UCLA chemistry professor loses fellowship over fatal lab fire

The American Assn. for the Advancement of Science has dropped UCLA chemistry professor Patrick Harran as one of its 2015 fellows, saying that members who initially approved his nomination were unaware of a fatal fire in a laboratory he supervised.

The decision by the world’s largest general scientific society capped weeks of controversy sparked by the November announcement of Harran’s selection as one of 347 fellows.

The AAAS, which publishes the journal Science, received fierce criticism by workplace safety experts, chemists and the family of Sheharbano “Sheri” Sangji, a UCLA staff research associate who suffered extensive burns Dec. 29, 2008, and died 18 days later.

Harran, 46, was charged with four felonies stemming from the accident, which occurred when a plastic syringe Sangji was using to transfer t-butyl lithium from one sealed container to another came apart, spewing a chemical compound that ignites when exposed to air.

Sangji, 23, was not wearing a protective lab coat at the time.

Harran was accused of willfully violating state labor codes by failing to provide proper safety training and require protective gear for lab workers. He struck a deal last year with the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office to defer prosecution for five years, after which the charges will be dismissed if he meets certain conditions — including teaching chemistry to inner-city students each summer.

In a letter to AAAS officials, Sangji’s family expressed “shock, dismay and utter disbelief” that the 167-year-old organization had chosen Harran for one of its fellowships and asked that his selection be rescinded.

More than 40 workplace safety officials, public health professors, labor union representatives and others signed a second letter of protest to AAAS officials. “His careless practices put his staff and students at risk of grave harm,” the letter read. “Dr. Harran failed to address the safety problems and Ms. Sangji lost her life as a result.”

Harran and the University of California contended that Sangji was a seasoned chemist who chose not to wear protective gear and was trained in the experiment she was performing. Charges against UC were dropped in July 2012 when the regents agreed to follow comprehensive safety measures and endow a $500,000 scholarship in Sangji’s name.

UCLA has since spent at least $20 million on enhancing lab safety.

Harran’s nomination by three current AAAS fellows was reviewed by the organization’s chemistry section and ratified by its elected council. The organization said last week that the initial reviewers had been unaware — until a week earlier — of Sangji’s death or the unprecedented and widely publicized criminal case against Harran.

That claim was met with widespread skepticism, including from some in scientific circles who noted that AAAS had itself published several articles about the case.

A reevaluation of Harran’s nomination led to a chemistry section vote “not to move forward” with it, association officials said in a statement Tuesday. The organization “is also considering changes to the fellow review process for subsequent nominations,” it said.

UCLA officials responded with a statement expressing disappointment in the organization’s decision.

“Professor Patrick Harran is widely recognized as one of the most creative and influential scientists in his field, and UCLA is deeply disappointed by AAAS’ decision to withdraw his fellowship,” it said. “Although all concerned lament the tragic laboratory accident that occurred in 2008, professor Harran’s work has important implications for cancer research and deserves recognition.”

kim.christensen@latimes.com

Twitter: @kchristensenLAT