As if scientists aren’t worried enough already about being scooped and having ideas stolen. Now the Globe is reporting that local FBI agents have been and will continue to visit universities in New England, warning them to beware of spies or terrorists posing as international students or visitors and wanting to steal research. Federal agents say they are offering to train faculty and students to look for “espionage indicators.”
There’s a lot I could say about this, but I will exercise restraint. What do you think about this? Paranoia or necessary caution?
In order for spies to have a job there has to be something to spy on. Instead of locks and paranoia you could of course also release research findings ahead of time practicing an open science approach. A lot could be said about this, there’s a bit more in the post Spies in the academic bazaar.