The federal government has terminated a University of Minnesota professor's research grant worth more than $2 million, alleging he fabricated the project's results and data.

The U.S. Department of Energy wrote a letter to U officials, dated March 28, 2025, saying the grant to the university would be terminated, effective about two weeks later. The grant was from the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) for research led by Sayan Biswas, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at the U's Twin Cities campus.

"This termination decision is based on Principal Investigator Dr. Sayan Biswas's admission that he fabricated research results and data as set forth in the University's inquiry report submitted to ARPA-E on June 28, 2024," the letter said.

Kurt Glaser, Biswas' attorney, said his client has never admitted to falsifying data.

"The doctor used computer simulations as data and the DOE found that objectionable," he said. "It is an accepted modality of research."

Biswas was the principal investigator on the project, which attempted to use plasma to minimize methane emissions into the environment from pipe flares. Pipe flares can be used to dispose of waste gases at coal mines, oil and gas facilities and in natural-gas engines. They are often used in fracking operations, too.

The federal agency had previously notified the U, via a letter in January 2024, that it was suspending the grant amid allegations of research misconduct.

Glaser said the science behind the project was good, but the hardware needed work, and Biswas fell behind schedule, which is why he used the simulated data. He shared a February 2024 memo between U officials, noting there was a review of a "research misconduct inquiry of Sayan Biswas." It also said "no further review is needed of the allegations."

Glaser said Biswas remains employed at the U and is currently on family leave after the birth of his child.

Review of grant

In the January 2024 letter about the grant suspension, the Department of Energy said Biswas fabricated the project's data results in an attempt to obtain additional grant funding worth more than $2 million.

The suspension letter also alleges that when Biswas' colleagues confronted him about the fabrication, those colleagues' participation in the project was terminated by Biswas.

The matter was raised to the U's department head in late 2023, but "apparently, no action was taken" by the U, the suspension letter said.

U spokesperson Andria Waclawski said in an email that Biswas is on leave and makes $113,233 annually.

She confirmed there was an open complaint against Biswas and said a review was ongoing, in keeping with university policy. State statute says the U cannot share details of the review or the complaint, she added.

"The University of Minnesota is fully committed to the highest standards of research and steadfast in its commitment to research ethics and integrity, continuously monitoring our processes and fostering a culture of excellence," the U said in a statement. "It is the right thing to do and our core responsibility as one of the nation's leading research universities."

She said there are "multiple policies and standard processes" that dictate how the U responds to allegations of academic or research misconduct and included links to them.

The termination letter asks the U to provide an itemized list of expenses related to the project before the grant was suspended and said the U must also "provide a written description of how it has updated and improved its process when conducting inquiries into allegations of research misconduct."

"ARPA-E identified shortcomings in this process in its initial notice of suspension of the award," the termination letter said.

The U declined to provide an interview with Shashank Priya, the U's vice president for research.

A spokesperson for ARPA-E said she was "not able to comment on the award in question."

Research mission

U Regent James Farnsworth said he'd only recently heard about the allegations against Biswas and takes such situations "very seriously."

"I intend to fulfill my responsibilities as a governing board member when it comes to fiduciary duty and oversight to ensure the University's overall policies and procedures related to research misconduct are followed and implemented appropriately," he said in an email.

Regent Robyn Gulley said that research integrity was a core part of the U's mission and "critical to do our impactful work."

She added that she's "watching carefully to see how this happened and will support measures to close gaps and ensure all of our research meets the highest standards."

The U has also received recent scrutiny after another professor, Rachel Hardeman, resigned amid accusations of plagiarism in April. Hardeman has since said she resigned for reasons unrelated to the plagiarism allegations. She said an investigation by the university, spurred by a formal complaint, found no wrongdoing.