(SnowCrash has updated this blog entry with some very interesting background information on Ms. Pileni... kicking it up to the front page for review. -rep.)
The editor in chief of the journal where recently the paper: "Active Thermitic Material Discovered in Dust from the 9/11 World Trade Center Catastrophe" was published, resigned, claiming she wasn't informed of the publication. She proceeds to provide not a single solid scientific rebuttal, only administrative bickering and personal political bias against, well.. inconvenient science. One particularly notable comment attributed to Ms. Pileni is this one: "Marie-Paule Pileni points out that because the topic lies outside her field of expertise, she cannot judge whether the article in itself is good or bad.".
Strangely, her areas of research seem to contradict that. I'll quote you an excerpt of her resume:
OTHER ACTIVITIES
1990-1992: Chairperson on workshops related to the French Defense research.
1989-1992: Consultant at the Minister of Recherche concerning the National Defense 1989: Member of the “Institut des Hautes Etudes de Défense Européenne”.
1987-1988: Member of the ’“Institut des Hautes Etudes de Défense Nationale” (IHEDN)1984-1986: Member of National exam in Chemistry
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERSHIP
2006: Accounts of Chemical Research, American Chemical Society.
Journal of experimental nanosciences, Publisher Taylor&Francis.
2002: Journal of Physical Chemistry, Board member, American Chemical Society.
CONSULTING EXPERIENCE
1990-1994: Société Nationale des Poudres et Explosifs, SNPE, France (Literally translated: National Society of Powders and Explosives)
LABORATORY MANAGEMENT
2001: Laboratoire des matériaux mésoscopiques et nanomètriques, LM2N.
1992-2000: Structure et réactivité des systèmes interfaciaux, SRI. (Literally translated: Structure and reactivity of interfacial systems)
Interesting. Firm ties with the French/European military industrial complex. Experience with (powdered) explosives and nanotechnology. It's reasonable to assume Ms. Pileni is familiar with nano-explosives. So Ms. Pileni's contention that "the topic lies outside my field of expertise" is false. Why would a nanotechnology expert and former 'powdered explosives consultant' not want to comment on a paper discussing nano-thermitic explosives? A paper which caused her to resign? Puzzling.
Credit goes to DHS for pointing this news out in a comment on 911blogger. It's being discussed at Randi** as well.
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**Related** [Translated using Google Translator]
An article about the explosives in the World Trade Center was brought in a scientific journal without the editors were aware of it. Now she draws, she tells the videnskab.dk.
It caused great sensation, surprise and suspicion, as the journal The Open Chemical Physics Journal in April published a scientific article on the remnants of nanotermit, which had to be found in large quantities of dust from the World Trade Center.
One of the most surprised is apparently chief editor of the magazine. Professor Marie-Paule Pileni hear the first article as videnskab.dk write to her to ask for her professional assessment of the content of the article. This email will get her right away to slam the door to the magazine.
"I resign as the editor in chief, says the short answer in an email to videnskab.dk.
Printed without permission
A phone call reveals that chief Marie-Paule Pileni never been informed that the article would be put at The Open Chemical Physics Journal, being published by the journal juggernaut Bentham Science Publishers.
"They have printed the article without my authorization else, so when you wrote to me, I did not mean that the article was published. I can not accept, and I have written to Bentham, that I withdraw myself from all activities with them, "says Marie-Paule Pileni, which daily is a professor specializing in nanomaterials at the prestigious Université Pierre et Marie Curie in France .
She feels not only snigløbet but wonder also that the article on dust tests after the terrorist attack on U.S. 11 September 2001 have actually found their way to The Open Chemical Physics Journal.
"I can not accept that the issue is put in my journal. The article is not about physical chemistry or chemical physics, and I could well believe that there is a political point of view behind the publication. If anyone had asked me, I would say that the article should never have been published in this journal. Sentence, "notes the former chief.
Dumpekarakter the journal
Chief Editor's dramatic departure gives critics an extra reason to doubt the article's conclusions, but Marie-Paule Pilini points out that because the issue is outside her expertise, she can not judge whether the article itself is good or bad.
In return get her publication to The Open Chemical Physics Journal dumpekarakter.
"I was really unsure about them in advance because I had repeatedly asked for information about the magazine without hearing from them. It does not appear in the list of international journals and is a bad sign. Now I see that it is because it is a bad magazine, "says Marie-Paule Pileni and continues:
"There are no references to The Open Chemical Physics Journal of other articles. I have two colleagues who agreed to publish an article that never has been quoted anywhere. If nobody reads it, it is bad magazine, and there is no need for it, "reads the harsh verdict.
The professor says that she a few years ago were invited to be editor of the journal, which would open new opportunities for new researchers, and because she supports the idea of open journals in which articles are accessible to all, she said yes.
"It is important to let people try to succeed, but we must not be allowed to all, and this is something decidedly rubbish. I try to be a serious researcher, and I do not want my name associated with this kind, "ends Marie-Paule Pileni.
Does not alter the study
Chief Editor's decision annoyed the Danish chemist Niels Harrit, which is one of the authors of the controversial article on nanotermit in the dust from the World Trade Center.
"It surprised me, and it is unfortunate if it discredits our work. But her departure will not alter our conclusions, because it is a purely human thing, she is sur over. I still believe that we have made chemical physics, and if there is something wrong with our investigation, she must love to criticize us for it, "said Niels Harrit, Associate Professor of Chemistry Institute of the University of Copenhagen.
The Niels Harrit co Steve Jones who has been in charge of contacts with Bentham, and so is the Danish researcher not offhand know what the editor responsible under the group have communicated with.
He knows to turn the names of two researchers - called referees - who have rated the article, but he would not disclose their names because they are 'in principle anonymous.
Dane withdrew from the magazine
Niels Harrit overall at the University of Copenhagen Nils O. Andersen itself has been in the pool of researchers who could be designated as under editor - 'editor' - in an article that was published in The Open Chemical Physics Journal. He has recently decided to withdraw from the journal 'Editorial Advisory Board.
He said to videnskab.dk that the decision has nothing to do with Niels Harrit article and that he in fact did not have time to make any experience with the magazine so that he can not throw further light on how the magazine works.
'Open access is an exciting development and principle should test the idea, because there is no reason why commercial publishers make money on our work. But professional journal was the edge of my expertise, and since I had no thanks for being editor of two articles, I decided that I would rather spend my time on something else, "says physicist Nils O. Andersen, dean of Faculty of Science and editor at The European Physical Journal D.
It has not yet been possible to get a comment from Bentham Science Publishers.
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