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Article: Researcher Confesses, Implicates Dr. Mikovits in Theft of Materials From WPI
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One really wonders if it all comes down to the "ownership" of certain materials/data why an independent arbitration and ruling (internally) could not have been sought before projecting into the public arena by JM's dismissal.
I am happy to hear negotiations are going on now, and hope for best resolution for all concerned (and damage limitation).
I am happy to hear negotiations are going on now, and hope for best resolution for all concerned (and damage limitation).
Disclaimer: New here, do NOT know the full story, have had no vested interest in how this research played out because I never even knew it was taking place, so not a side taker in this one.
However, I feel like I'd like to say something about this. I work in an academic research department and also come from a family which placed a high value on science and educational achievement. Some of the people I know in both arenas are also as crazy as the day is long.
One of the things that has struck me, throughout my life, is how prevalent the notion is that a person who is highly educated and appears functionally capable of doing science is somehow automatically assumed to be emotionally stable as well. I can assure you all that this is not always the case.
Ownership in a case like this should be crystal clear within the law. I work on grant applications which are going to the NIH almost every day, and one of the very first items on the application is the legal name of the applying institution. The institution signs off on the work to be conducted, not the principal investigator, and the institution bears the final responsibility for the conduct of the work. Generally, in an academic research setting, the institution provides the tools for researchers to conduct their projects and publish their papers, but the researcher does not really "own" the materials generated by the work. The institution does.
Thank you, LBS! This is very close to my experience too. I didn't work in academic research, but I did grow up in a family of MA's, MD's, and Ph.D's. I have an MA myself, but fortunately I have also had psychotherapy. I wish that this was a mandatory thing for people with advanced degrees, that they would not be able to graduate college with at least 40 hours of psychotherapy, and if they pursued further advanced degrees, than double that to 80 hours.
The recent drama and meltdown at the WPI IMO is a symptom of what happens when people are lacking in inner development. If both parties (Judy and Annette) would have been capable of sitting down and communicating with each other like one human being with the other, or gotten the assistance of a good mediator to help them in this process, we would not have had this monumental crisis. All relationships ultimately boil down to personal relationships, but those unfortunately have a huge impact on the world at large.
I'm sure LBS all of this may be argued - I am only now interested in resolution (amicable - we do not know all the lead up facts/disagreements) to this fiasco for the whole ME community. Oh bit of heart if that's allowed in academic circles. Signing off..... well maybe not if the instigator listens perhaps even have some trust in the lead researcher (whatever happens with the XMRV findings - they too were needed).
I think it's common for people to equate level of intelligence and academic qualifications with emotional maturity and mental stability when in reality, there is quite often very little correlation. Intellectualizing appears to be an extremely common defense mechanism in our society, and maybe more so in the academic and research arena's.
My view is that intelligence is more useful when used together with self awareness (humility), common sense, and intuition. Not something I've mastered by any means. Just an ideal. But I don't get away with self deceit for long around my friends.
Honestly though, I don't care if people hide behind their intellect as long as they don't project and misdirect their issues causing harm to those around them. Either way, I think we are all just doing our best to be who we really are.
I would agree with all of this, Enid. The saddest thing is that, whatever the dynamics that caused things to come to this, it's the patient population left standing with their mouths agape and their questions unanswered.
The hope that I see in the recent developments is that, to my mind, if the two sides are engaged in mediation, that may means that the institution is willing to concede that this researcher has expertise that they need and cannot acquire elsewhere, and the two sides may be able to come together in a way that will ultimately be of benefit to the patients. It's not clear at this point what might happen, but that's what I might hope for.