I can remember my mother always drumming it into my head that if you make a decision that involves other people, but you are in charge, then the blame or the glory belongs only to you. She made this very clear when I was running for class president in my junior year of high school and had a team of kids doing things for me, some of which my Mom thought could be classifed as "gray area" questions of ethical activity for sixteen year olds. As it turned out, the buck stopped with me, and she was right – painful or not, the leader is the one who has to take the heat. I won the election, but learned a lot about leadership in the process.
So what is the problem with fraudulant "cloning" expert, Hwang Woo-suk? The Washington Post is reporting that Hwang is blaming the fraud perpetrated by his study on "junior researchers" involved in his project. But wait! Who got all the credit? Who received the recogntiion when things seemed to be going well? Who was recognized by Time magazine as scientist of the year! I think it was Hwang.
Too bad he never met my Mom.