The Story

What Happened? 
​
On March 14th, 2024, Aidan reported research misconduct to his supervisors and the UNCA Chief of Staff related to a public health and education program that ran for almost 5 years: The Student Health Ambassador Program. 

In his report, he raised concerns about missing data, misrepresentation, and false sample sizes, and said he would be willing to alert the university to investigate the North Carolina Center for Health and Wellness (NCCHW). Aidan received no response to his report, and 5 days later, he was fired without warning.  
​
During his termination, the director of the NCCHW stated he was being fired for his behavior. However, just two weeks before his termination, this very director emailed a group of colleagues highlighting, "celebrating Aidan's work."  ​

 

After his termination, Aidan presented his findings and the timeline of retaliation to Asheville Legal, who promptly took on his case. Aidan and his legal counsel remain committed to fighting for the public interest and accountability.