Township (壽豐). Meanwhile, the Yunlin County Fire Department received a report of a person falling into the sea at about 1pm on Tuesday, but had to suspend search-and-rescue
RULES BROKEN: The MAC warned Chinese not to say anything that would be harmful to the autonomous status of Taiwan or undermine its sovereignty A Chinese couple accused of disrupting a pro-democracy event in Taipei organized by Hong Kong residents has been deported, the National Immigration Agency said in a statement yesterday afternoon. A Chinese man, surnamed Yao (姚), and his wife were escorted by immigration officials to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport, where they boarded a flight to China before noon yesterday, the agency said. The agency said that it had annulled the couple’s entry permits, citing alleged contraventions of the Regulations Governing the Approval of Entry of People of the Mainland Area into the Taiwan Area (大陸地區人民進入台灣地區許可辦法). The couple applied to visit a family member in
CELEBRATION: The PRC turned 75 on Oct. 1, but the Republic of China is older. The PRC could never be the homeland of the people of the ROC, Lai said The People’s Republic of China (PRC) could not be the “motherland” of the people of the Republic of China (ROC), President William Lai (賴清德) said yesterday. Lai made the remarks in a speech at a Double Ten National Day gala in Taipei, which is part of National Day celebrations that are to culminate in a fireworks display in Yunlin County on Thursday night next week. Lai wished the country a happy birthday and called on attendees to enjoy the performances and activities while keeping in mind that the ROC is a sovereign and independent nation. He appealed for everyone to always love their
‘EXTREME PRESSURE’: Beijing’s goal is to ‘force Taiwan to make mistakes,’ Admiral Tang Hua said, adding that mishaps could serve as ‘excuses’ for launching a blockade China’s authoritarian expansionism threatens not only Taiwan, but the rules-based international order, the navy said yesterday, after its top commander said in an interview that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could blockade the nation at will. The object of Beijing’s expansionist activities is not limited to Taiwan and its use of pressure is not confined to specific political groups or people, the navy said in a statement. China utilizes a mixture of cognitive warfare and “gray zone” military activities to pressure Taiwan, the navy said, adding that PLA sea and air forces are compressing the nation’s defensive depth. The navy continues to
RSS