Building Trust in Science: The Essential Role of Research Integrity Officers - On Research Podcast

Today we’re stepping behind the scenes into a critical – but often invisible – part of the research world: maintaining integrity. Joining us is Dr. Courtney Karmelita, Executive Director of Ethical Research and Outreach at Penn State. In today's conversation, we'll talk about what really happens when concerns are raised, how institutions handle research misconduct investigations, the challenges of navigating gray areas, and why a culture of integrity matters now more than ever.  
 

Additional resources: 

• Interested in learning more about research integrity? Register for CITI Program’s free live webinar “I’m a new RIO, what do I do now?” on July 9. https://about.citiprogram.org/news/free-live-webinar-im-a-new-rio-what-do-i-do-now/ 
• On Campus – A CITI Program Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1896915/ 
• CITI Program Course Catalog: https://about.citiprogram.org/courses/ 

Chapters

• 0:22 Introduction and Guest Background
• 1:43 Dr. Karmelita’s Role as Research Integrity Officer
• 5:31 Path to Research Integrity
• 9:00 A Typical Day in the RIO’s Office
• 11:34 Balancing Education and Investigation
• 14:03 Common Cases and Issues
• 16:39 Handling Research Misconduct Allegations
• 19:01 Navigating Ethical Gray Areas
• 21:16 Addressing Weaponization of the Process
• 22:36 Dealing with Unclear Situations
• 24:16 Developing Helpful Tools and the Challenge of Discerning Intent
• 26:33 Changes in the Research Integrity Landscape
• 29:12 Building a Culture of Ethics and Compliance
• 33:15 Collaboration with External Bodies
• 35:08 Emerging Issues and Trends
• 37:36 Misconceptions About the RIO Role
• 39:36 Advice for Aspiring Research Integrity Professionals
• 40:12 Closing and Podcast Information