Sham scientific societies mislead star researchers, Nature investigation finds

September 25, 2026 at 10:52 PM2 min

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A Nature investigation has found that a network of sham scientific societies has misled leading researchers and universities, including Columbia University and Stanford University. The organizations fabricated credentials, plagiarized content, and offered honorifics for purchase. Computer scientist Julia Hirschberg was elected to three such societies in quick succession before discovering irregularities.

Key Facts

Julia Hirschberg, a computer scientist at Columbia University, was elected to the European Academy of Engineering, the Austrian Academy of Engineering, and the National Academy of Artificial Intelligence within a short period.
Michael Chu, who identified himself as the EAE secretariat, nominated Hirschberg for a rotating chairperson position with a $2,000 annual compensation without her consent.
Nature's investigation found that Chu is connected to all three organizations and that much of the information about them online appears fabricated.
The deceptive organizations' websites contain plagiarized or manipulated content, false institutional histories, and honorifics available for purchase.
Stanford University and the US National Academies of Sciences were among the institutions misled by these sham societies.

Hirschberg's Rapid Elections

Julia Hirschberg, a computer scientist at Columbia University, was elected to the European Academy of Engineering in July. Days earlier, she had been elected to the Austrian Academy of Engineering, and in 2025 she was elected to the National Academy of Artificial Intelligence. Columbia University published a public announcement about her accomplishments, prompting congratulatory notes from colleagues. Hirschberg said she had never heard of any of these organizations before the elections.

The Chairperson Offer

Within two weeks, Michael Chu, who identified himself as the EAE secretariat, told Hirschberg he wanted to nominate her for a rotating chairperson position with $2,000 annual compensation. Hirschberg found her name already displayed atop the EAE leadership masthead without her agreement. Chu said he had inferred preliminary consent from correspondence, but Nature's review found Hirschberg only inquired about responsibilities and never accepted.

Nature's Investigation

Nature began investigating after several researchers flagged concerns about these academic societies. The reporting revealed that Chu is connected to all three organizations and that much of the information about them online seems fabricated. The deceptive organizations' websites often contain plagiarized or manipulated content, falsehoods about institutional histories and locations, and honorifics available for purchase. Stanford University and the US National Academies of Sciences were among the institutions misled by these sham societies.