Letter to faculty

Dear colleagues,

I write because the Boston Globe posted an online article this morning that may raise some questions in your minds, and I want you to know that I’m available to answer them.

The story revisits a case that occurred 15 years ago, when I was a vice dean at Duke Medical School. As I described to the search committee that chose me to lead MIT, the case involved a rising researcher at Duke who was accused of and eventually found responsible for research misconduct.

At the time, I was new to university administration; lessons I learned from this case have powerfully shaped my approach to leadership ever since. One formative lesson was the vital importance of establishing and following rigorous and timely internal investigative processes and ensuring that they are entirely independent from those who undertook the research.

This case led to concrete improvements in Duke’s research infrastructure. As you all know, more broadly, over the past decade the scientific community has continued to sharpen its focus on detecting and addressing fraud through improved policies, processes and technology.

Unfortunately, as described in the article, fabrication and falsification can be difficult to detect when an individual is intent on deception. As this all reinforces, our work depends on our being able to trust our tools, trust our data and trust each other — and to verify that trust. It’s crucial that we continue to foster a culture in which everyone, regardless of their position, feels empowered to raise concerns and knows they will be taken seriously.

Please feel free to write to me directly on this issue if you have any questions.

Sincerely, 

Sally Kornbluth