[Federal Register Volume 74, Number 37 (Thursday, February 26, 2009)]
[Notices]
[Pages 8818-8819]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: E9-4100]
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NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Responsible Conduct of Research
AGENCY: National Science Foundation (NSF).
ACTION: Request for public comment on requirement for students and
postdoctoral researchers involved in NSF proposals to be educated in
the responsible and ethical conduct of research (RCR).
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SUMMARY: The National Science Foundation (NSF) is soliciting public
comment on the agency's proposed implementation of Section 7009 of the
America Creating Opportunities to Meaningfully Promote Excellence in
Technology, Education, and Science (COMPETES) Act (42 U.S.C. 1862o-1).
This section of the Act requires that ``each institution that applies
for financial assistance from the Foundation for science and
engineering research or education describe in its grant proposal a plan
to provide appropriate training and oversight in the responsible and
ethical conduct of research to undergraduate students, graduate
students, and postdoctoral researchers participating in the proposed
research project.''
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Ethical and responsible conduct of research
is critical for excellence, as well as public trust, in science and
engineering. Consequently, education in the responsible and ethical
conduct of research is considered essential in the preparation of
future scientists and engineers. The COMPETES Act focuses public
attention on the importance of the national research community's
enduring commitment and broader efforts to provide RCR training as an
integral part of the preparation and long-term professional development
of current and future generations of scientists and engineers.
A wide array of information exists to help inform RCR training. For
example, many professional societies as well as governmental licensing
authorities for professional scientists and engineers have adopted
policies or best practices that might be usefully considered. In
addition, research is illuminating existing practices surrounding
ethical issues, and providing an evaluation of pedagogical innovations
in ethics education. A recent NSF-funded workshop entitled Ethics
Education: What's Been Learned? What Should be Done? was held by the
National Academies of Science & Engineering. Information about the
workshop, as well as additional resources, are available at: http://www.nae.edu/nae/engethicscen.nsf/weblinks/NKAL-7LHM86?OpenDocument. A
brief notice about the workshop's main themes is forthcoming in The
Bridge, Volume 39, Number 1--Spring 2009, which will be available
online in mid-March at: http://www.nae.edu/nae/bridgecom.nsf?OpenDatabase. NSF is adding ``the responsible and ethical
conduct of research'' as a Representative Activity in the listing of
Broader Impacts Representative Activities available electronically at
http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/gpg/broaderimpacts.pdf.
NSF is committed to continue its funding of research in this
important area through programs such as Ethics Education in Science and
Engineering (http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13338&org=NSF&sel_org=NSF&from=fund) and to promote the development
and implementation of effective practices through its education and
training programs. The agency will also continue to explore other
mechanisms to support the academic community's efforts in providing
training in the responsible and ethical conduct of research.
Proposed Implementation Plan: Effective October 1, 2009, NSF will
require that at the time of proposal submission to NSF, a proposing
institution's Authorized Organizational Representative must certify
that the institution has a plan to provide appropriate training and
oversight in the responsible and ethical conduct of research to
undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers who
will be supported by NSF to conduct research. While training plans are
not required to be included in proposals submitted, institutions are
advised that they are subject to review upon request. NSF will modify
its standard award conditions to clearly stipulate that institutions
are responsible for verifying that undergraduate students, graduate
students, and postdoctoral researchers supported by NSF to conduct
research have received RCR training.
In addition, NSF will support the development of an online digital
library containing research findings, pedagogical materials, and
promising practices regarding the ethical and responsible conduct of
research in science and engineering. The
[[Page 8819]]
development and evolution of the digital library will be informed by
the research communities that NSF supports, and it will serve as a
living resource of multimedia materials that may be used to train
current and future generations of scientists and engineers in the
responsible and ethical conduct of research.
Invitation to Comment: The Foundation welcomes public comment on
any aspect of the proposed Implementation Plan. Issues that responders
may wish to address include, but are not limited to, the following:
What challenges do institutions face in meeting the new
RCR requirement?
What role should Principal Investigators play in meeting
NSF's RCR requirement?
There are likely to be differences in the RCR plans that
institutions develop to respond to this new requirement. What are the
pros and cons of exploring a diversity of approaches?
How might online resources be most effective in assisting
with training students and postdocs in the responsible and ethical
conduct of research?
Discuss possible approaches to verifying that the
requisite RCR training has been provided.
Comments: Comments regarding NSF's proposed implementation should
be e-mailed to [email protected] by March 31, 2009. Please include your
comments in the body of the e-mail and in an attachment. Include your
name, title, organization, postal address, telephone number, and e-mail
address in your message.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information on the NSF's
implementation of the America COMPETES Act, contact Jean Feldman; Head,
Policy Office, Division of Institution & Award Support; National
Science Foundation; 4201 Wilson Blvd.; Arlington, VA 22230; e-mail:
[email protected]; telephone: (703) 292-8243; fax: (703) 292-9171.
Dated: February 23, 2009.
Suzanne H. Plimpton,
Reports Clearance Officer, National Science Foundation.
[FR Doc. E9-4100 Filed 2-25-09; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 7555-01-P