College Uncovered

Francesca Gino is the first professor in Harvard University’s long history to lose her tenure.

The former Harvard Business School professor built a reputation studying honesty and dishonesty, decision-making and ethics, workplace dynamics and productivity.

She became one of the most prominent researchers in her field, and, at one point, was the fifth highest-paid Harvard employee.

Then, in 2021, behavioral scientists behind the blog Data Colada accused Gino of research misconduct.

After a years-long investigation, Harvard formally revoked her tenure in May 2025. 

Gino is now suing Harvard, alleging discrimination and breach of contract. Harvard has countersued, alleging Gino defamed the university and sent investigators a falsified dataset.

The case raises broader questions about trust in academic research and universities at a time when Harvard and higher education are facing intense scrutiny. 

Gino recently visited GBH’s studio in Boston for her first major media interview since losing her job. She spoke with GBH’s Kirk Carapezza about the allegations against her, the research that sparked the controversy, why she thinks former president Claudine Gay and other administrators forced her out. She also shares how losing her tenure has affected her family, and why she’s accepted funding from Bill Ackman, an alum and prominent critic of Harvard.

“One of the most common biases in decision research is the confirmation bias – that you look for the thing that confirms the fact that you're correct rather than looking for the evidence that suggests that you're not,” Gino told Carapezza. “And so when I wake up with my positive mindset on, I still hope that my co-authors or the general public will look at my side and say, ‘Okay, let's engage with it.’”

In this special episode of College Uncovered, we feature our extended conversation with Francesca Gino. 

You can watch a video of this interview here on the GBH News YouTube channel. 

Related links: 

In extremely rare move, Harvard revokes tenure and cuts ties with star business professor (GBH)

Harvard professor sees academic scandal as a wake-up call (GBH)

Harvard Sues Ex-HBS Professor Gino for Defamation, Accusing Her of Falsifying Evidence (The Crimson)

College Uncovered: Why Do Colleges Rarely Revoke Tenure? (GBH)

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Credits:

Host and Producer: Kirk Carapezza 

Editors: Adeline Sire and Matt Baskin

Executive Producer: Azita Ghahramani 

Mixing and Sound Design: David Goodman & Gary Mott

Theme Song and original music: Left-Roman

Artwork: Matt Welch 

Project Manager: Isabel Hibbard

Consulting Producer and Head of GBH Podcasts: Devin Maverick Robins

"College Uncovered" is a production of GBH News