> Skip to content
FEATURED:
  • Student-Success Resource Center
Sign In
  • News
  • Advice
  • The Review
  • Data
  • Current Issue
  • Virtual Events
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
Sign In
  • News
  • Advice
  • The Review
  • Data
  • Current Issue
  • Virtual Events
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
  • News
  • Advice
  • The Review
  • Data
  • Current Issue
  • Virtual Events
  • Store
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
    • Featured Products
    • Reports
    • Data
    • Collections
    • Back Issues
  • Jobs
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    • Career Resources
Sign In
ADVERTISEMENT
News
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Show more sharing options
Share
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Copy Link URLCopied!
  • Print

Penn State Panel Finds Climate Researcher Did Not Falsify Data, but Inquiry Continues

By  Jeffrey R. Young
February 3, 2010

A prominent climate scientist at Pennsylvania State University has been cleared of falsifying data and most accusations of scientific misconduct by a panel of university administrators, but the officials decided to look more closely into possible errant behavior.

The researcher, Michael E. Mann, is a key figure in the so-called Climategate scandal, in which computer hackers stole hundreds of private e-mail messages by researchers that suggested they had manipulated or exaggerated findings to support policy action related to global warming. Soon after the stolen e-mail messages became public, when the hackers posted them online, officials at Penn State began a formal inquiry into Mr. Mann’s behavior. The final report on the investigation was released Wednesday morning.

We're sorry. Something went wrong.

We are unable to fully display the content of this page.

The most likely cause of this is a content blocker on your computer or network.

Please allow access to our site, and then refresh this page. You may then be asked to log in, create an account if you don't already have one, or subscribe.

If you continue to experience issues, please contact us at 202-466-1032 or help@chronicle.com

A prominent climate scientist at Pennsylvania State University has been cleared of falsifying data and most accusations of scientific misconduct by a panel of university administrators, but the officials decided to look more closely into possible errant behavior.

The researcher, Michael E. Mann, is a key figure in the so-called Climategate scandal, in which computer hackers stole hundreds of private e-mail messages by researchers that suggested they had manipulated or exaggerated findings to support policy action related to global warming. Soon after the stolen e-mail messages became public, when the hackers posted them online, officials at Penn State began a formal inquiry into Mr. Mann’s behavior. The final report on the investigation was released Wednesday morning.

Mr. Mann was cleared of three of the four charges of professional misconduct, as the administrators found insufficient evidence to further investigate those claims.

The university took the unusual step of making the personnel investigation public because of the intense public interest in the case and its implications for public trust in science, said Lisa Powers, a spokeswoman for the university. Mr. Mann agreed to make the report public.

“While a perception has been created in the weeks after the ... e-mails were made public that Dr. Mann has engaged in the suppression or falsification of data, there is no credible evidence that he ever did so, and certainly not while at Penn State,” the report says.

ADVERTISEMENT

And while Phil Jones, director of the climate unit at the University of East Anglia, wrote to Mr. Mann in one of the e-mail messages asking the Penn State researcher to “delete any e-mails” he had exchanged with another climate researcher about a United Nations report, the university panel found no evidence that Mr. Mann had done so. In fact, the researcher supplied his full e-mail archive to investigators, and some of the messages contain information about the disputed report, the Penn State panel said.

As to whether Mr. Mann had violated norms of climate research in some of his other behavior, though, the Penn State administrators said they lacked the expertise to make the call. So they punted, forming a new committee of five professors. That committee will now begin its own investigation. Results are expected in about four months.

Mr. Mann issued a statement on his Web site but declined to talk further about the matter.

“This is very much the vindication I expected since I am confident I have done nothing wrong,” he said on the Web site. “I fully support the additional inquiry which may be the best way to remove any lingering doubts. I intend to cooperate fully in this matter — as I have since the beginning of the process.”

We welcome your thoughts and questions about this article. Please email the editors or submit a letter for publication.
Scholarship & Research
Jeffrey R. Young
Jeffrey R. Young was a senior editor and writer focused on the impact of technology on society, the future of education, and journalism innovation. He led a team at The Chronicle of Higher Education that explored new story formats. He is currently managing editor of EdSurge.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
  • Explore Content
    • Latest News
    • Newsletters
    • Letters
    • Free Reports and Guides
    • Professional Development
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle Store
    • Chronicle Intelligence
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
    Explore Content
    • Latest News
    • Newsletters
    • Letters
    • Free Reports and Guides
    • Professional Development
    • Virtual Events
    • Chronicle Store
    • Chronicle Intelligence
    • Find a Job
    • Post a Job
  • Know The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • Write for Us
    • Work at The Chronicle
    • Our Reporting Process
    • Advertise With Us
    • Brand Studio
    • DEI Commitment Statement
    • Accessibility Statement
    Know The Chronicle
    • About Us
    • Write for Us
    • Work at The Chronicle
    • Our Reporting Process
    • Advertise With Us
    • Brand Studio
    • DEI Commitment Statement
    • Accessibility Statement
  • Account and Access
    • Manage Your Account
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Institutional Subscriptions
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
    Account and Access
    • Manage Your Account
    • Manage Newsletters
    • Individual Subscriptions
    • Institutional Subscriptions
    • Subscription & Account FAQ
  • Get Support
    • Contact Us
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • User Agreement
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
    Get Support
    • Contact Us
    • Reprints & Permissions
    • User Agreement
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • California Privacy Policy
    • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
1255 23rd Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20037
© 2023 The Chronicle of Higher Education
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • youtube
  • facebook
  • linkedin