| July 1, 2010 |  |
Scientist Michael Mann Exonerated by Penn State University
WASHINGTON (July, 1 2010) – Today's announcement by Penn State University that climate scientist Michael Mann has been cleared of all scientific misconduct charges should put an end to the baseless attacks on Mann and his research, including the ongoing investigation by Virginia's attorney general, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS).
"Michael Mann has been the target of political attacks from members of Congress, industry-funded groups, and now Virginia's attorney general," said Francesca Grifo, director of the Scientific Integrity Program at UCS. "This harassment has succeeded only in wasting taxpayer dollars and distracting Dr. Mann and other scientists from doing valuable research. It's time for it to stop."
Penn State first responded in February to allegations of scientific misconduct against Mann stemming from emails stolen from the University of East Anglia last fall. The university's investigatory committee cleared Mann on three allegations but decided to gather more information to determine whether Mann had adhered to "accepted practices" within the academic community that studies climate change.
On April 23, while the Penn State committee was still investigating the last charge, Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli essentially subpoenaed the University of Virginia, Mann's former employer, to obtain extensive documents related to Mann's work at the school. Cuccinelli cited the stolen emails as his rationale for launching his investigation of Mann for fraud. UVA has rejected Cuccinelli's demand for the documents. (For more information, see a timeline of events related to the UVA investigation as well as a debunking of individual claims Cuccinelli made in a court filing.)
The report released today by Penn State was unequivocal. "The Investigatory Committee, after careful review of all available evidence, determined that there is no substance to the allegation...," it stated. "[Mann] did not engage in, nor did he participate in, directly or indirectly, any actions that seriously deviated from accepted practices within the academic community for proposing, conducting, or reporting research, or other scholarly activities." Previous investigations of Mann and his colleagues also have found no evidence of scientific misconduct.
"The Penn State report shows that universities and scientists have effective systems in place to police themselves," Grifo said "Michael Mann has been exonerated by multiple investigations. It's clear that the Virginia attorney general's inquiry is baseless. This is another sad episode in a long history of politicians attacking scientists whose findings don't match their worldview."
Politically motivated harassment can have a chilling effect on scientists, Grifo said. "Virginia has a reputation as a state that fosters an environment where scientists can pursue cutting edge research that improves the quality of life and drives economic growth," she said. "The attorney general's investigation could make scientists think twice about working in a state where they have to worry about attacks from government officials."
The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future.
