The below e-mail exchange (last
mail 1 April 2011 - a long time ago) may interest
visitors to the Heiwa Co web site. It has produced
telephone calls to Jim
McDonald and about plagiarism!More
Jim McDonald!All about Dracos
Vassalos' Estonia fraud! Call
Jim on +44 141 548
2485 and he will confirm that scientific fraud is
permitted at Strathclyde university!
The e-mail exchange starting this ongoing scandal
follows:
Two senior staff at your university (a professor
and a lecturer) have fairly recently published some
'research' that I consider fraudulent. I have of course
published my findings (at https://heiwaco.tripod.com/vassalos.htm)
and explained the fraud and one result is that said
persons threaten to sue me in France (where I live),
unless I remove a fair number of pages from my
web site,
where the fraud is described.
Evidently I will not remove said information. On
the other hand I would like to draw attention of the
fraud to the University headmaster or president and board
of governors for their action to protect the reputation
of the University, and I would be much obliged that you
provide me with their style and addresses and any
relevant info how to proceed.
With best regards
Yours sincerely
Anders Björkman, M.Sc, Heiwa Co - European
Agency for Safety at Sea, Beausoleil, France
http://heiwaco.tripod.com
Reply by Dr Peter
West, Secretary to the Strathclyde University - 5
January 2010:
Dear Mr Bjorkman,
I am replying to your e-mail of 23rd December to Ms
Kochanowska, who is a member of my staff.
I understand your allegations are the subject of
legal proceedings in France for defamation. I will be
forwarding your e-mail to Professor Vassalos so that he
may, if he so decides, include your accusation of
“fraud” in that process.
The University has no intention of investigating
your claims whilst those proceedings are continuing and I
would be grateful if you would not write again to us in
the interim.
PETER WEST
Dr Peter W A West, Secretary to the
University, University of Strathclyde, Tele: 0141 548
2001 ,The University of Strathclyde is a charitable body,
registered in Scotland, no. SC015263
---
Note that Dr West doesn't provide the requested
information:
that you provide me with their (the
University headmaster or president and board of governors
style and addresses and any relevant info how to
proceed).
but changes the subject. Thus the following:
Reply by Mr Björkman 5 January 2010:
Dear Dr West
Thanks for quick reply. No, I am not at present
subject of any legal proceedings in France for
defamation. I have only recieved a registered letter (in
French) LRAR n°1A 027 831 8653 1 dated 17 November
2009 by Maître Emmanuel Binda, avocat
associé, of P3B Avocats, 5 rue de Tehéran,
75008 Paris, Toque: J122, on behalf of Safety at Sea Ltd
(i.e. Prof. Dracos Vassalos and Dr. A. Jasionowski of
Strathclyde University) to the effect that I am requested
to remove certain web pages from my site
http://heiwaco.tripod.com . I have evidently acknowledged
receipt of this letter on 25 November 2009 and explained
further by letter 28 November 2009 (both in French) and I
have not removed anything on the web pages concerned (I
have actually added info) and I have since not heard
anything from M. Binda. I and my legal advisors very much
doubt that they will proceed with any legal actions.
So no legal proceedings of any kind seem to be
continuing here in France. Just a friendly correspondence
of some kind!
I am very happy that you have forwarded my e-mail
to Prof. Vassalos for whatever action he may decide.
In the meantime I would be much obliged that
you and the University of Strathclyde proceed with the
investigation of the fraudulent research by Prof.
Vassalos & Co to protect the interests and reputation
of your university. I will keep you informed
of any further action taken on my part of this serious
matter.
With best regards for a Happy New Year 2010
Yours sincerely
Anders Björkman, M.Sc., Heiwa Co - European
Agency for Safety at Sea
As Dr West didn't take any action I contacted his
superiors directly with the following result 28 January
2010:
Anders.....
My University Secretary and Vice Principal are, I
am informed, managing this through an established
process. I await the outcome
Jim, Professor Jim McDonald, FREng FRSE FIET
FInstP, Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Rolls-Royce Chair
in Electrical Power Systems, The University of
Strathclyde, McCance Building, Richmond Street, Glasgow
G1 1XQ
Reminder to Jim 3 March 2010:
From: Anders Björkman
[mailto:anders.bjorkman@wanadoo.fr]
Sent: 03 March 2010 05:56
To: Jim McDonald
Subject: Re: Fraudulous report by Strathclyde
University staff Importance: High
Hallo Jim,
Any results of looking?
Best regards
Anders
Reply from Jim same day:
I am away from the University at the moment.
I will seek an update on my return
Professor Jim McDonald, FREng FRSE FIET FInstP,
Principal and Vice-Chancellor, Rolls-Royce Chair in
Electrical Power Systems, The University of Strathclyde,
McCance Building, Richmond Street, Glasgow G1 1XQ, Tel:
+44 141 548 2485, Fax: +44 141 553 1521
Later Jim has informed he will do nothing!! Call him on
+44 141 548 2485 and he will confirm it himself!
It is really a
scandal! The principal encouraging scientific fraud!
That up-date of my web site produced the following result
a little later:
Anders Björkman, M.Sc., Heiwa Co - European
Agency for Safety at Sea
A couple of hours later the following arrived:
From: Hugh Hall
Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2010 3:48 PM
To:
anders.bjorkman@wanadoo.fr
Subject: False Allegations
Dear Anders Björkman
The Principal has asked me to respond to your
various emails.
The University has reviewed the matter and we are
satisfied that there is no evidence to support
your allegations of fraud by University staff.
The University reserves the right to take
further action against you if you do not cease making
false allegations against the University and its
staff.
Yours sincerely
Hugh Hall, Chief Operating Officer, University of
Strathclyde, McCance Building, 16 Richmond Street,
Glasgow G1 1XQ,
hugh.hall@strath.ac.uk
The following was sent soon after:
From: Anders Björkman
Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2010 4:35 PM
To: Hugh Hall
Subject: Re: False Allegations
Dear Hugh Hall,
Thanks for below e-mail on behalf of the
Principal.
Please advise who is the Principal.
I am happy to finally know that the University has
reviewed my suggestions that work by prof.
Vassalos and dr.
Jasionowski (and students, particularly
Clemens Strasser) constitutes
scientific fraud.
I am surprised that you have found my suggestions
wrong. I would be much obliged to know how you have
reached your conclusions. What persons with what
qualifications have done what checks, etc and where it is
documented?
It is noted that Strathclyde University reserves
the right to take further action against me, if I do not
cease making false allegations against the University and
its staff.
What action have you so far taken against me? I
have only been threatened by legal councel at Paris of
Vassalos/Jasisonowski and replied to that nonsense and
never heard from him since.
As my suggestions of scientific fraud by your
staff are still valid, they will remain on my web site.
Pls do not suggest that I make false allegations
without any evidence.
I look forward to your clarifications as per
above.
Kind regards
Anders Björkman,
Heiwa Co - European Agency for Safety at
Sea
And the following reply was three minutes later
received (it seems the Scots work Sundays!!!):
From: "Hugh Hall"
<hugh.hall@strath.ac.uk>
Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2010 4:38 PM
To: "Anders Björkman"
<anders.bjorkman@wanadoo.fr>
Subject: Read: False Allegations
Your message was read on Sunday, November 28, 2010
3:38:46 PM (GMT) Greenwich Mean Time : Dublin, Edinburgh,
Lisbon, London.
After all this the following was received:
From: "Dracos Vassalos"
<d.vassalos@strath.ac.uk>
Sent: Sunday, November 28, 2010 4:53 PM
To: "Anders Björkman"
<anders.bjorkman@wanadoo.fr>
Subject: Not read: Fraudulent research by
Strathclyde University staff
Your message was deleted without being read on
Sunday, November 28, 2010 3:53:24 PM (GMT) Greenwich Mean
Time : Dublin, Edinburgh, Lisbon, London.
It seems Vassalos doesn't like the developments.
On December 14, 2010, the following was
received:
From: "Hugh Hall"
<hugh.hall@strath.ac.uk>
Sent: Tuesday, December 14, 2010 3:33 PM
To: "Anders Björkman"
<anders.bjorkman@wanadoo.fr>
Subject: RE: False Allegations
Dear Anders
I refer to your email [of
November 28] and also your recent email to
the Principal Jim McDonald.
The University considers this matter closed and we
will not enter into further correspondence with
you.
I do not consider this matter closed and look
foward to a copy of your investigation into the matter
where you conclude my allegations are wrong and the work
by Vassalos & Co is correct. According
Jim such an investigation has been done and I would like
to see the report. I will update my web site
accordingly.
It seems Vassalos & Co have withdrawn the
threat of legal action against me. I wonder why?
kind regards
A Björkman
In spite of the Strathclyde University warning of 28
November 2010 - The University reserves the right to
take further action against you if you do not cease making
false allegations against the University and its staff -
by 12 January 2010 no such action has been taken! I
wonder why? Strathclyde University maintains they have
reviewed the matter - The University has reviewed the
matter and we are satisfied that there is no
evidence to support your allegations of fraud by
University staff - but does nothing. So on 12 January
following was sent:
From: Anders Björkman
Sent: Wednesday, January 12, 2011 7:39 PM
To: Hugh Hall
Cc: d.vassalos@na-me.ac.uk ;
a.jasionowski@safety-at-sea.co.uk ; Jim McDonald
Subject: Re: False Allegations
Dear Mr Hall,
pls respond to [mail
December, 14, 2010]! Do you really
suggest that research by Vassalos & Co under
discussion is correct and that I am wrong? If so, present
your evidence, i.e. your in-house report.
If you, your Principal and Strathclyde University
cannot do that, I expect a simple excuse would be nice to
clear and clean up your awful conduct. Followed by
expulsion of Vassalos & Co of course.
Any problems there?
kind regards
Anders Björkman
No reply by 31 March 2011!! So this
reminder:
From: Anders
Björkman
Sent: Friday, April 01, 2011 8:14 AM
To: Hugh Hall
Cc: d.vassalos@na-me.ac.uk ;
a.jasionowski@safety-at-sea.co.uk ; Jim McDonald
for plagiarism of his PhD-thesis 1990. Any
comments? It may explain why Jim is soft on the
Vassalos/Jasionowski fraud!
Any news about your in-house report that the
Vassalos/Jasionowski findings are correct? Does it
actually exist?
kind regards
Anders Björkman
oo0oo
The scientific fraud in question concerns findings in
report Technical
Summary of the Investigation on the Sinking Sequence of MV
Estoniawritten by Andrzej Jasionowski,
Dracos Vassalos, Piotr Dolebski, Jerzy Prigara, Luis
Guarin, Anthony York, Tolasz Grzes, Przemek Zagorski,
Clemens Strasser, and checked by Dracos Vassalos and
approved by Dracos Vassalos and reviewed
by me.
Dracos Vassalos is and Andrzej Jasionowski
was employed by the Strathclyde University. They both
believe that capsized ships, floating upside down on an
intact hull, sink when the trapped air in the hull is
compressed ... and does not provide buoyancy.
PROF
Dracos Vassalos is professor of maritime safety at
Strathclyde
University and also member of the EPSRC Marine
Technology College, member of the UK Delegation to the
International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for ship
stability; harmonisation group for damage stability; safety
of bulk carriers; safety of large cruise liners, principal
witness to Shipping Policy of the DETR on the Reopened
Formal Inquiry for MV Derbyshire, chairman of the Specialist
Committee on Ship Stability at the ITTC, chairman of
International Workshops on Stability and Operational Safety
of Ships, chairman of the Standing Committee for the
International Conference on the Stability of Ships and Ocean
Vehicles, chairman of the Executive Committee of WEGEMT (an
Association of 43 European Universities in Marine Technology
and Related Sciences), member of the Gothenburg Technical
Group on Damage Stability Standards for Ro-Ro Vessels,
member of the British Marine Hydrodynamics Panel (BMHP),
member of the Denny Tank Management Board, co-ordinator of
the EU Thematic Network Design for Safety, external examiner
for the MSc Course in Marine Technology and Offshore
Engineering of the Department of Marine Technology,
University of Newcastle upon Tyne, external examiner of the
MSc Course in Marine Science and Technology at the National
Technical University of Athens, Greece, member of the UK MCA
Advisory Group on High Speed Craft, member of the EU
R&DCG sub-group for Framework Programme 5, member of the
Scottish branch of the Royal Institution of Naval
Architects, member of the ISOPE Technical Committee and
member of the Merger Implementation Group (Merger between
the Departments of Naval Architecture of Strathclyde and
Glasgow Universities).
DR
Andrzej Jasionowski was lecturer at Strathclyde
University and now works somewhere else!
In above mentioned report and associated video
simulation they allege, i.a., that a full scale
ferry, which is floating upside down after
capsize, quickly sinks on the stern during
only abt. 15-20 minutes (only due to compression of
trapped air inside the hull).
It is a fact that at ship or ferry, which is
floating upside down after capsize, cannot sink
at all unless you completely remove a
certain amount of compressed air/buoyancy inside
the hull. There are numerous, well documented
incidents like that. Anybody suggesting the
opposite in a scientific report and video
simulation, e.g. that the air is slowly compressed
during a certain time (15-20 minutes?), is
deceiving the readers and viewers and and producing
scientific fraud.
Note that the video is of a full scale
ferry that sinks in 15-20 minutes due to air being
slowly compressed (sic) and buoyancy being lost
(sic). The video strangely copies the sinking
of a model ferry - scale 1/40 - which also
sinks in 15-20 minutes time due to air being
released from the hull via two valves in the bottom
of the model (otherwise the model would not sink!).
Shouldn't the model sink much faster as it is
smaller? Less air to compress! Less buoyancy to
lose?
Ferry floating
after capsize - it cannot sink! The air inside the
hull cannot leak out!
Actually both sinkings are faked to mislead the public
and are pure fraud - supported by Strathclyde University and
Jim McDonald!
