ORI Awards Six Research Integrity Grants
Summary Table of FY2021 ORI Grants
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Research on Research Integrity Conferences |
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Principal Investigator |
Grantee |
Conference Title |
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Lyn Horn, Ph.D. (contact: Miss Makatesi nandie.makatesi@uct.ac.za) |
University of Cape Town |
7th World Conference on Research Integrity |
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Daniel Acuña, Ph.D. deacuna@syr.edu |
Syracuse University |
Computational Research Integrity Workshop and Conference: Training and Intellectual Spaces for a Nascent Field |
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Dr. Jessica Martin and Dr. Cammi Valdez (contact: Jessica Secratt secratjr@nsuok.edu) |
Northeastern State University |
NSU, a minority serving institution, will host a workshop for research faculty from across Oklahoma to discuss research integrity and RCR training. |
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Considerations, Options, and Resources for Data Management in PHS Funded Research |
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Principal Investigator |
Grantee |
Title |
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Min Qi Wang, Ph.D. |
University of Maryland |
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Research Integrity Program Development and Evaluation |
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Principal Investigator |
Grantee |
Study Title |
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Trish Brock, MA pbrock@calpoly.edu |
Novel, Three-level Research Integrity Training Program: Grounded in Equity and Diversity Inquiry |
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Michelle Leonard, MA, MLS |
University of Florida |
Developing a Research Integrity Culture: Implementing Peer Trainers and Active Learning Strategies Using Virtual RCR Training Programs |
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Abstracts
Conferences on Research Integrity (IR-ORI-21-002)
Number of Grants: 3
Study Title: 7th World Conference on Research Integrity
Principal Investigator: Lyn Horn, Ph.D.
Institution: University of Cape Town
Abstract:
The 7th World Conference on Research Integrity (7th WCRI) will be organized by the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and aims to attract 500 to 900 participants to share, discuss and promote research integrity. This conference will continue to build on the successes of prior conferences globally and held most recently in Hong Kong. The WCRI are the largest and most significant events on the international Research Integrity (RI) calendar. Primary outcomes include opportunities for RI stakeholders including researchers, institutional leaders, policy makers, funders, editors and publishers, and research managers to come together and discuss themes and exchange experiences. These conferences have resulted in several important statements that have been recognized as authoritative contributions to the promotion of Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) and to increase awareness by research-intensive institutions that RI is a fundamental element of all research processes and outcomes. Although it can be argued that African institutional systems and structures related to RI are still developing, Africa as a region remains a critical stakeholder and partner in the global efforts to promote RI. Within the region, South Africa has been at the forefront in establishing Offices of Research Integrity (ORI) as well as appointing RI officers to coordinate activities in specific academic institutions. Currently the African Research Integrity Network (ARIN) has over 50 members from 12 African countries, and has supported the University of Cape Town’s successful bid to host this conference. Africa needs research to address the problems of poverty, systemic social injustice and disadvantage and a particularly high burden of both chronic and infectious disease, now most recently COVID 19. Research outputs are central to policy decisions nationally and internationally. Large financial and resource investment from the global North committed to research and development for the South has been spent on developing capacity in human research ethics across Africa. However, human research ethics, while critically important, is only a ‘subset’ of the broader domain of RI. This conference will help correct this disparity and advance the state of RI across Africa.
Study Title: Computational Research Integrity Workshop and Conference: Training and Intellectual Spaces for a Nascent Field
Principal Investigator: Daniel Acuña, Ph.D.
Institution: Syracuse University, New York
Abstract:
Research Integrity is a fundamental aspect of scientific progress. However, many investigations have revealed that research misconduct seems to be more widespread than previously thought. While research and technologies appear to help in detecting and filtering cases of plagiarism and image manipulation, research integrity officers may lack the expertise and awareness of them, and computational researchers do not have venues to present work developing them. This gap exists because of inexistent venues for training research integrity officers and inexistent conferences for encouraging interactions between computational researchers, research integrity officers, and investigators. Our research integrity conference proposal aims at fixing both issues. First, it proposes a new, globally accessible, and massive virtual workshop on computational research integrity techniques where the latest advances and practices will be taught and discussed. Second, it will continue the highly successful conference Computational Research Integrity (CRI-CONF) as an in-person meeting to happen in Washington, DC during the first week of April 2022. The workshop and conference will consolidate Computational Research Integrity as a new viable field to strengthen and support research integrity investigations. It will also provide a venue to signal that this is a legitimate area to which young research can dedicate their life.
Study Title: NSU, a minority serving institution, will host a workshop for research faculty from across Oklahoma to discuss research integrity and RCR training.
Principal Investigator: Jessica Martin, Ph.D., Cammi Valdez, Ph.D.
Institution: Northeastern State University
Abstract:
Northeastern State University proposes to host a one-day conference centered around Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) and RCR training in Oklahoma. The conference will be held at our Broken Arrow, Oklahoma location and will be open to all six of Oklahoma’s four-year Regional University Systems of Oklahoma (RUSO) institutions, which include 40% of all Oklahoma college graduates. RUSO institutions enroll more than 37,000 students per year, where 57% come from rural communities (RUSO.edu). Participating institutions will be asked to send up to four participants each. During the morning and midday sessions, participants will engage in active group discussions between guest professional speakers, scholars, and other faculty, providing participants the opportunity to discuss different areas of RCR training in the context of their work and research environment. The participants will be asked to speak and engage in conversations identifying the gaps and constraints they have related to research integrity, the needs for RCR training or changes, and the requirements for federally funded projects. In the afternoon, each institutional “team” will have proactive discussion about their institution with the opportunity to ask questions, find solutions to problems faced, as well as receive feedback from other area sister universities. The goal of the conference is for each institutional team to leave the conference more educated on RCR and with a plan for how to improve their Research Integrity, RCR Training Programs, or Research Ethics at their home institutions. Institutions participating in the conference will gain vital knowledge on federal RCR requirements, a deeper understanding of RCR, and the best practices on training students to be responsible researchers in a fashion that fits their institutions. In addition, participants of the RCR conference will have connections from across the state of Oklahoma to continue to engage in RCR conversations with, discuss questions on pedagogy and training implementation, and further strengthen their institutions’ research integrity. By strengthening the research integrity at the Oklahoma RUSO schools, we will strengthen the state of Oklahoma’s research efforts. Additionally, results from the conference including planning materials, RCR training materials, and insights into the status of and best practices for RCR training will be broadly available to assist other institutions nationwide with implementation of successful RCR training programs.
Considerations, Options, and Resources for Data Management in PHS Funded Research
(IR-ORI-21-001)
Number of Cooperative Agreements: 1
Study Title: Assessing Data Management Standard Operating Procedures (DMSOP) Among PHS-Funded Stakeholders and Developing a DMSOP Toolkit
Principal Investigator: Min Qi Wang, Ph.D.
Institution: University of Maryland
Abstract:
Data are the foundation of scientific discovery and future research. Consequently, it is important that each all research projects generate a good working plan for how to manage their data workflow and how to communicate that plan with new personnel, to ensure that the data remain intact and accessible. Literature has indicated that not many PHS-funded stakeholders are well trained in understanding and applying data management standard operating procedures (DMSOP). The purpose of this project is to: 1) conduct a thorough review of data management practices by researchers, research institutions, and research administrators, and develop a data management standard operating procedure (DMSOP) practice survey; 2) conduct research on responsible data management and stewardship approaches and practices among American Statistical Association (ASA) stakeholder; and 3) based on the results of this research, develop a toolkit related to the DMSOP that can be directly implemented by researchers, research institutions, and research administrators. The ASA is the largest statistical organization in the US, with over 18,000 members. Approximately 64% of its members practice data management, data processing, or data analysis in their primary profession. Therefore, it is believed that ASA is the most suitable organization to collaborate with to achieve the purposes of this project. We will develop several products to disseminate the project’s results and findings including a DMSOP toolkit, a social media, YouTube video, webinar, and a summary report to the PHS-funded research community and the public.
Research Integrity Program Development and Evaluation (IR-ORI-20-003)
Number of Grants: 2
Study Title: Novel, Three-level Research Integrity Training Program: Grounded in Equity and Diversity Inquiry
Principal Investigator: Trish Brock, MA
Institution: Cal Poly Corporation
Abstract:
In the United States, Research Integrity, founded on principles of equity, justice, inclusion, fairness, beneficence, and other positive ethical values has increasingly focused on regulatory issues rather than directly engaging the ethical values. The project team proposes a novel research integrity training approach that integrates principles of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) into research integrity training. DEI principles are the foundation for many research integrity regulations and practices, and this project will engage students and faculty in making personal connections between the two.
The project involves three levels of institutional innovation, impacting a large number of faculty and students. First, the team will create new live Research Integrity trainings and identify existing Research Integrity scenarios and case studies that include inquiry into DEI topics. The Project Director will ensure that all Cal Poly faculty receiving awards in 2020-2021 are aware of the resources. This aspect of the project will directly reach 300 faculty. Second, the Director of the Office of Student Research will incorporate DEI and Research Integrity training into faculty research mentoring training, directly impacting 60- 70 faculty. Third, the team will create and pilot a new undergraduate and graduate student certificate program that emphasizes Research Integrity and the interconnection between Research Integrity and DEI inquiry. The team expects the certificate program to directly impact 60-70 students. Indirect impacts of this program should reach far more students and faculty, as participants leverage their know knowledge and skills in the lab and classroom environments. This emphasis on the connection between Research Integrity and DEI inquiry will allow faculty and students to deeply engage with the topic of research integrity.
This project will inform training in research integrity in three primary ways. First, the project will provide insight into potential methods to improve research integrity training at the undergraduate and graduate student levels. This will increase the ability to train researchers throughout their careers, with the intent that research integrity practice and principles are familiar to students as they continue their educational training, or for those who do not continue into academia, as they enter the science, technology, engineering, and other professional fields. Second, this project will help retain ethically minded students in the fields in inquiry and research by demonstrating that effective research projects are grounded in an understanding of equity and diversity issues that relate to the research. Third, the project will demonstrate to students and faculty the meaning behind the compliance regulations and provide a vehicle for the campus community to examine how effectively current practices fulfill the regulations and ethical/justice principles from which those regulations were devised.
Study Title: Developing a Research Integrity Culture: Implementing Peer Trainers and Active Learning Strategies Using Virtual RCR Training Programs
Principal Investigator: Michelle Leonard, MA, MLS
Institution: University of Florida
Abstract:
There is a national need for a more comprehensive, engaging approach of training in the ethical conduct of research that addresses individual users' level of prior knowledge and experience. This institution strives to build a culture of high ethical standards yet recognizes that assistance through external sponsor funding is required to scale up innovations to build such a culture by educating, assessing and promoting responsible conduct of research (RCR) initiatives through expanded training programs. This proposal seeks to employ a multimodal approach using online active learning strategies to educate students, research staff and early to intermediate researchers, to assess their increased knowledge acquired as a result of the training program, and empower them to apply this new knowledge in their career. Three multimodal approaches are included in this proposal. The first is to enhance existing and create new RCR content for a campus-wide seminar series tailored for specific targeted audiences. This series, currently in its pilot phase, is offered via Zoom and employs active learning strategies, including open discussions, participant polling and breakout rooms. The second approach is the creation of a podcast series "Research Unplugged" to foster discussion on research integrity, misconduct, and compliance. The third approach is the development of an info/educational video vignette on research compliance. Currently, the online synchronous seminars are designed to reach an audience of entry and intermediate levels, graduate students, and research staff. A separate asynchronous active learning RCR module series will be fully developed at a level appropriate for undergraduate researchers.
The goals of this project are to 1) improve the infrastructure for supporting a culture of research integrity at the institutional level by offering educational seminars and other innovative outreach programs to a diverse audience, including two learner classifications as defined by prior knowledge of the topic (general and intermediate), early career researchers, those actively engaged in research, and staff who support research projects, and 2) create an institutional environment, both top down and bottoms up, that fosters research integrity through innovative virtual learning activities. Synergistic partnerships across the institution and with professional organizations will ensure the sustainability of this program. Specific participant Learning Objectives are Level 2 learning (Kirpatrick Model) as described in the proposal and that will measure the degree to which participants acquire the intended knowledge, skills, attitudes, confidence, and commitment based on their participation in the training to foster research integrity at the institutional level. This Outcome will be accomplished by an end of-course assessment on knowledge gained, self-efficacy in applying new knowledge, and attitude toward practicing RCR resulting from their participation in the training.
With the investment in professional advancement of these participants, this RCR initiative will contribute significantly to ensure the success of developing a culture of research integrity. The completion of 17 hours of these seminars will lead to a certificate program that satisfies the requirements of USDA and NSF RCR training. The outputs and outcomes of the evaluation process will be used to inform the continuous improvement of this training program, maximizing the transfer of learning to behavior of responsible and ethical conduct of research to enhance organizational research capacity, to demonstrate the effects of training on the research operations and culture at this institution, and to create a blueprint for RCR training at other higher education institutions.