Former Canada 150 research chair resigns from McMaster University after alleged research misconduct

McMaster University says ahigh-profile researcher has resigned from his position as a professor at the Hamilton school amid an investigation and a hearingabout"serious allegations about research misconduct."

Wade Hemsworth, a McMaster spokesperson,told CBC Hamilton Jonathan Pruitt resigned on Sunday.

Pruitt, who didn't respond to questions from CBC, joined McMaster's faculty in July 2018 after leaving theUniversity of California, Santa Barbara. The evolutionary ecologist, who McMasteronce describedas an "internationally recognized" academic, had received one of the sought-afterCanada 150 Research Chair positions.

His research focused onthe"collective traits of different animal societies" including ants, wasps and spiders and how those traitsaffect their survival.

Pruittwas put on paid administrative leave in November 2021 after a series of concerns raised within and outside of McMaster University. Federal funding agencies alsosuspended payments related to the research chair role.

"The allegations of misconduct involved external complaints of research conducted by Pruitt between 2011 and 2015," Hemsworth said this week.

"Although Pruitt didn't join McMaster until 2018 and the allegations involved work done at other institutions prior to his arrival, McMaster enacted an investigation under its Research Integrity Policy."

TheHamilton Spectator previously reportedsomescientific journals and academic colleagues raised issues with some of his data, which led to academic articles beingretracted.

Hemsworth said the panel investigating Pruitt is still underway and includes an ongoing hearing. Hesaid "it would be inappropriate to comment further until the process is formally concluded."

He didn't say what prompted the formal resignation this week, for instanceif the university reached a settlement or agreement with Pruitt, only saying any agreement reached would be confidential.

McMaster probe doesn't go far enough: former colleague

Nicholas DiRienzowas one of the academics who worked with Pruitt and later saw theirresearchretracted.

He previously said he and other academicsfound issues related to Pruitt's use of data andhe had a stressful time spending"hundreds of hours exploring data, writing reports, workingwith editors," in an effort to do what"we could to correct the record on papers we were directly involved in and access to data on."

He said in a phone interview Tuesdayit'sa "good thing"Pruitt resigned.

He also saidMcMaster's probe doesn't go far enough and the university should be more open about its findings.

"That's really problematic, there's a number of mycolleagues who still have reputational harm," he said, referring to alack of transparency.

"I'm disappointed there's not a clear, more defined report from an independent investigation."