The federal government normally assigns ownership of data generated in activities that it funds to a grantee institution (i.e., UNH), not an individual (i.e., principal investigator).

Supposing this situation takes place at UNH, the University assigns custody of the data that it owns to the principal investigator (faculty member). As the interviews were part of the work funded by the federal grant, even though the graduate student did not receive a salary or wage from the grant, the University owns the data and the principal investigator is custodian of the data. This means that the principal investigator is responsible for the collection, recording, sharing, and retention of, and access to, the data. As students and other study personnel may take a copy of UNH-owned data related to their research, a request from the graduate student to do so would be reasonable. However, she may not take the original data and/or supporting documentation with her. Prior to starting the activity, and each time a person joined the group, the principal investigator should have communicated the laboratory’s procedures for data recording, organization, access, sharing, storage, and retention. In addition, the principal investigator should have delineated in writing for each member involved in the activity which parts of the data may be copied and taken by the individual if he/she leaves the research group (or ceases the activity).