Scientists under the microscope?

(Global Times)

09:04, September 15, 2011

If only Duan Zhenhao’s wife hadn’t blown the whistle, he would likely still be living the high life with multiple mistresses, a renowned reputation and perhaps the author of a scientific breakthrough or two. 

Duan is the former director of a key laboratory at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics with the China Academy of Sciences (CAS). His work has received peer recognition and he was nominated for full-fledged membership in CAS last May. 

His world fell apart in early July when a woman claiming to be his wife exposed him online as a philanderer and the father of a daughter with another woman. She told the world that he kept mistresses and embezzled scientific research fund for their travel. 

Duan’s arrest was announced by CAS on July 21. He has been detained since then. 

Insiders in the scientific community lament that Duan was simply unlucky. “It is an open secret that many scientists divert some research funds and grants for their personal use. What happened to Duan would make many rats in the circle laugh. A false travel claim is very minor. No one wants to unmask the thing,” said a professor at a Shanghai university, suggesting the scientific community’s misuse of government funding is rampant. She spoke only on condition her name not be used.

While numerous experts have blogged on the issue expressing doubts about how funds are granted and managed, only a few scientists or professors with knowledge of the issues would consent to be interviewed even when the Global Times offered anonymity. 

A professor who had previously written about inappropriate allocation of funds and the improper use of grants refused further comment, citing an order from his university. Another told the Global Times that he wouldn’t discuss the issue in public for fear of offending people he may later have to rely on. Yet another professor said he didn’t want to disrupt the “harmonious atmosphere” in the science community.

Last year, two professors cracked open the lid on shady granting practices and shoddy accounting of funding in China’s science community when they published an exposé in Science magazine published in the US. Shi Yigong, a professor and dean of the School of Life Sciences at Tsinghua University, and Rao Yi, professor and dean of the School of Life Sciences at Peking University, co-authored the article, criticizing China’s science funding mechanism and the community’s culture of greed.

The article has been refuted by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), which is responsible for major scientific and research programs and projects. 
Lax auditing 

Over the last two decades, China has invested billions of yuan in scientific research, after the government recognized that progress in science is key to the country’s future development. Wan Gang, the minister of MOST, revealed recently that the government intends to continue its torrid pace of investment in science and technology, which has increased at an average rate of 20 percent a year.

While there is no doubt the massive investment has provided many scientists in China with world-class laboratories allowing them to strive for scientific breakthroughs that might help humanity, some experts in the field worry the flood of funding could lead to even greater corruption, waste and embezzlement. 

Liu Zhuang, deputy chief prosecutor in Beijing’s Haidian district, said dramatic funding increases are viewed by some as an opportunity to make money even at the expense of their reputations and academic careers. 

In China, scientific research funding is mainly allocated to universities and research institutes through departments such as the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NNSFC), the Ministry of Education and MOST. 

Critics highlight two fundamental flaws in the funding process that provide opportunities for dishonest dealings. They say the granting of funds is skewed in favor of those who cultivate close connections, sometimes with bribes, and a peer review assessment of applications for funding that is not anonymous. 

Critics also say the auditing of research funds is far too lax, allowing fund recipients to write off vast amounts with phony invoices that are seldom checked. 

When some scientists bargain with a supplier for equipment they are often looking for a higher price, not a lower one. 

“If you buy a piece of equipment for a million yuan, you can expect a 200,000 yuan kickback. The invoice will be authentic and there’s really no way to check it,” said the professor in Shanghai.

“It’s good that more funds are provided for scientific research. It is the first step. The next step will be to improve the management and supervision. It takes time,” a staff member of the NNSFC told the Global Times on condition of anonymity. 

Zhu Mengjin, an associate professor at Huazhong Agricultural University, says the embezzlement has a lot to do with the low wages earned by scientists and professors in China.
Low pay a problem

While scientists are often permitted to buy state-of-the-art equipment for their experiments, the funds allocated to human resources are much lower than in Western countries. This gives scientists both reasoning and temptation to fudge their funding accounts, said Yao Weihong, a professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University. “You cannot rely on the self discipline of research workers. They are just normal people and weak in front of temptation. Stricter management and supervision are needed.” 

Applying for funding is a time-consuming and important part of the work of both individual scientists and their universities. Although government research cash seems to have flowed like water, under-the-table dealings are often a prerequisite for securing funding.

He Zuoxiu, a CAS member who has sat on peer review panels, was quoted in China Youth Daily back in 2005 as saying that he knew some applicants sent cash-filled envelopes to other assessors who helped them win project funding. “They hardly invite me now because they’re afraid I might say something to hinder the distribution of benefits,” said He.

Professor Rao, who studied in the US, wrote on his blog that many scientists face rejection in China if they don’t use backdoor connections. He wrote that an applicant’s connections are sometimes more important than a good academic record. 

A 2008 survey conducted by the China Association of Science and Technology (CAST) showed that some applicants who receive funding “sell” the project to other researchers in exchange for a kickback. 

Scratching each other’s back

The NNSFC official told the Global Times that, “in China, peer reviews are generally confidential but because judges and applicants are in the same circle, they likely know each other and in the future their roles might be reversed.” 

He Guoxiang a researcher with the Development Research Center of CAST, agrees that scientists in the “circle of influence” have a better chance of having their projects supported and funded.

CAST’s 2008 survey showed that 46.1 percent of applicants surveyed felt they were sometimes unfairly treated, while 18.6 percent said they often encountered unfairness.

Rao and Shi suggested in their article that, “a simple but important first step would be to distribute all of the new funds based solely on merit, without regard to connections.” 

Xiong Bingqi, a professor at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, suggests “an independent third party should judge the rationality of research projects to avoid under-the-table deals.” 

“More transparency and supervision by both the government and the public are needed. The power needs to be restrained,” said Zhou Xiaozheng, a professor of sociology at Renmin University.

Science for profit and fame

Many scholarly critics of the scientific community say the ethos of research for profit and fame needs to be eliminated. They want stricter controls from funding agencies and a stronger ethical commitment from the scientists and researchers. 

“Those who are really devoted to research are usually eliminated in the long run and those who are good at making connection laugh the last laugh,” said Xiong. 

“A performance evaluation system should be established to link the funds with the applicants’ performance history. Those who rank last should be eliminated from the competition,” said Zhu.

Rao suggest a national institute with real authority should be established to review and implement regulations.

Both Rao and Shi know broad changes won’t happen overnight. “Those favored by the existing system resist meaningful reform. Some who oppose the fraud choose to be silent for fear of losing future grant opportunities.

Others who want change are taking a ‘wait and see’ attitude out of fear of losing the battle.”

Yet Rao remains somewhat optimistic and applauds the government’s dedication to science. “China’s investment in scientific research is rising and the quantity and quality of scientific talent is improving,” said Rao. “Reform of the scientific research system, though slow, is also in progress.”

 

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