New Graduate / Professional Student Orientation (NGPSO)
Monday, August 17, 2009
New Biology Graduate Student Orientation
Thursday, August 20, 2009
New Psychology Graduate Student Orientation
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Universityof New Mexico
Spring Research Ethics Symposia: 2008 and 2009
The Research Ethics and Integrity Program each year offers a symposium in the spring to bring together stakeholders in research ethics to discuss specialized topics in detail. In 2008, the theme was pragmatic and concentrated on compliance aspects and responsibilities of research investigators. Speakers presented and highlighted material on basic ethical principles and institutional expectations behind requirements for researchers involving conflict of interest, animal welfare, human subject use in research, intellectual property, and export control.
The 2nd Spring Symposium was held on 29 April 2009 and provided philosophical depth in fostering integrity in research, scientists in business, ethics of animal research, neuroethics, nanoethics, and decisions researchers make involving stem cell research. Several talks also stressed research ethics research and understanding what questionable research practices can mean for maintaining scientific integrity.
During the 2nd Spring Ethics Symposium, we were able to both record presentations and to collect powerpoint versions of each speakers' talk for posting here. Unfortunately, both the video and audio can be difficult to discern at times and we have noted ways to improve that next time.
Also, the symposium in 2009 benefitted from financial support from eight university entities. This symposium series was supported by the Office of the President, Office of the Provost, Office of the Vice President for Research, Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs (Mentoring Institute), UNM Health Science Center Office of Research, Office of Graduate Studies, School of Engineering, and College of Arts and Sciences.
Below, we provide a brief summary of each talk in the 2009 symposium and then provide PowerPoint presentations (in PDF), and video (in compressed MP4 format). We hope you find these useful and look forward to improving the quality of recordings during Spring Ethics Symposium III in 2010.
2009 -- SES II: Tuesday, April 28, 2009 Fostering Integrity in Research
Moderator: Michael Dougher, Ph.D., Associate Vice President for Research
Symposium Introduction: Personal reflections on integrity in research
David S. Schmidly, Ph.D., President
Suzanne Ortega, Ph.D., Provost & Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Richard S. Larson, Ph.D., MD, Vice President for Translational
Research, UNM Health Sciences Center
Julia E. Fulghum, Ph.D., Vice President for Research
The Research Ethics and Integrity Program (REIP) was created by President Schmidly by from a long-time desire of his to promote good scientific practices in research. Although the REIP is only in its first year of operation, the President listed achievements of the past year and the goals that he hoped to see emerge as this program gains traction. The other research administrators provided either a personal interpretation of what fostering integrity in research means to them or provided their support as institutional representatives. All fully recognized that REIP helps faculty or other researchers understand content behind compliance and that it is preferable to achieve high success in research along with high levels of integrity in research.
Symposium Speakers:
Are There any Moral Truths?
Paul Katsafanas, Ph.D., UNM Department of Philosophy, katsafan@unm.edu
Dr. Katsafanas gave a 15 minute lesson in ethical philosophy covering three driving areas of ethical foundation; utilitarianism (what's of value), contractarianism (social contract theory), and Kantian ethics (what's rational). Are there moral truths? Discarding a skeptical view for a constructive response will find that following one of these areas of discourse would provide a "yes" answer.
Fostering Integrity in Research: It's the Culture not the Crime.
William L. Gannon, PhD., OVPR, Research Ethics Integrity Program, UNM Dept Biology. wgannon@unm.edu
There are many rules and regulations that investigators are urged to follow if they do not want to end up as one of the 25 or so who are labeled by the Office of Research Integrity as guilty of research misconduct. However, the issue is not one of money or being caught fabricating, falsifying, or plagiarizing, at issue is the very integrity of science under the slippage and slop represented in Questionable Research Practices. It is urged that every student and new faculty have some exposure to the principles of scientific integrity and learn in a formal way to do the right thing.
Assessment of Research Ethics Training Needs of UNM Principal Investigators
Teddy Warner, Ph.D., UNM Dept. Fam & Community Medicine/ Psychology, twarner@salud.unm.edu
There is an increasing trend in conducting research on research integrity and related practices. This talk presented a baseline study at the University of New Mexico on researcher attitudes and practices. It quantified investigator attitudes and need for additional training in seminar format, research misconduct and poor practices may be due to not enough formal training training, and there is some level of problem in research integrity throughout science but not serious enough to be categorized as misconduct.
Should Scientists Become Business Entrepreneurs? Ethics and the Intersection of Science and Business
Lisa Kuuttila, President & CEO, STC.UNM, kuuttila@stc.unm.edu
The speaker had extensive experience in assisting scientists with a business idea and helping them break into the business world. She spent a good amount of time of some considerations that an investigator interested in going into business should consider such as: 1- Have you defined your personal needs and your financial objectives? 2- Are you more interested in being a business owner or in maintaining your university position? 3 - Will the new company conflict with existing academic career goals and pursuits (e.g. obtaining tenure, training graduate students)? 4 - How will you balance the company's need for you to engage in product-related activities with your need to fulfill your academic research and teaching obligations? And, 5- How will your role as a business owner affects your relationships with academic colleagues (e.g. departmental, collaborators, graduate students). This topic of of growing concern for academic institutions and researchers alike and is emerging.
Nanotechnology and Nanoethics
Charles B. Fleddermann, Ph.D., Acting Dean Grad Studies/ Associate Dean, School of Engineering, cbf@unm.edu
The full title of this talk is, "The Ethics of Nanotechnology and the Engineered Materials of the Future." The bottom line is that Nanotechnology is already commercial! Engineering involves both technical and ethical issues, and that scientists are often not doing well in controlled experiments. There is a need to think carefully about how to best manage the unknown effects of our nanotechnology designs beforehand. Government funding agencies (for example, NSF) now require that large research grants in emerging technologies incorporate a significant research component focused on the ethical issues of the technology. This forces scientists to at least consider ethical issues at the same time that the technology is being developed. In this way, perhaps some problems can be avoided.
What is Missing in the Ethics of Animal Research?
John P. Gluck, Jr., Ph.D. - UNM Department of Psychology, jgluck@unm.edu
Similar to human subjects research there seems to be a reluctance of scientists to take up the ethics of their research. There is confidence in the power of experiment to reveal Nature and do good. However scientists are unprepared to indulge questions of "should" and "ought" - not our place. The speaker believes that it is time to have a Belmont conference (and subsequent set of ethical guidelines) for animals in addition to humans.
The Research Relationship: How Science and Humanism Combine in Research with Traditional Peoples, Hillard Kaplan, Ph.D., Professor: UNM Anthropology Department, hkaplan@unm.edu
As an anthropologist with many decades of field work studying and working with indigenous people, the author offers a few guidelines. The research relationship is a human relationship among people with different needs and goals. Researchers should show sensitivity and a response to differences in wealth and status is crucial. Be prepared to adjust what you give in relation to needs and your ability to give - 'stretch yourself'. Both the present and the future are important considerations for protection of human subjects. Informed consent is not a trivial process; it requires insight, creativity, and a back and forth with the research population and may not easily fit institutional templates. Work in teams; it is more fun, more productive, and team efforts are effective in solving ethical problems. Difficult ethical dilemmas will arise in response to which humanism is your best guide.
Navigating neuroethics: Where are we headed?
Vincent P. Clark, Ph.D., Sci Director, Mind Research Network, UNM Dept Psych and Neurosci, vclark@unm.edu
New methods in visualizing brain activity have provided some amazing potential applications. Altered brain networks result in altered fMRI activity and this altered activity precedes decision to relapse in some undesireable behavior. This can be used to predict an individual's behavior in the future. Current research is looking into which brain circuits are used might help to predict other behaviors. Other analysis tools are becoming available to classify behavior through brain imaging. The predictive applications are what are - especially - interesting ethically.Â
Research with Stem Cells: Facts, Myths, and Ethical Issues.Â
Xinyu Zhao, Ph.D., UNM Department of Neurosciences, xzhao@salud.unm.edu
The author did an excellent job describing basic biology and methods involved with stem cell research/ She concluded that ethical issues in human clinical trials include informed consent of patients, protection of human subjects, as well as, protection of human genetic and cellular materials. Interesting discussions on creating human/animal hybrid stem cells, ethical issues in animal research, and honest and integrity in biomedical research follow.
2008 -- SES I: Friday, April 18, 2008 UNM Symposium on Research Ethics and Conduct
Moderator: William L. Gannon, Ph. D., Research Ethics and Compliance
Symposium Welcome:
Jack McIver, Interim Vice President for Research & Economic Development
Symposium Speakers:
Why Compliance?
Rob Schwartz, J.D., UNM School of Law
Contemporary Ethical Issues Facing IRB's
Mark Holdsworth, Pharm. D., UNM Health Science Center
Export Control and Universities
John D. Tanberg - Special Agent, FBI
Research Integrity
John Gluck, Ph.D., UNM Department of Psychology
Animal Care and Compliance
Tracy Thompson, DVM - USDA, APHIS, AC, Denver, CO
Conflicts of Interest
Jeanne M. Logsdon, Ph.D., UNM Anderson Schools of Management
Intellectual Property Considerations in the Research Process
Marsha Baum, J.D., UNM School of Law
Symposium Closing Comments:
Tim J. Ward, Ph.D., P.E., School of Engineering and OVPRED