Research starts with PhD students

Chapter 54 Donggang University: Trouble is coming! Xue Hongtao speaks righteously!

When a controversial topic or event occurs, public opinion will ferment so quickly that people will not have time to react.

#Zhang Shuo’s master’s degree was revoked# is such a hot topic event.

In just a few hours, the internet was full of discussions, and it seemed that new information was updated every second under the topic.

The first step of public opinion fermentation has ended.

Now we have entered the second step, with various self-media and celebrities coming out to express their views on the incident itself.

Many netizens also actively participated in the discussion.

There are three schools of thought under the topic.

One group can barely be classified as the "inspirational group".

The "motivationalists" believe that Zhang Shuo did not prepare his master's thesis seriously, but simply found a small paper to plagiarize. However, after studying for his doctorate, he learned his lesson, worked hard to complete the research and published the results in top journals, achieving a major reversal in the academic field, and possibly a major reversal in his life.

They regarded the news as an inspirational story: "From a plagiarizing master's degree to a doctorate in a top journal, a great academic reversal!"

"The facts prove that Zhang Shuo is a genius. I advise everyone to study hard. As long as you work hard, even a plagiarized master's degree holder can become a top-ranked doctoral student."

"Awesome! Anyone who can do it is awesome! I can't do it anyway."

The second faction is called the "questioning faction", which questions the event itself from various angles, and some of the questioning angles are really incredible.

"Why can a master's thesis be deemed plagiarized, but he can continue to study for a doctorate? What is this guy's background?"

“Is it possible that the paper published in the Journal of High Energy Physics was also plagiarized?”

"Just because a PhD thesis is well written doesn't mean that a master's thesis is not plagiarized, right?"

"If the research is really excellent, why publish it in a foreign journal? Why not publish it in China? The air abroad is fragrant?"

"That so-called international conference can't even be found online. It's not a big deal, right?"

The third group is the "plagiarism questioning group".

The comments of this group are more normal. "Working hard for half a year to turn a master's degree from plagiarism to a doctorate in a top journal? This is simply impossible, and there is no time at all. Thesis review takes several months!"

"How could such a talented person who can publish in a top journal plagiarize a small paper? There must be something wrong with this investigation by Donggang University!"

"There must be something wrong here. Donggang University should re-investigate it!"

"From a plagiarizing master's degree to a doctorate in a top journal, in just half a year? This outrageous statement will make those professors who have never published a top journal in their lives cry to death, especially since Zhang Shuo's field is mathematics..."

“The biggest possibility is that there is something wrong with the investigation into the master’s thesis plagiarism!”

"If it was really plagiarism, why didn't Soochow University expel him? Normally, without a master's degree, a doctoral student would be expelled."

"..."

The accounts of Donggang University and Suzhou University have been exposed.

Many people hoped that the two universities would speak out, so they left messages under the two accounts, asking, "What the hell is going on!"

"Clarify it!"

“Why can I continue to study for a doctorate without my master’s degree?”

“Is it true that Zhang Shuo plagiarized?”

The Weibo account of Soochow University responded quickly, posting a message at 6pm: "Zhang Shuo is an outstanding doctoral student at our university, and we have no reason to dismiss him.

This matter has nothing to do with Soochow University. If you have any questions, please contact @Soochow University. ”

There are two pictures posted below, both of which are announcements released by Soochow University. One says 'Congratulations to our doctoral student Zhang Shuo and the Institute of High Energy Physics for reaching a cooperation project', and the other says 'Congratulations to our doctoral student Zhang Shuo for being invited to give a 45-minute report at the CHEP conference'.

This news shows the attitude of Soochow University.

They fully support Zhang Shuo.

Most netizens can also understand that Zhang Shuo was studying at Soochow University when his degree was revoked, and the incident at Donggang University has nothing to do with Soochow University.

If Zhang Shuo performed very well, Sudong University would naturally not expel the student.

The pressure was put on Donggang University.

After the message was posted on the account of Soochow University, more netizens went to Soochow University.

The response from the Donggang University account was:

No comments allowed!

Even if comments are banned, it cannot stop the enthusiasm of netizens.

They soon discovered that the Donggang University account also forwarded a video in which Zhang Shuo pointed out problems with Agostini's research in the lecture hall.

This video was posted by a professor from Donggang University, and it also contains an interaction between two accounts:

"Do you know who this doctoral student is?"

"/Smile, are you a student of Donggang University?"

"Congratulations, you answered correctly."

In a simple conversation, the mood of the person asking the question was analyzed. "From the conversation, we can tell that Professor Xue from Donggang University is definitely in a complicated mood, otherwise he would not have asked this question."

"This Professor Xue probably knows about Zhang Shuo's situation, so he asked a question when he saw the Donggang University Weibo post."

"All professors at Donggang University know about this. It can be proven that there is an inside story!"

……

Early in the morning.

The team from the Institute of High Energy Physics flew back to the capital after a long journey.

Everyone was very tired, but it felt good to be back home. They greeted each other and then went their separate ways.

Zhang Shuo and Gao Xiaohong took a transfer flight back to Sudong City.

When he walked out of the airport, it was already 5:30 in the morning. He was on his way back to school in a taxi when he received a call from Luo Yongjun.

"Zhang Shuo, are you back?"

"I just got off the plane and am walking towards school."

"Have you paid attention to public opinion?"

"public opinion?"

Luo Yongjun took a deep breath and earnestly warned, "Don't worry about anything. When you get to school, go straight back to the dormitory and ignore other people."

There were already reporters blocking the school gate, they were worried that something might happen to Zhang Shuo.

Zhang Shuo was stunned for a moment, but finally agreed.

After hanging up the phone, he glanced at the news and found news about himself, and also knew why Luo Yongjun called.

He returned to the dormitory with mixed feelings.

Huang Kai has already gotten up. He is sitting in front of the computer in high spirits, but with a big dark circle under his eyes.

He turned around and saw Zhang Shuo and immediately jumped up, "Zhang Shuo, you're really famous this time!" "The plagiarism incident was on the hot search and has been popular for a whole day."

"I feel like it's exploding. Everyone is talking about you..."

Huang Kai kept talking, "Don't you want to say something? I guess there will be a reporter interview today, so let's rehearse it in advance."

Zhang Shuo pursed his lips and said four words, "I didn't plagiarize."

"that's it?"

"that's it."

Zhang Shuo nodded seriously, "What else can I say? Everything I can say has already been said on the Internet."

"Right."

Huang Kai nodded in agreement. "There are all kinds of things said online. Some people even questioned that your new paper was plagiarized. It's really hilarious."

"I talked to that guy for an hour, and he still insisted that your new paper might be plagiarized. I was almost mad at him."

Zhang Shuo shook his head in amusement, "Don't argue with people on the Internet."

He explained, "When you see some people who make statements that you don't understand and you want to argue with them, you have to bring your IQ up to their level."

"You can't understand why they think that way. You need to understand them before you can refute them. The problem is that you can't understand, and what you say, they don't understand at all."

"Or to put it another way."

"The person sitting opposite you could be a middle school student, or even an elementary school student in his early teens."

Huang Kai stood there for a long time after hearing this, "How did you know?"

"what?"

"I mean, I talked to him for an hour and then I realized he was only 15..."

Zhang Shuo held back his laughter and fell headfirst onto the bed.

"go to bed!"

……

There are still many rational people in public opinion.

People in the academic circle, just by understanding what happened, can think that there may be problems with the investigation into plagiarism and point the finger at Donggang University.

Donggang University also knew that trouble was coming.

At 8:30 in the morning, the school's public opinion response working group officially took up their posts. They held a meeting in the small conference room of the administrative building and decided to set up a temporary investigation team, with administrative director Tian Jun as the team leader.

Zhou Kaijun and Huang Hui were unable to escape, and they were notified to go to the conference room in the administrative building.

Zhou Kaijun used the same excuse, "I don't know how it was plagiarized. I discussed Zhang Shuo's master's thesis with him several times, but I didn't expect the content to be the same as Huang Hui's thesis."

“I haven’t read Huang Hui’s paper at all.”

Huang Hui is less than 1.6 meters tall, thin and petite. She acted like a victim and knew nothing about anything the investigation team asked.

"This matter has nothing to do with me. I published that paper a long time ago!"

"I just published a Zone 2 SCI paper!"

Both men stood by their statements.

The investigation team's work came to a standstill. The question was, what was going on? Did Zhang Shuo suddenly come to his senses?

To borrow a phrase from the Internet, in just half a year, you go from a plagiarizing master's degree to a doctorate published in a top journal?

impossible!
Everyone present had done academic research and knew very well how difficult it was to publish in a top physics journal. This conclusion was tantamount to calling themselves idiots.

So, there must be something wrong inside.

Tian Jun, the head of the investigation team, asked about the initial determination that Zhang Shuo had plagiarized, "Why did you immediately determine that Zhang Shuo had plagiarized?"

"Plagiarizing a PhD student's paper from the same school?"

"Plagiarizing a Region 4 paper that is so hard to find and has no influence at all?"

He continued, "I looked at Zhang Shuo's grades. Whether it was his undergraduate or master's degree, he was basically excellent in all subjects. How could such a student plagiarize?"

No one answered.

Simply put, they are not 100% sure that Zhang Shuo plagiarized, but the problem is that all the evidence is against Zhang Shuo.

Looking back on the matter now, many people still have doubts in their hearts.

When Zhang Shuo got the project from the Institute of High Energy Physics, even Zhou Kaijun's teacher, Academician Jiang Weizheng, had doubts. How could others not have doubts?

The problem is, there is no evidence.

They can't just convict Zhou Kaijun and Huang Hui without any evidence, right?

What if it’s not?
In addition, if this incident were to be exposed, it would definitely become a serious stain on Donggang University.

Tian Jun also has to consider this issue.

Zhou Kaijun is a mathematics professor at the Young Elite Scientist level, and he has Academician Jiang Weizhi behind him, so we cannot simply make a judgment based on our suspicions.

The investigation reached a dead end here.

Tian Jun didn't know how to solve the problem, so he simply started discussing the issue of how to deal with public opinion. The temporary solution was for everyone to look through the news on their mobile phones to see if there was anything that needed attention, and then consider targeted response methods.

Then, Xue Hongtao was noticed.

Xue Hongtao was catching up on his sleep at home when he was woken up by a phone call. Tian Jun told him in a very stern tone to come to the conference room in the administrative building as soon as possible.

Xue Hong knew that his story had been exposed, and there were only two words left in his mind -
perturbed!

While waiting on the road, he thought about it and felt that there was nothing wrong with him.

Isn’t it just posting on Weibo?

No talking allowed in school?
What does it have to do with him whether Zhang Shuo’s master’s thesis was plagiarized?
Xue Hongtao walked into the meeting room with this mentality.

As soon as he entered the room, he found that it was a big scene. He immediately took a deep breath and said righteously, "What law have I broken? You let me come!"

"I went to an international academic conference and saw a doctoral student giving a presentation without a script. He impressed all the data experts. Is that amazing? You can tell me for yourself!"

"I took a picture and posted it on Weibo, what's wrong with that?"

"Is there any problem?"

The last sentence was even shouted out, causing the entire conference hall to fall silent.

Everyone else was silent.

Thomas Tian opened his mouth and said in a calm tone after a long time, “Professor Xue, we just asked you to come over and talk about Zhang Shuo.”

"You went to the academic conference with him, so you should know him well, right?"

"Tell us what you think of him..."

(End of this chapter)