Masoud Afrand, an Iranian engineer previously removed from Springer Nature’s Scientific Reports editorial board for alleged involvement in paper mill activities, mysteriously reappeared on the journal’s website earlier this year. This comes after the journal “parted ways” with Afrand in March 2022 following an internal audit that uncovered irregularities in his handling of submissions.
Background and Allegations
Afrand, affiliated with Islamic Azad University in Iran, was accused of being part of a paper mill operation linked to a special issue of Mathematical Methods in the Applied Sciences, where he was cited over 130 times. Paper mill operations typically involve producing fraudulent or low-quality research for profit, undermining scientific integrity.
The Reappearance
Although Scientific Reports stated Afrand was removed from its systems in 2022, his name reappeared on the journal’s editorial board list in mid-2024. Investigative sleuths, including Alexander Magazinov and Dorothy Bishop, flagged the anomaly. Bishop verified through archived web pages that Afrand’s name was absent until June 2024 but reappeared by September.
Journal’s Response
Editor-in-Chief Rafal Marszalek attributed the reappearance to “clerical mistakes,” emphasizing that Afrand had not been reinstated or involved in editorial activities since 2022. However, the explanation did not clarify why Afrand’s name reappeared after a significant absence, prompting further concerns about the journal’s oversight.
Marszalek reiterated that Afrand had no role in the journal since his removal but offered no detailed reasoning for the administrative lapse.
Implications
The incident raises questions about editorial transparency and accountability at major journals. Clerical errors of this nature risk damaging the credibility of journals striving to uphold rigorous ethical standards.
Original Story Link: Retraction Watch