Need advice! Professorial plagiarism!!

Mar 12, 2006
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My bf's in grad school, and he recently found out that a project that he presented a year ago was published by his professor in a national conference WITHOUT his consent. To make the matter more unjust, that professor published that project at the conference AS IF IT WERE HIS (the prof's) IDEA! He put HIS OWN NAME on the project by-line, and put my bf's name as his research assistant only! (Note that this project wasn't a research project for that professor, so that prof. does not have any right whatsoever to claim it as his own.) That professor also copied all the graphs, diagrams, and copied word for word from my bf's project.
My bf had sent a letter to that professor, yet the prof claimed that he had gotten my bf's permission before, but it was my bf who had forgotten about it! He also added so nonchalantly that if my bf has any more concern, do not hestitate to contact him again (that jerk!!) :rant:
Since this professor is no longer living in the states (he's now teaching at an overseas university), what should/can my bf do? For all the lawyers out there, any legal claims? Thanks for any advice!
 
Plagarism is a VERY serious charge in academe. If your BF is still in grad school, he needs to talk to his advisor immediately. If the prof who plagaraized his work was his advisor, he needs to go to the chair of his department with all communications cc'd to the dean.

This is NOT something to take lightly and if he is in a reputable prgram, it will be investigated.

It is one thing for a professor to use her/his students as "slave labor," it is entirely a different matter to STEAL their work!

Robyn
 
I'm so sorry this happened. Unfortunately, it happens all the time. Your boyfriend will need to prove that it is his by providing his drafts/notes to whoever is reviewing the case. Good luck. I hope everything works out.
 
This is terrible. I'm sorry...I hope this gets resolved and your boyfriend gets the credit he deserves. He should definitely report this to someone who can review the case, and make sure to keep copies of any notes/drafts he turns in. I'm sure that proving that he did the work on this project wouldn't be hard to prove if he had presented it before the professor stole the work.
 
Thanks for all the suggestions. My bf's in the process of getting ahold of the dept. head and the dean. Hopefully they'll give him some support in exposing this cheater :rant: to the whole academia!!
 
Go to the school he attended and get in touch with them about this and the place where he made the presentations. May be a lot of work but at least each place he did the presentation knows it's not his work and it's someone else's.