Responsible Conduct of Research
The Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training is intended to support the efforts of departments and graduate programs in fostering responsible research and to sensitize researchers to a wide range of ethical and professional issues to foster integrity and deter scholarly misconduct.
RCR training is required of students and research staff funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) or National Health Institutes of Health (NIH). All faculty, staff, and students are welcome to participate in the trainings as well.
RCR Requirements
It is important to know that while UTRGV is required to document RCR training for all funded projects, research integrity and the elements of the RCR apply to all research, scholarship and creative activities -funded or not.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
NIH requires that all trainees, fellows, participants, and scholars receiving support through any NIH training, career development award (individual or institutional), research education grant, and dissertation research grant must receive at least eight contact hours of instruction in responsible conduct of reseach every four years, in the format of substantial face-to-face discussions, or a combination of didactic and small-group discussions. Online training is not sufficient.
National Science Foundation (NSF)
NSF has requred UTRGV to describe in its grant proposals for science and engineeriing resarch or education a plan to provide appropriate training and oversight in the responsible and ethical conduct of research to undergraduate studetns, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers participating in the proposed project. "Oversight" means tracking and verification that the requirement has been met.
NSF does not require RCR plans to be specified within grant proposals. Rather, NSF expects applicable research personnel to complete the requirements established by UTRGV. NSF may request verification at any time.