Forty academics have signed a letter in support of a Harvard University professor being prosecuted by the U.S. government on charges he lied about his connections with the Chinese government.

Seven Nobel Prize winners are among the dozens of scientists asking why the university is not defending Charles Lieber against the charges.

“Professor Lieber is one of the great scientists of his generation,” the letter reads.

“In the name of combating economic espionage, the Department of Justice has increasingly scrutinized members of the academic community. Several of its investigations reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of modern science, in which open-source practices make discoveries available to all.”

Lieber, the former chair of Harvard chemistry and chemical biology department, and considered a pioneer in nanotechnology, was charged in January 2020 and indicted in July for allegedly lying about research funding while participating in China's Thousand Talents Program, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) said last year.

He is accused of lying to federal authorities in 2018 and 2019 about his involvement in the program, a recruitment plan designed to attract high-level scientists to advance the China technology industry, and his affiliation with the Wuhan University of Technology (WUT).

"Under the terms of Lieber's three-year contract, WUT allegedly paid Lieber a salary of up to $50,000 USD per month, living expenses of up to 1 million Chinese Yuan (approximately $158,000 USD at the time) and awarded him more than $1.5 million to establish a research lab at WUT," DOJ said in a release.

Lieber faces up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.

“Despite his standing in the scientific community — or perhaps because of it — he has become the target of a tragically misguided government campaign that is discouraging U.S. scientists from collaborating with peers in other countries, particularly China,” the letter supporting Lieber states. “In so doing, it is threatening not only the United States’ position as a world leader in academic research, but science itself.”

In January, dozens of scientists signed a similar letter in support of Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Gang Chen, who was indicted on similar charges, specifically failing to disclose ties with China.

“We are troubled that the complaint against Professor Chen vilifies what should be considered normal academic and research activities, including promoting MIT’s mission of global education,” wrote the scientists in a petition on Change.org, which has garnered over 1,000 signatures of support.

“The USA’s greatest asset for fostering innovation and attracting the brightest minds is the academic freedom and openness of American science praised throughout the world.... The persecution or burdening of scientists for their interactions and collaborations will come at a great cost of lost ingenuity and decline of our global leadership in science and technology,” the petition states.

Lieber has filed suit against Harvard University, saying it should pay for his legal expenses. The university has contended that it is not responsible for those costs.

It’s tough to gain admission to Yale University, and it’s getting even tougher for international students as standout students from around the world set their sights on Yale.

The Yale Dale News, the campus newspaper, takes a look at the situation here.

Read the full story here.

Ruth Chane, a computer science major from Ethiopia, writes about her experiences settling into student life at Whitman College in the U.S. state of Washington.

"The community at Whitman College made sure I felt welcomed even before I stepped foot on campus," she says.

Read her essay here.

In The Student Life, the student newspaper for the Claremont Colleges, a consortium of five liberal art colleges and two graduate schools in Claremont, California, student Rochelle Lu writes about readjusting to her Shanghai home after spending a semester in the United States.

Read the full story here.

Cedarville University in the U.S. state of Ohio says it’s got more than 140 international students representing 44 countries.

Here, the school interviews Jonathan Sutton, director of international student services. He talks about his job and the opportunities for international students on campus.

Read the full article here.

Morehouse College, a private, historically Black liberal arts college in the U.S. state of Georgia, offers a guide for international students interested in attending the school.

Among the tips to apply and thrive at Morehouse:

• Take advantage of the school’s orientation program
• Turn to the school’s Center for Academic Success for tutoring, support and more
• Immerse yourself in campus life via clubs and societies

Read the full article here.