Dozens of scientists lose jobs amid investigation into foreign ties
Dozens of scientists were fired or resigned as the U.S. government tries to root out suspected Chinese espionage from American universities and laboratories.
The National Institutes of Health revealed Friday that 54 scientists lost their jobs over a failure to disclose financial ties to foreign governments. An overwhelming majority 93% of those cases involved funding from a Chinese institution, according to Michael Lauer, the deputy director for extramural research at NIH.
The investigation, which is not yet complete, targeted 189 scientists at 87 institutions. Lauer described a majority of cases as involving an Asian man in his 50s. More than 75% of cases investigated had active NIH grants. Scientists failed to disclose a foreign grant in 70% of the cases and a talents award in 54% of the cases.
Researchers and students, especially Chinese nationals and those of Chinese descent, have been under increased scrutiny from the United States over the Chinese government s espionage capabilities, particularly in scientific fields. U.S. officials said in February that the number of arrests related to Chinese espionage cases had risen dramatically from previous years.