MacGyver ethics
Regarding “Masters of improv” (symmetry, April 2007) I have one question. The article quotes former Fermilab director Leon Lederman as saying, “
without explanation, we took the student's experiment apart. He started crying, as he should have.” Was the student compensated for his loss? Or do Fermilab and its former director consider it to be great to dismantle the hard work of a graduate student?
Stan Vassilev
Leon Lederman responds:
The event took place in the 1950s, about 15 years before Fermilab's existence. The student's thesis experiment was 70 percent and 12 hours of work from achieving what was needed to make one of the most dramatic discoveries of the decade. Marcel [Weinrich] quickly got over his tears and became a co-author of the discovery paper. It became his PhD thesis, probably saving him at least a year. It also ensured his future in particle physics.
How many grad students have the opportunity to participate in the excitement and scientific thrill of a major discovery?
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