Stanford scholar 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 Every day story.

“It was fairly superb,” Stanford Every day editor Sam Catania stated. “I am unable to say that I anticipated the board to behave shortly.” However the launch of the investigation, he stated, “has grow to be one other newsworthy occasion for us.” Baker continued to cowl the story, revealing attainable picture manipulation in extra 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'll be able to learn all of the Stanford Every 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 knowledge in a 2009 paper that recognized a possible explanation for mind degeneration in Alzheimer's illness sufferers (of which he was lead writer ).

His solely in-person interplay with Tessier-Lavigne was temporary, Baker stated. He approached the college's president shortly after sending him an electronic mail searching for touch upon the story of the alleged cover-up of falsified Alzheimer's illness knowledge. “I approached him. I simply stated, “Hello,” and he stated, “Oh yeah, yeah. I acquired your letter. I look ahead to 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 reviews, calling them “filled with lies”.

Tessier-Lavigne's letter bolstered Baker's perception that his tales would by no means have been printed if the Stanford Every day weren't a corporation working outdoors 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 stated. “The individual we write about is actually chargeable for all of us.”

The Stanford Every day reporter and editor are reluctant to ask concerning the affect their investigation might need on Tessier-Lavigne's tenure as college president.

“We simply wish to report the details and we wish to get it proper. That is what's most necessary to us,” Catania stated. “You already know, it doesn't matter what, if on the finish of the day, we had been truthful, we had been exact and we had been thorough. For me, it will likely be “mission completed” from the Every day.

For his half, Baker stated he simply wished to get “to the underside of precisely what occurred.” He added: “I strive to not assume an excessive amount of about what is going on to occur primarily based on all of this. The factor I've spent probably the most time serious 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.