The RIO Boot Camps are part of a major ORI initiative to support and to professionalize the role of Research Integrity Officers (RIO). A RIO, who may have a variety of institutional titles, is the person who administers his or her institution’s policies and procedures for handling allegations of misconduct in research.

The Boot Camps bring together RIOs from major institutions to participate in discussions and training on all the critical aspects of a RIO's responsibilities, including: interviewing respondents and complainants, sequestering data, forensic analysis of questioned data and documents; training inquiry/investigation panels; and negotiating the regulatory matrix within research institutions and with federal oversight agencies.

Veteran RIOs, ORI scientist-investigators and legal counsel experienced in misconduct cases facilitate the discussions, but all the participants are teachers as well as students and help draft best practices and SOPs for critical aspects of the RIO's role. The Boot Camps employ an active-learning model where RIOs practice investigative techniques in realistic simulations drawn from actual cases.

Attendance is by invitation only and is limited to RIOs and their legal counsel for training purposes.  If you are interested in participating in a boot camp, please contact ORI (AskORI@hhs.gov).