Stanford pupil reporter sparks explosive investigation

On the identical day because the story's publication, the college launched an investigation at Tessier Lavigne analysis and the seven years of alleged scientific misconduct detailed within the Stanford Day by day story.

“It was fairly superb,” Stanford Day by day editor Sam Catania mentioned. “I am unable to say that I anticipated the board to behave rapidly.” However the launch of the investigation, he mentioned, “has turn out to be one other newsworthy occasion for us.” Baker continued to cowl the story, revealing attainable picture manipulation in further papers co-written by Tessier-Lavigne. He additionally reported on requires the president of the college to resign and the enlargement of the group of people who would examine allegations of scientific misconduct. (You may learn all of the Stanford Day by day protection right here.)

On February 17, three days earlier than the Polk Award winners had been introduced, Baker posted one other large story exposing accusations that Tessier-Lavigne didn't publicize findings of falsified information in a 2009 paper that recognized a possible reason behind mind degeneration in Alzheimer's illness sufferers (of which he was lead creator ).

His solely in-person interplay with Tessier-Lavigne was transient, Baker mentioned. He approached the college's president shortly after sending him an electronic mail looking for touch upon the story of the alleged cover-up of falsified Alzheimer's illness information. “I approached him. I simply mentioned, “Hello,” and he mentioned, “Oh yeah, yeah. I obtained your letter. I stay up for being in contact. I am in a rush.'

“I began to say one thing and he closed his automotive door mid-sentence,” Baker continued. “And naturally he did not reply us. His lawyer did.

Shortly after the publication of the Alzheimer's story, Tessier-Lavigne despatched a letter to Stanford school and employees attacking the scholar newspaper stories, calling them “stuffed with lies”.

Tessier-Lavigne's letter bolstered Baker's perception that his tales would by no means have been printed if the Stanford Day by day weren't a company working exterior the tutorial establishment's management. (The paper celebrates the fiftieth anniversary of its independence from the college this yr.) “The stakes are simply too excessive,” Baker mentioned. “The individual we write about is actually chargeable for all of us.”

The Stanford Day by day reporter and editor are reluctant to ask concerning the impression their investigation may need on Tessier-Lavigne's tenure as college president.

“We simply need to report the details and we need to get it proper. That is what's most essential to us,” Catania mentioned. “You recognize, it doesn't matter what, if on the finish of the day, we had been honest, we had been exact and we had been thorough. For me, it will likely be “mission completed” from the Day by day.

For his half, Baker mentioned he simply wished to get “to the underside of precisely what occurred.” He added: “I strive to not suppose an excessive amount of about what is going on to occur primarily based on all of this. The factor I've spent essentially the most time enthusiastic about is ensuring we're doing it proper and ensuring it is as full as attainable. I am not in command of making judgments; different individuals will draw their conclusions. So my solely job right here is simply to go on and work out what's actually on the market.