There’s more ugliness like what went on recently with Oregon State University. This professor exposed corruption within the California University system that had ties to the California Air Resources Board’s botched PM2.5 rules. As we’ve seen recently, this PM2.5 regulatory action is so vile that the EPA does unannounced human experimentation.
From WND:
What’s academia’s response to a whistleblower who exposes fraudulent research and faked credentials on a panel of experts?
Fire the whistleblower, of course.
That’s the allegation in a new complaint filed against the regents of the University of California by the American Center for Law and Justice on behalf of former professor James E. Enstrom.
The lawsuit explains that Enstrom was a UCLA research professor for decades – until he blew the whistle on “junk environmental science and scientific misconduct at the University of California” and was dismissed.
“The facts of this case are astounding,” said David French, senior counsel for the ACLJ. “UCLA terminated a professor after 35 years of service simply because he exposed the truth about an activist scientific agenda that was not only based in fraud but violated California law for the sake of imposing expensive new environmental regulations on California businesses.”
French said, “UCLA’s actions were so extreme that its own Academic Freedom Committee unanimously expressed its concern about the case.”
…
The lawsuit filed in federal court in Los Angeles alleges the school violated Enstrom’s constitutional rights under the First and 14th Amendments.
Enstrom’s Ph.D. from Stanford is in physics. He’s worked in the university system for more than 30 years. His difficulties started after his peer-reviewed inhalation toxicology report titled “Fine Particulate Air Pollution and total Mortality Among Elderly Californians 1973-2002,” the claim explains.
That study “found no relationship between PM2.5 (particulate matter) and total mortality in California,” the lawsuit said.
His finding contradicted the opinions of “several senior … faculty members. [Environmental Health Sciences] chair Jackson, EHS professors John Froines and Aurthur Winer, epidemiology and EHS professor Bente Ritz, and Dean Rosenstock have all publicly supported the widely popular – though scientifically unfounded – argument that diesel particulate matter and/or PM2.5 results in increased mortality risks for California citizens.”
Enstrom then contradicted the other researchers in testimony to the state legislature and further exposed the fraudulent credentials of Hien T. Tran, “a key CARB scientist and lead author of the October 24, 2008 CARB report on PM2.5 and premature death.
“Mr. Tran’s research report served as the primary public health justification for a new diesel vehicle regulatory scheme approved by CARB … Dr. Enstrom’s statements brought to light that Mr. Tran’s Ph.D. was not awarded by the University of California at Davis as Tran claimed. Mr. Tran subsequently admitted that he purchased his Ph.D. at a cost of $1,000 from ‘Thornhill University,’ a fake institution and Internet diploma mill based at a UPS store in New York.”
The complaint also asserted that members of a university committee had been serving indefinite terms, in violation of state rules limiting terms to three years.
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Full story at WND
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An essay in 2009 lays out why Enstrom was right:
California Ignores Scientific Protests, Passes New Diesel Regulations
Claiming their action will save thousands of Californians’ lives and reduce health care expenditures, the California Air Resources Board has imposed new emission regulations on diesel trucks despite objections from an array of experts about the regulatory process and the credibility of the science.
Vigorous protests of the new regulations and the claims of benefits were submitted by Dr. James Enstrom of UCLA and others, amounting to more than 100 pages of written criticisms of the CARB scientific process and the studies that CARB claimed showed thousands of deaths from diesel small particles.
The year-long process of development of the new regulations resulted in some very revealing public commentary, accusations of complicity in the scientific review process, and even misconduct by CARB officials.
In the biggest scandal, opposition scientists found the lead author of the key study by CARB had faked his Ph.D. and lacked expertise in air pollution research. In addition, CARB hired reviewers to review their own papers, naturally resulting in approval of the scientific studies that claimed the death and health effects.
Dr. Henry Miller, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution of Stanford University, in a May 27, 2008 essay in The Washington Times, declared the new regulations, called the “Goods Movement Emission Reduction Plan” (GMERP), an overreach by CARB based on bad science that will drive business out of California.
Miller cited a large and detailed 2005 study by Enstrom, who has a real Ph.D. from Stanford and a Masters in Public Health from his current university, UCLA. Enstrom found no death effect in the period between 1983 and 2002 from fine particulate matter in the air.
In any fair analysis of science, such a study disproves the claims of CARB of thousands of deaths. Miller pointed out the harm to the California economy created by the new CARB rules will induce additional deaths due to the “income effect.” Miller, a physician and public health researcher, relates that it is well-established that premature deaths come to people suffering economic hardship and deprivation.
In a valiant effort to push back on the CARB diesel regulations, Enstrom and others provided commentary and analysis in 2008 that showed the CARB scientific process was poisoned with bias and insider dealing, including a review panel that was clearly not objective and was set up to give CARB what it wanted.
During the effort to urge CARB to reconsider the bad effects for little benefit, the Enstrom group found out the lead author for CARB on the study, Hien Tran, in fact did not have the Ph.D. claimed by CARB in its major study of air pollution and that he had authored no significant studies in air pollution toxicology.
On December 10, 2008, in a last effort to change CARB votes and ask for reconsideration of the new regulations with a more disciplined peer review and scientific process, Enstrom authored a letter to CARB reminding the board of the public comments submitted already by many distinguished scientists.
Enstrom noted CARB had not adequately responded to the many criticisms in the public comments raising process and evidentiary questions and refutations of the CARB claims of thousands of deaths. Submitters included Joel Schwartz from the American Enterprise Institute, Joseph Suchecki of the Engine Manufacturers Association, Dr. Suresh Moolgavkar, a prominent and nationally known epidemiologist, Dr. Fred Lipfert, also a national figure in public health, and Dr. John Dunn (the author of this essay), a 30-plus-year epidemiologist from UCLA.
They all asserted the CARB death projections were the product of an excessive zeal at CARB and unacceptably weak research on current California air pollution health effects. Moreover, the commentators pointed out the GMERP rules would impose new regulatory and economic burdens on industry and business that would result in hardship for the consuming public and harm the failing and frail California economy.
The public commentary, mostly from scientists and more than 140 pages, was negative, with the expected supportive letters from environmental organizations.
In his December 10 letter, Enstrom pointed out CARB’s disregard of public scientific commentary, the biased nature of the CARB consultants, lack of scientific qualifications of CARB lead author Hien Tran, and reasons why CARB should reconstitute its review process and committee members and restudy its scientific reports and projections of deaths.
In another December 2008 letter to CARB board members, Enstrom, Anthony Fucaloro, a 35-year chemist from Claremont McKenna University, Matt Malkan, a 25-year astrophysicist from UCLA, and Robert Phalen, a 35-year air pollution toxicologist from UC Irvine, pointed out their concerns:
General Concerns Regarding Air Pollution Health Effects and Regulations
1) Pollution levels are much lower today than in previous decades and current health risks are small.
2) Small epidemiologic associations are often spurious, rather than cause-and-effect relationships.
3) Regulations designed to solve one problem may have consequences that do more harm than good.
4) Scientists who are not popular activists are often marginalized and their important research is ignored.
5) Conflict of interest regarding power and funding exists between regulators and conforming scientists.
6) New regulations must be based on a fair evaluation of all available evidence from diverse sources.
Specific Concerns Regarding October 24, 2008 CARB Staff Report on PM 2.5 and Premature Deaths
1) Authors have no relevant peer-reviewed publications and lead author has misrepresented his “Ph.D.”
2) Report and public comments were never shown to outside reviewers as stated in Executive Summary.
3) Five independent sources indicate no current relationship between PM2.5 and deaths in California.
4) California has fourth lowest total age-adjusted death rate among US states and few “premature deaths.”
5) Diesel toxicity and fine particulate air pollution in California are currently at record low levels.
6) Before approving new diesel regulations, CARB should fully evaluate PM2.5 and deaths in California.
Conclusion
Important epidemiologic and toxicological evidence does not support adverse health effects of diesel claimed by CARB and new diesel regulations should be postponed until the above issues are fully and fairly evaluated.
The CARB board passed the rules unanimously. So much for the democratic process and scientific debate that results in good public policy.
John Dale Dunn MD JD
Consultant Emergency Services/Peer Review
Civilian Faculty, Emergency Medicine Residency
Carl R. Darnall Army Med Center
Fort Hood, Texas
There’s nothing like academic freedom, huh?
Thanks Ric and Kim, link fixed
“Defund Fraudulent Climate Research”
It should be a bumper sticker – Artwork by Josh, of course. I’d like the coffee cup version.
Mittle Europa 1936?
Amazing. Is there ANY study commissioned by the EPA or the Team that has withstood the test of time?
Academia: What do you want it to say, and how much money will you give us?
How to survive in academia:
Go with the flow.
This is well known.
The fraud within the “green movement” is astounding. There seems to be no end in the revelations of corruption at every level of academia and government. There needs to be serious consequences for these types of actions.
The lack of credibility within academia; federal, state and local government; federal and state government regulatory agencies; and needless to say the green institutions is mind boggling. Continued unchecked fraud will/has destroyed the foundations of science, academia, and the government itself as well as a profound effect on the economy. This sh*t seriously needs to be addressed.
I once read something and I will paraphrase here: “It’s too late for diplomacy but too early to start shooting.” 😉
“The university said it used appropriate procedures in dealing with Enstrom.
But a letter to Enstrom from the university’s associate dean for academic programs, Hilary Godwin, noted, “Please be advised that you will not be reappointed Aug. 30, 2010. As previously notified, the reason for non-reappointment is the faculty of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences has determined your research is not aligned with the academic mission of the department.”
http://www.wnd.com/2012/06/ucla-accused-of-firing-prof-for-criticizing-pollution-agenda/
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You are welcome, Mr Watts
I think this will become more common throughout education, K-12 and higher ed. In K-12 the classroom compliance mechanism is the effective teacher evaluation which has a definition of what is effective that amounts to doing what you are told. By a principal or central office super who knows themselves that all future promotions, and they can be quite lucrative, require pushing a political vision for schools and the classroom.
In higher ed AACU and the accreditors are actively pushing a political vision that rejects the historical transmission of knowledge. In fact I have AACU documents that are part of their Making Excellence Inclusive Initiative that require a drastic change in the nature of higher ed in order to achieve Equitable Educational Outcomes with All Students. That’s a lot of official pressure on any administrator. Especially an ambitious one.
There are also lots of official presentations that occasionally get posted on public servers on how to use the grant pursuit process of the modern research university to influence and corrupt what is going on in other departments. Beyond the terms of the science grants themselves, the colleges of education are frequently bringing in the largest outside grants on campus. No overhead but it is tied to influencing what goes on in either K-12 or other parts of higher ed. One rather cocky dean announced that no one was willing to pay to build a new chemistry lab but if the chemistry prof would advocate for changing how science was taught, it would be easy for him to get a $500,000 minigrant and that would count towards tenure and subsequent promotions. That same tactless dean talked about going to every head of a state college or university and telling them they would be judged on the ability to bring in outside research grants. And what types of advocacy were easy money to obtain.
When public policy is a form of rent seeking and you need academia to play along, the pressure on these profs is enormous. Instead of “Pay to Play”, it is “Play along or find another career.” And if you play life can be good at the expense of others.
EPA clings to the notion that any tiny particle, regardless of biological activity, chemical or physical makeup, will cause mortality. The National Research Council, an arm of the National Academies of Science, as early as 1998 urged EPA to investigate which particles are most harmful, or least harmful, which EPA has studiously avoided doing. EPA says there isn’t enough evidence to make such judgments, despite spending $50 million of research dollars every year since about 1998, ostensibly to make these judgments.
So it isn’t that surprising that Enstrom was able to show no relationship between PM2.5 and mortality, because PM2.5 is likely a mixture of harmful particles and non-harmful ones. EPA needs him to be fired, because otherwise his critique could be characterized as that of a respected scientist.
Unfortunately for Californians, diesel PM2.5 is likely the most harmful type of small particle. Lots of research has shown that components of diesel emissions such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons are biologically active and create a number of problems inside human lung cells, leading to both cardiovascular disease as well as lung cancer.
A 2011 study found that reduction of black carbon, which in the US and western Europe is mainly a diesel emission, extended lives by 4 to 9 times more than reducing an equivalent amount of PM2.5 (which is the mix of all tiny particles in the air, less than 2.5 microns in diameter). Here is the link:
http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1289%2Fehp.1003369
And the WHO has made a finding that was much overdue, that diesel emissions cause lung cancer:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/13/health/diesel-fumes-cause-lung-cancer-who-says.html?_r=1&nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120613
Let’s give Dr. Enstrom our support, because he’s been railroaded, but don’t say that ALL tiny particles are harmless. Plenty of evidence that diesel emissions can cause people to die earlier than they would have without diesel exposure. Ask you want to see more.
The July 2012 issue of PopSci is depressingly in the can for climate change. I don’t mind the tech prototypes and whatnot, but the puff piece on how ‘victimized’ Michael Mann is just about made me gag. Reminds me of how Chris Matthews did everything but hump Obama’s leg during the 2008 election.
Miller, a physician and public health researcher, relates that it is well-established that premature deaths come to people suffering economic hardship and deprivation.
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Something that is never accounted for in government decision making. The number of people they kill each year to service the ever increasing cost of government.
James Enstrom has been a marked man since at least 2003 when he and Kabat published the largest study to date showing little or no ill effects from passive smoking.
http://www.bmj.com/content/326/7398/1057.full
Environmental tobacco smoke and tobacco related mortality in a prospective study of Californians, 1960-98
Results For participants followed from 1960 until 1998 the age adjusted relative risk (95% confidence interval) for never smokers married to ever smokers compared with never smokers married to never smokers was 0.94 (0.85 to 1.05) for coronary heart disease, 0.75 (0.42 to 1.35) for lung cancer, and 1.27 (0.78 to 2.08) for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease among 9619 men, and 1.01 (0.94 to 1.08), 0.99 (0.72 to 1.37), and 1.13 (0.80 to 1.58), respectively, among 25 942 women. No significant associations were found for current or former exposure to environmental tobacco smoke before or after adjusting for seven confounders and before or after excluding participants with pre-existing disease. No significant associations were found during the shorter follow up periods of 1960-5, 1966-72, 1973-85, and 1973-98.
Conclusions The results do not support a causal relation between environmental tobacco smoke and tobacco related mortality, although they do not rule out a small effect. The association between exposure to environmental tobacco smoke and coronary heart disease and lung cancer may be considerably weaker than generally believed.
It is certainly a factor at U.S. national laboratories, not just academia.
Ric, there is academic freedom, sort of. You can repeat the “right” stuff as often as you want to.
I have found several legitimate, serious sources of that story that don’t have the WND’s taint of idiocy and gullibility. Quoting WND on anything is like referencing the National Enquirer: sure, sometimes you’ll get a scandalous scoop before other media catches on, but 99.99% of what you’ll find there is either a rehash from legitimate media or outright nonsense.
I propose that all diesel engines in California be immediately stopped. Particularly, fire engines and delivery trucks. How long do you think they will last. They would only be complying with the CARB ruling.
kim2ooo says:
June 16, 2012 at 8:54 am
“The university said it used appropriate procedures in dealing with Enstrom.
“…the reason for non-reappointment is the faculty of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences has determined your research is not aligned with the academic mission of the department.”
So, UCLA’s take on it is that the department’s academic mission is promulgating academic and governmental fraud.
At least they’re honest about their mendacity…
Who knows whether it is dangerous or not.
But driving behind a car with a black tail – is really not a big fun.
Full support for cleaner technology!
kim2ooo says:
June 16, 2012 at 8:54 am
“Please be advised that you will not be reappointed Aug. 30, 2010. As previously notified, the reason for non-reappointment is the faculty of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences has determined your research is not aligned with the academic mission of the department.”
Which is exactly what, pray tell? The lead author of the CARB study BOUGHT his Phd for $1000? CARB authors reviewed their own papers?
Unfortunately, the requirements and rules for diesel burning trucks that are drawn up in California spread throughout North America. The manufacturers have found that many of these requirements are not attainable. Caterpillar was forced to withdraw from the North American truck engine market because they felt they couldn’t meet the new standards. Trucking firms across North America will tell you that dependability and fuel economy have suffered because of these new rules and wonder if the ultimate aim of California regulators is to curtail any commerce that moves by truck.
many years ago the figure 45,000 was bandyied about as the number of people dying each year from cigarrette smoking.
then Limbaugh asked for the noisemakers to give him the names so that we might be able to grieve them.
no more 45,000 noise after that.
it seems to me as though a lot of these numbers are pulled from somewhere below the protagonists belt line.
C
Something that the main article doesn’t note, but which in very strong likelihood played a major (quite possibly THE major) role in Prof. Enstrom’s treatment, was his massive 2003 study on secondhand smoke with Geoffrey Kabat. Their research covered the largest database ever used in spousal secondhand smoke studies and basically concluded that even living for decades with an active smoker in the house had virtually no effect on the lung cancer or heart disease rates of nonsmokers.
Surprisingly the BMJ published their work and an absolute firestorm ensued. As pointed out in a previous thread, although their research was published in 2003, it was specifically excluded from the massive 2006 Surgeon Generals Report on secondhand smoke with the excuse that it had been published “too late” to be included. Of course the Report included a number of studies from 2004 and 2005 … but those were ones in favor of the Report’s predetermined conclusion.
Ever since then Prof. Enstrom has been walking around with a big target painted on his back in the very highly antismoking-oriented U of CA system. The CARB situation was, as they say, “an accident waiting to happen.”
Remember: in the case of BOTH Global Warming and Antismoking research you’re dealing with a double-barreled threat: researchers who are not just corrupted by money, grants, prestige, and power; but also by idealism: they skew their results, consciously or unconsciously, because they believe certain types of results are “for the greater good,” “err on the side of the angels,” and “can’t cause any harm.”
Michael J. McFadden
Author of “Dissecting Antismokers’ Brains”
Something that the main article doesn’t note, but which in very strong likelihood played a major (quite possibly THE major) role in Prof. Enstrom’s treatment, was his massive 2003 study on secondhand smoke with Geoffrey Kabat. Their research covered the largest database ever used in spousal secondhand smoke studies and basically concluded that even living for decades with an active smoker in the house had virtually no effect on the lung cancer or heart disease rates of nonsmokers.
Surprisingly the BMJ published their work and an absolute firestorm ensued. As pointed out in a previous thread, although their research was published in 2003, it was specifically excluded from the massive 2006 Surgeon Generals Report on secondhand smoke with the excuse that it had been published “too late” to be included. Of course the Report included a number of studies from 2004 and 2005 … but those were ones in favor of the Report’s predetermined conclusion.
Ever since then Prof. Enstrom has been walking around with a big target painted on his back in the very highly antismoking-oriented U of CA system. The CARB situation was, as they say, “an accident waiting to happen” and Enstrom had some VERY powerful enemies gunning for him.
Remember: in the case of BOTH Global Warming and Antismoking research you’re dealing with a double-barreled threat: researchers who are not just corrupted by money, grants, prestige, and power; but also by idealism: they skew their results, consciously or unconsciously, because they believe certain types of results are “for the greater good,” “err on the side of the angels,” and “can’t cause any harm.”
Michael J. McFadden
Author of “Dissecting Antismokers’ Brains”
I went in research of Hien T. Tran
[‘” Soon after that meeting, we had confirmed that Hien Tran – lead author and coordinator of the study justifying the rules – lied about having a Ph.D. in statistics from the University of California Davis.
Our subsequent reporting showed senior air board officials from Chairwoman Mary Nichols down knew of Tran’s academic fraud before the Dec. 12, 2008, vote but chose not to inform the public, the media or most of the board members who voted for the diesel rules.
The outrageousness of this deceit is finally being acknowledged. One of the board members who was kept in the dark – Fresno cardiologist John Telles – learned of the deception earlier this fall. Now Telles and another board member, San Diego County Supervisor Ron Roberts, are calling for suspension of the diesel rules.”]
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2009/dec/04/still-shameful-air-boards-response-scandal-appalli/
NOTE SIDEBAR LINKS from that page. 🙂
Every time you think climate academia has hit the bottom, it manages to find a lower low.
Pointman