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Panoramic photo of South Building on UNCʼs campus, Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill

Ongoing training in Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) is mandated by all federal granting programs including NIH and NSF. The Office of Postdoctoral Affairs offers a course twice a year (spring and fall) that will satisfy the RCR training requirements for the NIH and NSF research grant applications.

Training Information

Fall Session: November
Spring Session: March

Next Session: Fall RCR Training– Week of November 14, 2022 (11/14, 11/15, 11/17) Register Here

*Postdoctoral Scholars must complete all three days to receive a certificate of completion.

Course is available for all UNC-CH Postdoctoral Scholars. Graduate students should inquire with the UNC Graduate School for appropriate RCR training options.

Objectives and Goals

The primary objective for the UNC Postdoctoral Scholar Three Day Course is to address RCR topics such as Publication Practices and Responsible Authorship, Mentor/Trainee Responsibilities, Research Misconduct, and Communication and Difficult Conversations.

The program’s goals are to:

  • Provide a basic training in research ethics which will focus on ethical decision making and encourage postdoctoral scholars to think about the impact of their research and decisions on society.
  • Introduce interdisciplinary views into the ethics training
  • Create a community that promotes the importance of ethical issues and fosters open discussions among postdoctoral scholars as well as faculty, students and staff.

The following topics are covered during virtual/in-person instruction, totaling at least 8 hours or more of contact:

  • Conflict of interest
  • Policies regarding human subjects, live vertebrate animal subjects in research, and safe laboratory practices
  • Mentor/mentee responsibilities and relationships
  • Collaborative research
  • Data management, sharing and ownership
  • Research misconduct and policies for handling misconduct responsible authorship and publication
  • Researcher as a responsible member of society, contemporary ethical issues

If you are interested in learning more, contact OPA at opa@unc.edu.

Additional Information and Resources

Relevant Links and Articles:

Research Conduct Pocket Guide

Office of Research Integrity newsletters

For more information about university policies, please visit Research Compliance Program website for Responsible Conduct of Research.

NAE workshop -Ethics Educations and Scientific and Engineering Research: What’s Been Learned? What Should Be Done?

UNC Resources:

RCR Training at UNC

Office of Ethics and Policy

Parr Center for Ethics

Carolina Ethics Line

Speak Up Carolina

Report Ethics Concerns to Ethics Point

Quick links

Other Resources:

The National Academy Press Being a Scientist, A Guide to Responsible Conduct in Research: Third Edition (2009) available online as a free .pdf

NPA Postdocket (Winter 2011) — Train-the-Trainer: A Different Approach to Responsible Conduct of Research, by Stephen Fuchs and Sibby Anderson-Thompkins

The Office of Research Integrity Guide to Ethical Writing

List of Participants that Completed Advanced Training in Responsible Conduct of Research:

 

Responsible Conduct of Research Training – Spring 2022

Responsible Conduct of Research Training – Fall 2021

Responsible Conduct of Research Training – Spring 2021

Responsible Conduct of Research Training — Fall 2020

Responsible Conduct of Research Training — Spring 2020

Responsible Conduct of Research Training — Spring 2019

Responsible Conduct of Research Training — Spring 2018

Responsible Conduct of Research Training — Fall 2017

Responsible Conduct of Research Training — Spring 2017

Responsible Conduct of Research Training — Fall 2016

Responsible Conduct of Research Training — Spring 2016

Responsible Conduct of Research Training — Spring 2015

Responsible Conduct of Research Training — Fall 2014

Responsible Conduct of Research Training — Spring 2014

Responsible Conduct of Research Training — Fall 2013

Responsible Conduct of Research Training — Spring 2013

Responsible Conduct of Research Training — Fall 2012

Responsible Conduct of Research Training — Spring 2012

Responsible Conduct of Research Training — Fall 2011

Responsible Conduct of Research Training — Spring 2011

Responsible Conduct of Research Training — Fall 2010