Masoumeh Ebtekar: Difference between revisions
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Ebtekar's father studied at the [[University of Pennsylvania]], and she is reported to have lived with her parents in Upper Darby of [[Philadelphia]] for 3 years.<ref>[http://www.archives.upenn.edu/histy/features/intrntnl/country/mideast.html A Brief History of Global Engagement at the University of Pennsylvania ]</ref> Another source lists her have having lived in Philadelphia for six years as a child, from whence she developed "near-perfect, American-accented English." <ref>Sciolino, Elaine, ''Persian Mirrors : the Elusive Face of Iran'', Free Press, (2005), p.116</ref> |
Ebtekar's father studied at the [[University of Pennsylvania]], and she is reported to have lived with her parents in Upper Darby of [[Philadelphia]] for 3 years.<ref>[http://www.archives.upenn.edu/histy/features/intrntnl/country/mideast.html A Brief History of Global Engagement at the University of Pennsylvania ]</ref> Another source lists her have having lived in Philadelphia for six years as a child, from whence she developed "near-perfect, American-accented English." <ref>Sciolino, Elaine, ''Persian Mirrors : the Elusive Face of Iran'', Free Press, (2005), p.116</ref> |
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Ebtekar holds a BSc degree in laboratory science from [[Shahid Beheshti University]], a MSc and PhD in [[immunology]] from [[Tarbiat Modares University]] in 1995, where she still teaches. |
Ebtekar holds a BSc degree in laboratory science from [[Shahid Beheshti University]], a MSc and PhD in [[immunology]] from [[Tarbiat Modares University]] in 1995, where she still teaches as an Associate Professor. |
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==Early activism and role in Iran Hostage Crisis== |
==Early activism and role in Iran Hostage Crisis== |
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Ebtekar served as spokeswoman for the students in the [[Iran hostage crisis]] of 1979, where [[Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line]] occupied the US Embassy and held 52 Americans hostage of 444 days. Selected because of her good command of English she made regular appearances on American television |
Ebtekar served as spokeswoman for the students in the [[Iran hostage crisis]] of 1979, where [[Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line]] occupied the US Embassy and held 52 Americans hostage of 444 days. Selected because of her good command of English she made regular appearances on American television. |
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<blockquote>Asked by an ABC News correspondent one day whether she could see herself picking up a gun and killing the hostages, she replied: `yes. When I've seen an American gun being lifted up and killing my brothers and sisters in the streets, of course.`<ref> Sciolino, ''Persian Mirrors'', (2005), p.116-118</ref></blockquote> |
<blockquote>Asked by an ABC News correspondent one day whether she could see herself picking up a gun and killing the hostages, she replied: `yes. When I've seen an American gun being lifted up and killing my brothers and sisters in the streets, of course.`<ref> Sciolino, ''Persian Mirrors'', (2005), p.116-118</ref></blockquote> 450 Iranian students took part in this event and 52 hostages were freed healthy and safely after 444 days. |
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Ebtekar wrote an account of the embassy takeover with [[Fred A. Reed]] entitled ''Takeover in Tehran: The Inside Story of the 1979 U.S. Embassy Capture'' <ref>(ISBN 0-88922-443-9), published in 2000 by Talonbooks. The Farsi translation of this book was published in Tehran by Etellaat Newspaper Publications the same year and the Arabic translation was published in Beirut by Al Hadi Publications.</ref> |
Ebtekar wrote an account of the embassy takeover with [[Fred A. Reed]] entitled ''Takeover in Tehran: The Inside Story of the 1979 U.S. Embassy Capture'' <ref>(ISBN 0-88922-443-9), published in 2000 by Talonbooks. The Farsi translation of this book was published in Tehran by Etellaat Newspaper Publications the same year and the Arabic translation was published in Beirut by Al Hadi Publications.</ref> |
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When asked by an American interviewer in the late 1990s about her past as hostage-taker spokeswoman, why it did not appear on her resume, and why she had changed her name from Nilofar to Masoumeh, Ebtekar was unapologetic about her role but surprised the interviewer with her "[[chutzpah]]", insisting that the interviewer "not write much about these things." <ref> Sciolino, ''Persian Mirrors'' (2005), p.116-118</ref> |
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== Social and Government career== |
== Social and Government career== |
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In 1981, Ebtekar became the editor-in-chief of the English daily newspaper ''[[Kayhan International]]'', selected by Khatami who was then the representative of Ayatollah [[Khomeini]] in [[Kayhan Institute]]. She served in the newspaper until 1983. In 1991 she co-founded the Institute for Women's Studies and Research. Since 1992, she has been the license holder and managing director of the journal ''Farzaneh for Women's Studies and Research''. Ebtekar was appointed as the Head of Women's NGO Coordinating Office and Vice Head of the National Committee to the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. |
In 1981, Ebtekar became the editor-in-chief of the English daily newspaper ''[[Kayhan International]]'', selected by Khatami who was then the representative of Ayatollah [[Khomeini]] in [[Kayhan Institute]]. She served in the newspaper until 1983. In 1991 she co-founded the Institute for Women's Studies and Research. Since 1992, she has been the license holder and managing director of the journal ''Farzaneh for Women's Studies and Research''. Ebtekar was appointed as the Head of Women's NGO Coordinating Office and Vice Head of the National Committee to the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. Later she was elected as the President of the Network of Women's NGOs in Iran. |
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===As |
===As Vice President=== |
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Dr. Ebtekar is a founding member of the [[Islamic Iran Participation Front]],{{fact}} a reformist party, and became the was the first woman to serve as Vice-President of Iran when the reformists came to power. Along with [[Zahra Shojaei]], Dr. Ebtekar participated in the first cabinet since the Islamic Revolution to include women. She has been described as a leftist in [[Mohammad Khatami]]'s alliance.<ref> Sciolino, ''Persian Mirrors'' (2005), p.116</ref> |
Dr. Ebtekar is a founding member of the [[Islamic Iran Participation Front]],{{fact}} a reformist party (this party was created after President Khatami was elected and Dr Ebtekar was appointed ), and became the was the first woman to serve as Vice-President of Iran when the reformists came to power. Along with [[Zahra Shojaei]], Dr. Ebtekar participated in the first cabinet since the Islamic Revolution to include women. She has been described as a leftist in [[Mohammad Khatami]]'s alliance.<ref> Sciolino, ''Persian Mirrors'' (2005), p.116</ref> |
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On [[International Women's Day]] in 1998, Dr. Ebtekar (then vice-president of environmental affairs) shocked the Western [[news media]] when she made an impassioned speech condemning the [[Taliban treatment of women|horrific oppression of women]] by the [[Taliban|Taliban Movement]] in [[Afghanistan]] – because she herself was wearing a [[chador]], which many in the West view as oppressive, as well as the perceived violations of women's rights in Iran. Under the Taliban, women were forced to wear heavy burkas that covered their faces and were never allowed out without a male escort. |
On [[International Women's Day]] in 1998, Dr. Ebtekar (then vice-president of environmental affairs) shocked the Western [[news media]] when she made an impassioned speech condemning the [[Taliban treatment of women|horrific oppression of women]] by the [[Taliban|Taliban Movement]] in [[Afghanistan]] – because she herself was wearing a [[chador]], which many in the West view as oppressive, as well as the perceived violations of women's rights in Iran. Under the Taliban, women were forced to wear heavy burkas that covered their faces and were never allowed out without a male escort. |
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===Champion of the Earth=== |
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===Post-vice-presidential environmental activism=== |
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Dr. Ebtekar was named one of the seven 2006 [[Champions of the Earth]] by the [[United Nations Environment Program]] as a prominent and "inspirational" environmental leader who has made an impact at policy level in a region of the world. <ref>[http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=17905&Cr=UNEP&Cr1= Seven environmental heroes to be honoured by UN agency]</ref> <ref>[http://www.isna.ir/Main/NewsView.aspx?ID=News-688961&Lang=P Iranian Students News Agency (in Persian)]</ref> |
Dr. Ebtekar was named one of the seven 2006 [[Champions of the Earth]] by the [[United Nations Environment Program]] as a prominent and "inspirational" environmental leader who has made an impact at policy level in a region of the world. <ref>[http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=17905&Cr=UNEP&Cr1= Seven environmental heroes to be honoured by UN agency]</ref> <ref>[http://www.isna.ir/Main/NewsView.aspx?ID=News-688961&Lang=P Iranian Students News Agency (in Persian)]</ref> |
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===50 People Who Could Save the Planet : The Guardian=== |
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Dr. Ebtekar co-founded the Center for Peace and Environment in 2005, a non-governmental organization devoted to the promotion of just and sustainable peace and the protection of the environment. Over 120 experts and academicians are currently members of the Center. |
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Dr Ebtekar was named as one of 50 people who could save the planet by the ''The Guardian'' newspaper in January 5, 2008. She was the only Iranian or Muslim woman in the list. The Archbishop of Barthelome and Leonardo De Caprio were also among the most famous in that list.{{fact}} |
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===Center for Peace and Environment=== |
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Dr. Ebtekar co-founded the Center for Peace and Environment in 2005, a non-governmental organization devoted to the promotion of just and sustainable peace and the protection of the environment. She is currently the President of this Center in which over 120 experts and academicians are currently members of. In addition to educational and awareness raising workshops and seminars the Center is actively involved in international activities. In an annual event the Center commemorates November 6 as the International Day for the Prevention of the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict. The Center has a website in Persian and English. www.pengo.ir |
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===Tehran City Council member=== |
===Tehran City Council member=== |
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After the termination of her government position in 2005 Dr. Ebtekar has spoken as inaugural or keynote speaker at many international events.<ref> |
After the termination of her government position in 2005 Dr. Ebtekar has spoken as inaugural or keynote speaker at many international events.<ref> |
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International Conference on Women and Tradition , University of Damascus, Damascus, 2005 |
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International Conference on Women and the Alliance of Civilizations, Istanbul, 2005 |
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Delhi Sustainable Development Summit, Delhi ,2006 and in 2008 |
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Earth Dialogues, Brisbane, Australia, 2006 |
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International Conference on Role of Women in the Middle East, Kuwait University, Kuwait, 2006 |
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International Conference on Global Ecological Governance, Paris , France, 2007 |
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World Environment Day Conference on Sustainable Development , Tromso, Norway ,2007 |
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Religion Science Environment Conference on Arctic the Mirror of Life , Greenland ,2007 |
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Global Summit for Businesswomen and Leaders, Dubai in 2007 and 2008 |
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#International Workshop on Islam- West Dialogue, Geneva , 2008. |
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International Workshop on Islam- West Dialogue, Geneva , 2008. |
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International Seminar of Women, Equality and Peace, 2008 |
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International IUCN Congress Barcelona, 2008 |
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International Conference on Religion in A Modern World, Tehran , 2008.</ref> |
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====Publications==== |
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⚫ | ''Natural Peace,'' a collection of essays and speeches on the environment and sustainable development delivered from 1997-2005 by Ebtekar, was published in 2005 by the Iranian Department of Environment. These speeches include titles such as Human Rights and Challenges of the Century, Perspectives on Sustainable Development and the Role of the Woman in Iranian Society, |
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==Questions about Plagarism == |
==Questions about Plagarism == |
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This allegation received a level of political and public attention in Iran<ref>[http://alef.ir/content/view/32958/]</ref> and resulted in Ebtekar's response in her personal weblog accepting the mistake, apologizing for it, but criticizing eTBLAST on several notes including not informing her of their finding in advance and not letting her to publish her response in the same page where the allegation is made. Also Dr. Ebtekar made the point that the article was a review article she was invited to write for the Journal and that more than 76 references were referred to in the text.<ref>[http://greenebtekar.persianblog.ir/post/232/]</ref> |
This allegation received a level of political and public attention in Iran<ref>[http://alef.ir/content/view/32958/]</ref> and resulted in Ebtekar's response in her personal weblog accepting the mistake, apologizing for it, but criticizing eTBLAST on several notes including not informing her of their finding in advance and not letting her to publish her response in the same page where the allegation is made. Also Dr. Ebtekar made the point that the article was a review article she was invited to write for the Journal and that more than 76 references were referred to in the text.<ref>[http://greenebtekar.persianblog.ir/post/232/]</ref> |
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On October 23, 2008, Vol 455 [[Nature magazine]] covered this case in a short story titled "Iranian paper sparks sense of Deja Vu". In an interiew with [[Ian Mudway]], a [[toxicologist]] at the [[King's College London]] and one of the authors of original papers plagarized by Ebtekar, he said: "The article is a veritable patchwork of other people's work, word for word, grammatical error for grammatical error." It reported that Ebtekar has not answered emails from Nature.<ref>[http://alef.ir/images/stories/you_alefusers_onnature.jpg]</ref> |
On October 23, 2008, Vol 455 [[Nature magazine]] covered this case in a short story titled "Iranian paper sparks sense of Deja Vu". In an interiew with [[Ian Mudway]], a [[toxicologist]] at the [[King's College London]] and one of the authors of original papers plagarized by Ebtekar, he said: "The article is a veritable patchwork of other people's work, word for word, grammatical error for grammatical error." It reported that Ebtekar has not answered emails from Nature. This political report was a clear deviation from the scientific policy that journals like Nature usually pursue.<ref>[http://alef.ir/images/stories/you_alefusers_onnature.jpg]</ref> |
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Ebtekar apologized for her plagarism |
Raja News in another allegation claimed that Ebtekar apologized for her plagarism at a public gathering about US embassy hostage crisis held in [[Shiraz University]] saying: "I apologize, humans are not prudent from mistakes." <ref>[http://www.rajanews.com/detail.asp?id=19131]</ref> Raja News agency a media close to the bloc of President Ahmadinejad and known for their baseless claims and allegations against reformists made this report in another effort to politicize the matter. This news was not verified by any other source and reports indicate that Dr Ebtekar has initiated legal action against those who intend to politicize a scientific debate. |
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==Natural Peace== |
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⚫ | ''Natural Peace,'' a collection of essays and speeches on the environment and sustainable development delivered from 1997-2005 by Ebtekar, was published in 2005 by the Iranian Department of Environment. These speeches include titles such as Human Rights and Challenges of the Century, Perspectives on Sustainable Development and the Role of the Woman in Iranian Society, Environmental Perspective of Dialogue Among Civilizatons.The publication also includes essays such as Forests are no Exceptions and The Role of Women in Sustainable Development. |
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== "Our Planet" UNEP Journal== |
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Two articles by Ebtekar entitled ''Natural Peace'' (2005) and "Market Messengers" (2006)were published in ''Our Planet'', the Magazine of the United Nations Environment Program . www.unep.org |
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==Sources== |
==Sources== |
Revision as of 20:47, 16 November 2008
Masoumeh Ebtekar (Persian: معصومه ابتکار; born 1960) is an Iranian scientist and politician. Her original name is Niloufar Ebtekar, she is known as Nilofar among friends and relatives.[1]
Ebtekar first achieved fame as the spokeswoman of the students who had occupied the US Embassy during the Iran hostage crisis. Later she became the first female Vice President of Iran, the head of the Environment Protection Organization of Iran during the administration of President Mohammad Khatami, and is currently a city councilwoman elect of Tehran.[2] She is a founding member of the Iranian reformist political party, the Islamic Iran Participation Front.[citation needed]
Ebtekar is married and has two children.
Education and family
Ebtekar's father studied at the University of Pennsylvania, and she is reported to have lived with her parents in Upper Darby of Philadelphia for 3 years.[3] Another source lists her have having lived in Philadelphia for six years as a child, from whence she developed "near-perfect, American-accented English." [4]
Ebtekar holds a BSc degree in laboratory science from Shahid Beheshti University, a MSc and PhD in immunology from Tarbiat Modares University in 1995, where she still teaches as an Associate Professor.
Early activism and role in Iran Hostage Crisis
Ebtekar served as spokeswoman for the students in the Iran hostage crisis of 1979, where Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line occupied the US Embassy and held 52 Americans hostage of 444 days. Selected because of her good command of English she made regular appearances on American television.
Asked by an ABC News correspondent one day whether she could see herself picking up a gun and killing the hostages, she replied: `yes. When I've seen an American gun being lifted up and killing my brothers and sisters in the streets, of course.`[5]
450 Iranian students took part in this event and 52 hostages were freed healthy and safely after 444 days.
Ebtekar wrote an account of the embassy takeover with Fred A. Reed entitled Takeover in Tehran: The Inside Story of the 1979 U.S. Embassy Capture [6]
Social and Government career
In 1981, Ebtekar became the editor-in-chief of the English daily newspaper Kayhan International, selected by Khatami who was then the representative of Ayatollah Khomeini in Kayhan Institute. She served in the newspaper until 1983. In 1991 she co-founded the Institute for Women's Studies and Research. Since 1992, she has been the license holder and managing director of the journal Farzaneh for Women's Studies and Research. Ebtekar was appointed as the Head of Women's NGO Coordinating Office and Vice Head of the National Committee to the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995. Later she was elected as the President of the Network of Women's NGOs in Iran.
As Vice President
Dr. Ebtekar is a founding member of the Islamic Iran Participation Front,[citation needed] a reformist party (this party was created after President Khatami was elected and Dr Ebtekar was appointed ), and became the was the first woman to serve as Vice-President of Iran when the reformists came to power. Along with Zahra Shojaei, Dr. Ebtekar participated in the first cabinet since the Islamic Revolution to include women. She has been described as a leftist in Mohammad Khatami's alliance.[7]
On International Women's Day in 1998, Dr. Ebtekar (then vice-president of environmental affairs) shocked the Western news media when she made an impassioned speech condemning the horrific oppression of women by the Taliban Movement in Afghanistan – because she herself was wearing a chador, which many in the West view as oppressive, as well as the perceived violations of women's rights in Iran. Under the Taliban, women were forced to wear heavy burkas that covered their faces and were never allowed out without a male escort.
Champion of the Earth
Dr. Ebtekar was named one of the seven 2006 Champions of the Earth by the United Nations Environment Program as a prominent and "inspirational" environmental leader who has made an impact at policy level in a region of the world. [8] [9]
50 People Who Could Save the Planet : The Guardian
Dr Ebtekar was named as one of 50 people who could save the planet by the The Guardian newspaper in January 5, 2008. She was the only Iranian or Muslim woman in the list. The Archbishop of Barthelome and Leonardo De Caprio were also among the most famous in that list.[citation needed]
Center for Peace and Environment
Dr. Ebtekar co-founded the Center for Peace and Environment in 2005, a non-governmental organization devoted to the promotion of just and sustainable peace and the protection of the environment. She is currently the President of this Center in which over 120 experts and academicians are currently members of. In addition to educational and awareness raising workshops and seminars the Center is actively involved in international activities. In an annual event the Center commemorates November 6 as the International Day for the Prevention of the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict. The Center has a website in Persian and English. www.pengo.ir
Tehran City Council member
Dr. Ebtekar ran for and was elected to the city council of Tehran for the term beginning in 2007, coming in 9th out of 21 candidates, just after Parvin Ahmadinejad, the sister of the current President of Iran. [10] She established and heads the Tehran City Council Environment Committee and currently runs 20 working groups on environmental issues.
Academic Career and Research
Current fields of teaching at MSc and PhD levels include, immunology of the nervous system, cytokines as biological mediators, immunology of HIV /AIDs, and psychoneuroimmunology. Her research work includes areas such as immunomodulation, neuroimmunology, cytokine patterns, modulation of cord blood cells and DNA vaccines. Dr. Ebtekar has published several ISI articles on the above topics and her name appears as co-author in several original research works. Dr. Ebtekar is also member of several research board committees and is a reviewer for two international and four national immunology journals. This information is available at the website of [Tarbiat Modares University www.modares.ac.ir].
After the termination of her government position in 2005 Dr. Ebtekar has spoken as inaugural or keynote speaker at many international events.[11]
Questions about Plagarism
On October 7, 2008 eTBLAST recognized an article published by Masoumeh Ebtekar in 2006 at the Iran Journal of Allergy Asthma Immunol as a 85% duplication of several previously published articles.[12] eTBLAST is a text similarity search engine on MEDLINE database sponsored by the Innovation Laboratory at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School to study the scientific publication ethics. This allegation received a level of political and public attention in Iran[13] and resulted in Ebtekar's response in her personal weblog accepting the mistake, apologizing for it, but criticizing eTBLAST on several notes including not informing her of their finding in advance and not letting her to publish her response in the same page where the allegation is made. Also Dr. Ebtekar made the point that the article was a review article she was invited to write for the Journal and that more than 76 references were referred to in the text.[14]
On October 23, 2008, Vol 455 Nature magazine covered this case in a short story titled "Iranian paper sparks sense of Deja Vu". In an interiew with Ian Mudway, a toxicologist at the King's College London and one of the authors of original papers plagarized by Ebtekar, he said: "The article is a veritable patchwork of other people's work, word for word, grammatical error for grammatical error." It reported that Ebtekar has not answered emails from Nature. This political report was a clear deviation from the scientific policy that journals like Nature usually pursue.[15]
Raja News in another allegation claimed that Ebtekar apologized for her plagarism at a public gathering about US embassy hostage crisis held in Shiraz University saying: "I apologize, humans are not prudent from mistakes." [16] Raja News agency a media close to the bloc of President Ahmadinejad and known for their baseless claims and allegations against reformists made this report in another effort to politicize the matter. This news was not verified by any other source and reports indicate that Dr Ebtekar has initiated legal action against those who intend to politicize a scientific debate.
Natural Peace
Natural Peace, a collection of essays and speeches on the environment and sustainable development delivered from 1997-2005 by Ebtekar, was published in 2005 by the Iranian Department of Environment. These speeches include titles such as Human Rights and Challenges of the Century, Perspectives on Sustainable Development and the Role of the Woman in Iranian Society, Environmental Perspective of Dialogue Among Civilizatons.The publication also includes essays such as Forests are no Exceptions and The Role of Women in Sustainable Development.
"Our Planet" UNEP Journal
Two articles by Ebtekar entitled Natural Peace (2005) and "Market Messengers" (2006)were published in Our Planet, the Magazine of the United Nations Environment Program . www.unep.org
Sources
- ^ A Brief History of Global Engagement at the University of Pennsylvania
- ^ dead link
- ^ A Brief History of Global Engagement at the University of Pennsylvania
- ^ Sciolino, Elaine, Persian Mirrors : the Elusive Face of Iran, Free Press, (2005), p.116
- ^ Sciolino, Persian Mirrors, (2005), p.116-118
- ^ (ISBN 0-88922-443-9), published in 2000 by Talonbooks. The Farsi translation of this book was published in Tehran by Etellaat Newspaper Publications the same year and the Arabic translation was published in Beirut by Al Hadi Publications.
- ^ Sciolino, Persian Mirrors (2005), p.116
- ^ Seven environmental heroes to be honoured by UN agency
- ^ Iranian Students News Agency (in Persian)
- ^ Final result of Tehran City Council election, December 21, 2006
- ^ International Conference on Women and Tradition , University of Damascus, Damascus, 2005 International Conference on Women and the Alliance of Civilizations, Istanbul, 2005 Delhi Sustainable Development Summit, Delhi ,2006 and in 2008 Earth Dialogues, Brisbane, Australia, 2006 International Conference on Role of Women in the Middle East, Kuwait University, Kuwait, 2006 International Conference on Global Ecological Governance, Paris , France, 2007 World Environment Day Conference on Sustainable Development , Tromso, Norway ,2007 Religion Science Environment Conference on Arctic the Mirror of Life , Greenland ,2007 Global Summit for Businesswomen and Leaders, Dubai in 2007 and 2008 International Workshop on Islam- West Dialogue, Geneva , 2008. International Seminar of Women, Equality and Peace, 2008 International IUCN Congress Barcelona, 2008 International Conference on Religion in A Modern World, Tehran , 2008.
- ^ [1]
- ^ [2]
- ^ [3]
- ^ [4]
- ^ [5]