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The American Association for the Advancement of Science announced in December that its chemistry division has withdrawn the nomination of Patrick Harran to be a fellow of the association. After the association announced Harran's nomination last month -- a significant honor for a scientist -- the AAAS was criticized for failing to consider Harran's full record. One of his lab assistants was killed in a laboratory fire in 2008, after which questions were raised about whether Harran should have done a better job of assuring safety. Harran faced felony counts related to alleged violations of state health and safety standards and could have served more than four years in prison if convicted. In 2014, he reached a deal with authorities -- opposed by the lab assistant's family -- in which he did not admit wrongdoing and legal charges were dropped. He did pledge to create and teach an organic chemistry course for college-bound urban students for five summers, to perform 800 hours of community service and to pay $10,000 to a burn center. He has repeatedly denied wrongdoing in the incident.
The re-evaluation of Harran's nomination came, the AAAS statement said, "after it became apparent that an initial review of nomination materials had not included all relevant information. Members of the nomination reviewing committee recently became aware of a 2008 case involving the death of a technician in the UCLA laboratory of Dr. Harran." The statement added that an AAAS committee "is also considering changes to the fellow review process for subsequent nominations."
Harran did not immediately respond to an email seeking his reaction.
