Publishing scandal costs nursing researcher his post at online university

Scott Weber, the nursing researcher accused of manipulating references and other publishing misconduct in at least seven retracted articles, has lost his position at Walden University, Retraction Watch has learned.

We noticed the other day that Weber’s name had disappeared from the Walden website and put in a call to the institution. A source there told us that Weber — a part-time faculty member who had been hoping for a full-time appointment at the school — apologized when confronted about the fraud.

The source, who did not want to be identified, said Weber blamed the pressures of academic publishing for his misconduct, and that he’d asked to be given a second chance at employment after a year or so.

That, our source added, isn’t likely.

Weber used to work at the University of Pittsburgh, which has not returned our requests for comment on the case, and we’re guessing his behavior had something to do with his departure from the institution.

So why wasn’t that discovered when Walden officials checked his references during the application process? Because Weber had asked the school not to call his employers, our source said, explaining that doing so would put his job in jeopardy.

How right he was.