Purdue probe finds researcher guilty
By Brian Wallheimer
The [Lafayette, Indiana] Journal & Courier

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Purdue University researcher Rusi Taleyarkhan is mulling his options after being found guilty of two counts of research misconduct involving his claims of tabletop bubble fusion.

Taleyarkhan claimed in 2002 to have created nuclear fusion by using sound waves to create rapidly expanding and collapsing bubbles in a liquid. The finding, if substantiated, could lead to cheaper energy sources with little environmental impact.

But since his claims, Taleyarkhan has been assailed with accusations of fraud and misconduct. He was cleared in a Purdue inquiry in 2007 of misconduct charges. But new charges were leveled and a North Carolina congressman urged further investigation, which concluded with a panel from five institutions finding Taleyarkhan guilty on two of 12 charges.

The report -- submitted in April to the Office of Naval Research, which sponsored Taleyarkhan's research -- was accepted by the federal agency on Thursday. Purdue released the report to the public Friday.

"Our investigation has given us a glimpse of human and institutional failings," the report states. "From small beginnings there developed a tangled web of wishful thinking, scientific misjudgment, institutional lapses and human failings."

These findings are the latest in a six-year saga featuring bitter attacks and counterattacks that have scarred academic reputations and included a civil lawsuit claiming defamation.

In the report, Taleyarkhan was found guilty of putting a student's name on a paper submitted to a scientific journal, knowing the student had little or nothing to do with the research. He also was found to have claimed to another journal that his research was independently confirmed, though he was present during the experiments, the equipment used was his and he gave technical assistance to the researchers.

Taleyarkhan was not available for comment Friday. But his attorney said they are reviewing options, including filing an appeal or taking legal action.

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