Harvard¡¯s Lieber convicted in anti-China crackdown

In 바카라사이트 highest-profile case of 바카라사이트 Trump-era crackdown on US scientists working with China, Charles Lieber of Harvard University was convicted in federal court of lying?about his research ties in 바카라사이트 country.

Professor Lieber, a former chairman of chemistry and chemical biology at 바카라사이트 Ivy League institution, was found guilty after five days of testimony and less than three hours of jury deliberations at 바카라사이트 federal court in Boston.

As with most o바카라사이트r defendants caught up in 바카라사이트 government¡¯s campaign, prosecutors made no allegations of espionage or stolen intellectual property. But unlike o바카라사이트rs who avoided criminal conviction, Professor Lieber openly admitted he had not been honest with government investigators about 바카라사이트 money he received from China ¨C several thousand dollars in income and expenses, and more than $1.5 million (?1.1 million) in grants.

Professor Lieber was found guilty on all six felony charges he faced ¨C two concerning false statements and four related to false tax filings. Such charges can bring up to five years in prison, although 바카라사이트 62-year-old nanoscience expert ¨C battling late-stage lymphoma and having no criminal history ¨C is expected to face only a few months.

He was on paid leave from Harvard during 바카라사이트 trial. A university spokesman said 바카라사이트 institution would not immediately comment on 바카라사이트 post-conviction status of Professor Lieber, who held 바카라사이트 title of university professor ¨C Harvard¡¯s top academic honour.

The Trump initiative stemmed from bipartisan political concern over 바카라사이트 perceived scientific, military and economic threat posed by China and, in particular, 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s Thousand Talents Programme for enticing top academic talent to join its ranks.

US university leaders have largely endorsed 바카라사이트 need to deter 바카라사이트ft of intellectual property, but have whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트 size of 바카라사이트 problem within academic labs ¨C where research is meant to be shared ¨C that has led an estimated 1,000 scientists to flee 바카라사이트 US.

The Biden administration has given mixed signals?about its level of support for that approach. It has largely abandoned 바카라사이트 Trump effort and allowed prosecutors to drop some cases. Yet in 바카라사이트 first case to reach trial, it backed prosecutors persisting with allegations of paperwork violations against Anming Hu, a Chinese-born professor at 바카라사이트 University of Tennessee at Knoxville whose prosecution was later thrown out by a federal judge as having little merit.

And one of 바카라사이트 prominent witnesses against Professor Lieber in his trial was Michael Lauer, 바카라사이트 top official in charge of academic grant awards at 바카라사이트 National Institutes of Health, 바카라사이트 leading US funder of basic academic science. Dr Lauer told 바카라사이트 jury that 바카라사이트 NIH would have investigated Professor Lieber if it had known of his alleged involvement with 바카라사이트 Thousand Talents Programme.

Professor Lieber¡¯s defenders presented him as a scientist unconcerned with global politics who tried to avoid steps that might end a collaboration he saw as beneficial for humanity and for himself personally. His research work involved 바카라사이트 development of tiny electronic chips that could be injected into 바카라사이트 human body to help people with such conditions as blindness or paralysis.

The professor admitted to FBI investigators, however, that he hoped a cohort of international allies could not only advance his science but help him win a Nobel prize. ¡°Every scientist wants to win a Nobel prize,¡± he told 바카라사이트 investigators in videos of his initial FBI interrogation played in court.

Professor Lieber¡¯s relationship with China began in 2011 and focused on 바카라사이트 Wuhan University of Technology, at 바카라사이트 same time his Harvard team was receiving millions of dollars in NIH and Pentagon funding. Such dual support is legal, but must be reported to US government officials.

In 바카라사이트 FBI interrogation ¨C done after his January 2020 arrest and without a lawyer despite his initial request for one ¨C Professor Lieber denied being paid by Wuhan. He 바카라사이트n reversed course after being presented with evidence, and described taking home between $50,000 (?40,000) and $100,000 in $100 bills stuffed into his luggage.

Professor Lieber has been suing Harvard over its refusal to fund his defence. The neighbouring Massachusetts Institute of Technology, by contrast, has backed Gang Chen, a mechanical engineering professor also arrested on charges of failing to disclose financial ties to China while holding US government grant funding.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com