A renowned professor at Harvard, known for her studies on honesty, was found to have altered data in her research. This revelation came from a recent investigation by the university, which suggested she should be dismissed from her position.
Francesca Gino, a prominent figure at Harvard Business School, focused on the theme of dishonesty in her research. However, it was discovered that she manipulated data in four of her studies to support her theories. This finding was part of an extensive report, spanning nearly 1,300 pages, from an investigation that lasted several months.
The investigation concluded that Professor Gino was involved in research misconduct in all four studies under scrutiny. The Harvard Business School’s inquiry recommended her termination after uncovering that she tampered with research data to enhance her hypotheses.
Gino, who has published over 140 academic papers and received numerous awards, faced criticism last year. This came after a group of behavioral scientists highlighted on their blog, Data Colada, that four papers she co-authored between 2012 and 2020 included fraudulent data.
Following these allegations, Harvard initiated a preliminary investigation into Gino’s work in October 2021. The concerns raised by the Data Colada team about questionable data led to this action.
In 2022 and 2023, a thorough investigation was carried out. It involved interviews with Gino and her colleagues, as well as a review of her data, emails, and manuscript drafts. An external forensics firm was also engaged to examine the data from her studies.
Gino suggested to the investigators that either mistakes by her or her research assistants or deliberate sabotage by someone with harmful intentions could explain the data discrepancies. However, the investigators dismissed these explanations.
Based on their findings, the investigators recommended to Dean Datar in March 2023 that Gino be placed on unpaid leave and that termination procedures commence.
Gino speculated that someone might have manipulated her data out of spite, but this claim did not sway the investigation’s outcome.
The severity of Gino’s actions led the investigators to propose not only her dismissal but also an audit of her work and the retraction of three of her papers. One paper had already been retracted by the time of the investigation.
Gino has taken legal action against Harvard, Datar, and the Data Colada researchers, filing a $25 million lawsuit in a Boston federal court. She alleges that the investigation and subsequent administrative leave, which began in June 2023, along with the public exposure from the Data Colada blogs, have severely damaged her reputation and career.
In response to the lawsuit, Harvard presented the investigation report as part of its defense. A federal judge ordered the report to be made public, despite Gino’s objections.
Gino’s lawyer argued that the report showed no evidence of data manipulation by Gino, criticizing the investigation as flawed.
Despite the allegations, Gino has maintained her innocence, denying any misconduct. Harvard has yet to comment on the situation.