system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
How can you tell if research is being 'stolen'?

I'm not in academia so please bear with me if I'm not using correct terminology.

My gf is is incredibly smart and hard-working. She's been working towards her PhD in political science from a top ten progrsm, and is ABD. She recently went into the field with a new colleague, one who had similar but distinct research. She was with him in the field for about half of her lengthy stint, at which time she discussed her research with him at length.

She always knew their research had overlaps, but after her fieldwork she finds he "reframed" his theory to now center around what made hers unique. He shared it with her willingly, which makes her doubt malice, but she's understandably doubtful as well. Her advisors are toothless and passive with any advice.
I don't know one way or the other what the truth is or, more importantly, how to identify the truth without making premature accusations.

Any advice on how she approaches this question? I see merits to both "sides"- some shady shit is going on and he sent her his proposal to test her willingness to challenge it's originality, or it's all an unfortunate accident of shared interest and timing.
Any advice whatsoever is welcome, thanks.
gpt
It's research, she might tactfully suggest that he links to one of her publications (and/or put her name) when mentioning that part of the reasoning. That's how science work: people jump on other people's findings to build on them with their own work and insight (and give proper credits)