Promising Practices and Innovative Programs in the Responsible Conduct of Research

The Promising Practices and Innovative Programs in the Responsible Conduct of Research virtual workshop was held October 6, 7, 20, 21, 2021. It will provide a forum for interdisciplinary discussions of (i) effective strategies for building a culture of responsible conduct of research (RCR) and (ii) potential improvements and further research in the area. It will also raise the visibility of selected exemplars of RCR programs for administrators and faculty who are charged with RCR education and compliance at the institutional level.

This timely endeavor comes in the midst of a change in the focus of RCR/ethics education from “negative” approaches (preventing problems, ethics catastrophes, research misconduct, sexual harassment) to “positive” (cultivating behaviors and norms that emphasize research integrity, trust, and strong interpersonal relationships among researchers and coworkers). Incorporating this shift in perspective, the project aims to empower faculty and students to ask hard questions about research and to see ethics as an integral part of good research and practice, as opposed to merely responding to regulations and requirements.