Charles Lieber, the head of Harvard’s Chemistry Department, has been arrested after the was found to have lied to the authorities regarding his involvement with China’s program to recruit foreign researchers.
The investigation against Lieber has uncovered an affidavit that contained his contract with the program, Thousand Talents, which offered him a monthly salary of $50,000 and annual living expenses of more than $150,000 over the course of three years. Furthermore, he had also been offered upwards of $1.5 million by the Chinese GOvernment and the Wuhan University of Technology (WUT) to conduct research at the university and setting up a lab.
Charles Leiber is a prominent figure in the scientific community and is one of the biggest names that the US authorities have ever arrested for stealing research for foreign nations. Till date, most cases of arrests have generally been in cases against scientist that are collaborating with China. Now, China’s Thousand Talents program which aims to acquire leading scientists that “can enhance China’s high-tech industries and emerging disciplines” has recently come under US authorities attention.
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Leiber is also a renowned professor at Harvard and a leader in nanoscience and nanotechnology related research. Allegedly, he signed an agreement with WUT to conduct research and development of nano-wired lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. This agreement was taken on Harvard University’s behalf which is out of Lieber’s authority. In other words, he undertook a deal in Harvard’s name and worked for a Chinese organization.
The affidavit also claims that Lieber misrepresented his work to Harvard and had lied to the Department of Defense and National Institutes of Health, which also fund Lieber’s research group at Harvard. This funding requires full disclosure regarding foreign collaborations that Lieber did not follow through on. Currently, Lieber is under paid administrative leave but is not allowed on campus grounds, for now.
“The charges brought by the U.S. government against Professor Lieber are extremely serious. Harvard is cooperating with federal authorities, including the National Institutes of Health, and is conducting its own review of the alleged misconduct,” according to a statement by Harvard. The implications of Lieber’s actions are severe as the tensions between the US and China are at an all-time high. The investigation is still underway to root out more violations and acts of misconduct.
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