"Copying" the father's research results to get awards for further education "big hands holding small hands" also has to have boundaries

Author: Zhu Changjun

The research results of the laboratory research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have been turned into a high school student science and technology competition work? The father's team patent results are highly similar to the son's "invention"? Recently, Liu Mouguo, president of the Hefei Institute of Physical Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was exposed to using the scientific research results of himself and the laboratory team for his son Liu Mouyang to win awards and further education. Liu Mouyang's classroom teacher at the time confirmed that the invention was indeed guided and helped by Liu Mouyang's father Liu Mouguo in the research process, "it belongs to the 'big hand holding the small hand', and he can also participate in his father's project, which is equivalent to his father doing something for him." At present, the Hefei Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences responded that it has quickly organized personnel to investigate the matter, and the follow-up will timely feedback the results of the investigation to the society.

Judging from media reports, Liu Mouyang's multiple award-winning inventions are indeed strikingly similar to some of his father Liu Mouguo's scientific research achievements. For example, in 2015, Liu Mouyang won a number of provincial and national awards for inventing the "portable smog pollution gas rapid identification and detection device", and was therefore admitted to Hefei Key High School 168 Middle School. However, in terms of name, working principle and appearance, the invention is highly consistent with a scientific research achievement in which Liu Mouguo served as the main finisher in 2012. Such a big "coincidence" inevitably makes people doubt the rationality behind this.

According to Liu Mouyang's teacher at the time, this belongs to "big hands holding small hands". The implication is that the father only helped his son in the process of inventing. As a scientific researcher, the father gave his son some guidance and help in his inventive activities, which was beyond reproach. However, in the end, this achievement was used to evaluate awards and become an advantage in further education, and it was also patented, which was the degree of "guidance" behind the father, which obviously followed the ethical norms of scientific invention. At least from the information exposed, the son's inventions almost form a "copy" relationship with his father's scientific research results, which exceeds the basic norms of scientific research activities and is difficult to be accepted by the public. To put it nicely, this may be the father's involvement is too deep, or to put it more seriously, it may be that the son borrows the scientific research results of the father and his team to "use it for me". Of course, what is the truth, it also needs to give a fair investigation result from the Hefei Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

In addition, it is quite intriguing that the invention patent declared by Liu Mouyang is highly similar to the two previous inventions of his father, and has also won multiple awards, why in this process, no one or the awarding agency found something strange? For example, in 2015, Liu Mouyang, a 13-year-old junior high school student in Hefei, won the third prize of the 30th National Youth Science and Technology Innovation Competition for inventing a portable smog detection device, which received widespread media attention. In addition, Liu Mouyang was also admitted to Hefei 168 Middle School with the "Third Prize of the 30th National Youth Science and Technology Innovation Competition". The release process of these awards and the admission information are public, but it is not until a few years later that the mysteries are shaken out in the way of "being exposed", which may have failed the patent review mechanism and even the deliberate "silence" of related aspects, which is particularly worth pondering.

From the perspective of caring for talents, we may sincerely hope that the scientific research achievements under Liu Mouyang's name are all from his own creativity and ability, and his father's role is only a guide in the general sense. However, in the face of a large number of doubts that cannot only be explained by "coincidence", the relevant parties do need to make objective and fair investigations and responses. It is not only related to the truth of a "child prodigy", nor is it only related to the rigor of the relevant invention patent review mechanism, but also involves the public's perception and trust in social fairness and justice.

You know, this incident has made many people reflexively think of the word "spelling daddy". Some netizens even said: "In this case, the people in the organization understand what is going on, the participants also understand, and the school that enrolls the students also understands." To put it bluntly, this kind of competition is a tool for their class to use the existing rules to promote their children to prevent direct admission and eating too ugly. Such netizen remarks may have the suspicion of habitual presumption, but the certain public sentiment reflected in them must not be detected. In order for more people to say goodbye to this customary presumption, it is necessary to start with the fair investigation and handling of each case. (Zhu Changjun)