Promising Practices and Innovative Programs in the Responsible Conduct of Research

The responsible conduct of research (RCR) is foundational to good science and engineering. However, there are several serious detrimental effects of research not conducted ethically and responsibly. Thus, federal legislation mandates that all National Science Foundation (NSF) grant recipients provide adequate training for undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers about the Responsible Conduct of Research, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) further specifies that topics such as conflict of interest, mentor/mentee responsibilities and relationships, collaborative research, and safe laboratory practices should be included in all instruction in RCR.

To identify and disseminate information about exemplary RCR education practices and programs, the National Academy of Engineering convened a virtual workshop series October 6, 7, 20, and 21, 2021. This workshop provided a forum for interdisciplinary discussions of effective strategies for building an RCR culture in institutions along with potential improvements and further research in the area. It also highlighted selected exemplar RCR programs for administrators and faculty who are charged with RCR education and compliance at the institutional level. This publication summarizes the presentation and discussion of the workshop.