The son’s “invention” is similar to the father’s research. Is there an “academic fight for father”?
■ Observer
Reject the "fighting father" of academia and return the stage of youth science and technology innovation competitions to young people.
Recently, Liu Jianguo, the dean of the Hefei Institute of Material Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, was accused of using his and his laboratory team’s scientific research results for his son Liu Mouyang to receive an award for further studies.
It is understood that his son has won two inventions, both of which are highly similar to his father's research results.
In response to this, on October 26, Liu Jianguo responded to the media saying, “Don’t just look at the appearance, but see what is different.” On the 27th, the Hefei Institute of Material Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences also issued a statement saying that it has been investigated. .
In response to the above-mentioned matters, some netizens called this a technologically innovative version of "Fighting Father"; some netizens thought it was normal that the father is a scientist and the child should follow along. There is nothing wrong with it.
What needs to be realized is that Liu Jianguo is in the field of scientific research and has natural convenience in guiding children to learn. There is no blame for guiding children to learn science and technology.
However, it is worth noting that directly writing the name of the child on the scientific research results of his team "change the soup without changing the medicine", and the guidance to the child only stays at the level of "calling" are two different things.
If it is the former, then this is not only disrespect for the labor of the members of the project, but also unfair to the other players participating in the competition.
Of course, the matter has not yet been finalized, and the voices of the people involved have not yet been fully expressed. We cannot arbitrarily say that there must be some tricks.
Whether Liu Mouyang used the scientific research results of his father's project, Liu Jianguo did not violate the regulations to help Liu Mouyang, in the final analysis, it is the operation of both parties that meets the specifications.
If Liu Mouyang directly uses the scientific research results of his father Liu Jianguo's team as his own original content, there is a problem.
The truth of the incident still needs to be closely investigated by relevant departments.
What needs to be clear is that the reason why this matter has caused controversy is that many people are wary of the behavior of "big hands holding small hands" in academia.
And such incidents are not isolated cases.
For example, in July 2020, the news that "primary school students made research results of master's degree and Ph.D. level questioned to be falsified" was popularly searched, but in the end there was no public investigation result.
It should be noted that the original intention of the youth science and technology innovation competition is to cultivate the innovative spirit and practical ability of the youth, improve the science and technology quality of the youth, and promote the popularization and development of science and technology education.
But if the parents secretly violate the rules and "assist", it obviously deviates from the original intention of the competition.
Some experts have pointed out that for utilitarian purposes such as enrolling and enrolling their children, some parents participate in various competitions regardless of cost, which seriously violates the original intention and intention of the competition.
This has seriously affected the fairness of admissions.
These "spiritual operations" may also pave the way for fraud in Chinese academic circles.
In recent years, many people who have participated in such competitions broke the news that some of the scientific research projects that participated in the competition were fraudulent, and many scientific research topics and experimental difficulties have reached the level of master's and doctoral degrees, which cannot be completed independently by elementary and middle school students who are busy with their studies.
When these man-made "geniuses" emerge endlessly in the public view, their impact is obviously very bad, and it is not only the children who are "fed" by scientific research results, but also the new generation reserve army who is truly aspiring to academics.
Currently, the matter is still under investigation.
But in any case, the scientific research field must resolutely resist the "fighting father" game and return the stage of youth science and technology innovation competitions to young people, so that young people who are really interested in academics can more confidently display their talents.
□Ding Hui (media person)