Some of the 20 Mason staffers who earned an advanced certificate in research integrity, giving them even greater information and resources to support faculty. Photo provided.
Twenty Mason staff members were honored recently for completing an advanced certificate in research integrity.
To earn the certificate, participants completed sessions on responsible and ethical research, human subjects research and the Institutional Review Board, animal subjects research and laboratory safety, export control and financial compliance. The sessions had been held once a month since January 2018, and many more people applied to the program than were selected to participate.
Katharine Rupp, office manager in Mason's Center for Social Science Research, and Joanne Carter, senior sponsored research administrator in the Office of Sponsored Programs, were among the honorees.
Rupp said the program has helped the members of her office function more efficiently.
"The information provided in these trainings helped us identify and use resources available at Mason in new and exciting ways. It has also provided great networking opportunities with faculty, staff, and administrators across campus. Learning from others’ experiences has been the best part of this program, because it has brought issues to light before they became research or administrative obstacles," she said.
Carter said she appreciated the way the material made clear complex information.
"The training modules were very informative, engaging, and easy to understand. As research administration compliance becomes more and more complex, it is comforting to know that Mason has such knowledgeable individuals at the helm who can guide us through the plethora of information and regulations involved in ethical scientific research and human subjects protections," she said.
Aurali Dade, associate vice president for research development, integrity, and assurance, said, "I was delighted by the number of applications we received for this program. It shows the dedication of the research administrators at Mason to continue their education and the interest in research compliance and integrity issues. The individuals receiving the advanced certificate not only serve as champions for high-quality ethical research but also have the information and resources to support our faculty."
"This program is part of a strategic approach at the university to provide the proper infrastructure for our faculty as they navigate complex compliance and integrity issues in research," she said.
Dade said she anticipates offering the advanced certificate again next spring, with a call for applicants in late fall 2018.