[knolan]

I’ve seen this with a PhD student publishing several rapid fire papers in MDPI journals. They are repeating well understood physics work done 50 years ago using off the shelf commercial simulation software. They don’t cite any papers older than a decade and claim without irony that the work is “significant” while none of their papers are cited. They will go to events where no one is an expert in the field and win prizes for showing lots of pretty pictures but nothing that isn’t already well understood.

When I, an expert in the field, tell them they need to produce something novel at their research panels I’m told I’m wrong. When I list all the work they are ripping off I’m told it’s somehow different without explanation. When I question the obvious sloppiness in their work (the simulation data showing major artefacts) they blow up at me screaming and shouting.

I’ve never experienced arrogance like this before. It’s shocking. Their supervisors tell me that they are close to firing them but then also celebrate all the publications they are getting.

The mind boggles.

[noisy_boy]

> When I, an expert in the field, tell them they need to produce something novel at their research panels I’m told I’m wrong. When I list all the work they are ripping off I’m told it’s somehow different without explanation. When I question the obvious sloppiness in their work (the simulation data showing major artefacts) they blow up at me screaming and shouting.

At risk of relying totally on assumptions, that wouldn't be a surprising reaction for someone facing first serious criticism after an entire life of probably being unconditionally lauded for their smarts (or the projection of it). When parents push children towards something relentlessly without providing any constructive feedback on account of living their dreams through their children and/or the fear of discouraging the child, any criticism can feel like someone is trying to destroy your life goals.

> Their supervisors tell me that they are close to firing them but then also celebrate all the publications they are getting.

Probably trying to protect themselves from being in the crosshairs of one of many things that can blow your career apart.

[knolan]

This individual is pretty unique in this regard. I’ve never seen anything like it. Most students will acknowledge that I know the literature and will accept guidance. This person seems to think they know everything but their work is the equivalent of a tutorial case in the commercial software.

[EagnaIonat]

I've seen it often as I have had to read peoples thesis when interviewing for job roles.

Some from reputable universities. I have no idea how they defended them.

[throwoutway]

I've experienced this in the corporate world too, when someone is seeking a promotion. Entitlement is becoming a bane

[knolan]

Yes indeed. I’ve seen similar there too.

[whatever1]

Ok to be fair the original is probably a badly scanned tech report from GE from the 70’s with minimal implementation details. Whoever has tried to implement an obscure physics paper from that age knows how tough it can be.

I think there is value revisiting some of this work with our modern toolsets and publishing the code in some public repository.

But of course with a clear citation chain, and no pompous lies that a new discovery was made.

[knolan]

It’s a really basic engineering problem that was studied extensively in many studies and we teach it at undergraduate.

When I made the point that there is no scientific novelty here they insisted that their PhD was a ‘generic’ one and that means they can continue to run basic simulations according the to the recipe.

[Over2Chars]

This isn't new, and academia has been rewarding behavior that wouldn't survive elsewhere for a long time.

Maybe it's time we unshackled ourselves from these 'prestigious institutions'?

[knolan]

Your anti intellectual bias is showing. There are problems in all domains. I’ve seen plenty of arrogant fools in industry too.

They’re using an industry tool to do well trodden industry problems that were solved by academics decades ago.

I’m not tolerating his behaviour and I’ve made my views clear to my colleagues. He’s going to burn every bridge possible with this behaviour.

[liontwist]

Criticism of university organizations is “anti intellectual bias”?

Do you think criticism of religious organizations is “against god”?

[Over2Chars]

I'm all in favor of intellectuals, it's academic bureaucracies I'm not fond of.

I think Socrates was a hoot, and he taught in a cave or something like that.

Priests teaching rural peasants to read in their monasteries, and collegial colleges for the public benefit are definitely meritorious.

But,I mean, there is enormous corruption going on.

How did Ren Youzai get into MIT? He was a body guard. Just because you've married into a billionaire's family MIT says "hey, send anyone you want in"?

And I'm sure MIT isn't alone in mysteriously average students who not only get in but graduate when linked to massively rich and powerful families. A recent US president comes to mind. Is that anti-intellectual?

[knolan]

You’re arguing about highly specific cases while the vast majority of institutions get on with the job of educating large numbers of students and doing what research they can.

[Over2Chars]

The highly specific cases are glaring examples that the unbiased meritocracy they pretend to be is, possibly, not so.

And the "large numbers of students" covers up the possible cronyism and/or corruption of the institution.

I provide an example of a totally unqualified individual being allowed into a prestigious institution solely on the basis of his marriage family. Your response is that they mostly do a good job for most people?

I've suggested that the research they do is not obviously beneficial to anyone except perhaps the person doing the research, possibly simply to advance their own careers (in or out of academia). Others have suggested the same.

You haven't disagreed.

[knolan]

Ugh you’re a tiresome culture war poster. I’ve no Interest in you or your hobby horse.

[lapcat]

> I think Socrates was a hoot, and he taught in a cave or something like that.

I'm not sure whether you're joking or serious, but in any case, Socrates didn't teach in a cave, and you're probably referring to Plato's allegory of the cave.

The interlocuters and followers of Socrates were mostly the wealthy elite of Athens.

[Over2Chars]

@lapcat yeah, he argued in the markets or where ever.

I think I was mixing him up with Aristotle, e.g. https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/caves-...

who had some cave school or something.

but there was some jokingness, yah. But I'm not anti-intellectual, which wasn't a joke.

I wasn't making any point about his students or wealth. Education then, as now, is the plaything of the wealthy and wealthy nations.

[barbazoo]

In what way is education a plaything for the wealthy now?