Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Bell Labs fires Hendrik Schon for Data Falsification

Posted by chrisd on from the 1-down-118-to-go dept.

Raiford writes "Bell Labs has fired physicist Hendrik Schon for falsifying scientific data. Schon was thought to be a likely candidate for the Nobel prize based on the promise his reported research findings had for the advancement of molecular scale computing. In a Reuters report the dismissal was described as the only conclusive case of scientific misconduct ever identified in the history of the prestigious laboratory."

11 of 169 comments (clear)

  1. hmmm by geek · · Score: 2, Interesting

    "the only conclusive case of scientific misconduct ever identified in the history of the prestigious laboratory"

    Now if only the rest of the company could claim the same. I'm still pissed at them for stealing my companies customers. We would sell people ISDN back in 1998 and two weeks after the install our local baby bell would come to their door pitching their services. It turned out they were flagging our orders and sending their dsl sales team out to steal our customers.

    Bastards

  2. Twist of Fate... by mythosaz · · Score: 1, Interesting

    ...in an ironic twist of fate /. reports that Google News is up and running, and then proceeds to only post news items from the main Google News page.

    Well, I guess Ask Slashdot will still have new content for people to flame each other over.

  3. Questionable by cdf12345 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I have a feeling that sometimes scientists just have a 6th sense that lead them to correct hypothesises even when data does not back them up, and technology later, sometimes generations later, is able to support their ideas.

    I dont know what he was working on, but I would like to give the guy the benifit of the doubt until I can read the report and experimental data.

    At least he's not moving the Lab's money into offshore shell companies to show earnings..

    --
    Chicago2600.net more than a lifestyle, its a survival trait.
    1. Re:Questionable by comic-not · · Score: 4, Interesting

      You get it right on the money in the sixth sense thing. Take, e.g., Wegener and plate tectonics. He was right on the large scheme but absolutely wrong in details which is why his work was ridiculed by his contemporaries. Only later the evidence started to crop up and the proper mechanism was discovered.

      It is not a sin to come up with seemingly crackpot theories. In fact that's almost synonymous with ingenuity. What is a horrible, unforgivable crime is to tamper with data to fit it to model and not vice versa. To a scientist, real data is (or should be) holy and must be treated with due reverence.

      --
      Existence usually comes as a surprise (Idem)
    2. Re:Questionable by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      Many important discoveries have been due to 'failed' experiments. Just imaging what would have happened if Michelson and Morley had faked their 'Speed of the "ether"' experiment. As it happens it failed badly proving the "ether" doesn't exist and that the speed of light is constant in all frames of reference. You should never ever fake results.

      BTW. The experiment also involved an extremely impressive feat of surveying by the US Navy.

  4. shoen by sstory · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I do some physics research with similar materials. I saw the papers involved, and the graphs. I have no idea how he thought he could get away with that. same noise patterns. It's nuts. funny when he said a week or so ago, "I'm having some trouble reproducing the results. It's not working for me now." I suppose he'll go teach high school physics now or something.

  5. Unfotunately not all that uncommon by Rainier+Wolfecastle · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I heard a story about a biological researcher who went to some lengths to forge his results. When confronted with the accusation he produced his raw data and even autoradiograms. It eventually came out that he had decided where he wanted his results, and had then used an iodine isotope to create the bands on his blot.

    Due to the extreme competition that exists in most research these days, forged results are only going to become more and more common.

  6. Lucent has been sinking for years by DrLudicrous · · Score: 2, Interesting
    I worked at Bell Lab's for a summer as a physicist 2 years ago, and lemme tell you all, it was one of the most depressing job experiences of my life. Yeah, the pay was great, but the HR and finance has got a stranglehold on the scientists. It's all about meeting the bottom line now, and this is a result of that attitude. It's a simple equation:

    Scientists+HR+business people==shit

    People were getting laid off left and right, management had no idea what was going on, and the company was telling employees to buy stock options while the stock tanked from $60 to under a dollar. What a sad ending for one of the great American Research Labs.

    1. Re:Lucent has been sinking for years by SmoothTom · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I'm also an ex-Bell Labber, one who left at divestiture in '84 because I could clearly see the place going from what it was to a bottom-line oriented product development "lab."

      Still, though, I'm very glad to see that they maintained the intelligence, backbone, and ethics to bounce Schon's sorry ass.

      Tomas

      "Very funny, Scotty. Now beam down my clothes!"

    2. Re:Lucent has been sinking for years by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting

      I worked in BL communications research for ten years.
      I agree with your sentiments about the labs.
      I would love to get about 25 ex-BL researchers together and write a book about the downfall.

  7. Re:Shit Happens by Compuser · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Like many physicists, I have spent a good chunk
    of this morning reading the Beasley report on
    this case. There is nothing about this guy or
    his data that is not "troublesome", i.e. fake.
    When your read that virtually every paper he
    published is the result of scientific misconduct
    it gets very hard to feel bad for the guy.
    Instead I feel bad he is ruined at 32, not at 28.