Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR)

Responsible Conduct of Research

Responsible Conduct of Research Program at the University of North Texas is committed to educating and supporting our community of scholars in the ethical foundations of research. In order to accomplish this goal, UNT’s RCR Program provides education and training in the following areas:  

  • Research Misconduct
  • Data Acquisition, Management, Sharing,
    and Ownership
  • Conflict of Interest
  • Collaborative Research
  • Publication Practices and Responsible Authorship
  • Mentoring
  • Peer Review
  • Care and Use of Animals in Research
  • Human Subjects Research

Starting on July 31, 2023, all principal investigators, co-principal investigators, senior personnel, undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) must complete Responsible and Ethical Conduct of Research (RCR) Training, including training in mentorship. This is outlined in Part B of Chapter IX of the Proposal & Award Procedures Guide (PAPPG NSF 23-1). 

Key Takeaways:

  • NSF requires RCER (Responsible Conduct of Ethical Research) training which falls under the overarching RCR (Responsible Conduct of Research) program.
  • If awarded an NSF award, RCR training is delivered via Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) should be completed within the first three (3) months on the project.
  • RCR training is completed once per award. Training certificate is valid for four (4) years, per CITI guidelines. If award extends beyond four years, training certificates must be renewed.
  • RCR Training satisfies both the NSF and USDA/NIFA RCR Training requirement.
  • Research Integrity and Compliance Office (RIC) will notify individuals by email and provide CITI login instructions.
  • RIC will verify if project personnel have completed the requirement.
  • RCR email reminders will be sent monthly to only those that have not completed RCR Training. Once RCR Training is complete the email reminders will stop.
  • The PI of the NSF award will be copied on all emails, keeping them informed about who on their grant needs RCR training.
  • The PI of the NSF award must inform oric@unt.edu of any personnel changes.
  • When needed, RIC will request assistance from the PI to help guide those that remain delinquent in completing the RCR training.
  • RCR Exceptions: If the PI believes there is an individual that does not meet the RCR requirements they may request to have the RCR requirement removed. Requests must be emailed to RIC (oric@unt.edu) and please provide a reason for the exception (i.e: the individual is not conducting or participating in the research, conference, travel, workshop, or symposium specific award).

This requirement can be completed via the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) program. For instructions on how to register for CITI and sign up for the RCR course, see below.

Register for CITI:

  1. Visit the CITI Log In page: https://www.citiprogram.org/index.cfm?pageID=14
  2. Set up an account by clicking on “Register.” UNT does not have Single Sign On (“Log In Through My Organization” active at this time).
  3. Affiliate with the University of North Texas (Denton, TX)
  4. Scroll down to “Institutional Courses”
  5. Click on the blue “View Courses” button next to “University of North Texas (Denton, TX)”
  6. Scroll down to a light gray box titled “Learner Tools for the University of North Texas (Denton, TX)”.
  7. Click on the first bullet: “Add a Course”.
  8. Review content on the Select Curriculum page and answer the questions to enroll in appropriate courses and
  9. Click the blue "Submit" button at the bottom of the page.
  10. This will return you the active CITI courses page. Review the options under the Courses Ready to Begin header and click the blue "Start Now" button on the course you'd like to begin. 

Spring 2024 Workshops

To register for a workshop, visit our events page or click on the workshop title below.  The zoom link will be provided to all registered attendees prior to the workshop. All UNT Faculty, Staff, and Students are welcome to attend.

 

January 30th at 2 p.m. CST

View Zoom Recording

View PowerPoint Slides

IRB- Human Subjects Research

This workshop will provide information on how to prepare a human subjects application for submission and will help prepare you to get your research protocol approved.

February 27th at 2 p.m. CST

View Zoom Recording

View PowerPoint Slides

COI - Conflict of Interest

This workshop will provide an overview of the UNT COI program. Training will focus on determining the difference between research conflicts of interest (RCOI) and institutional conflicts of interests (ICOI). We will also cover special considerations for competitive small business funding programs such as Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR).

March 26th at 2 p.m. CST

 

International Affiliations in Research

This workshop will provide an overview on how to navigate international affiliations in research. This training will focus on the international affiliations disclosure process, visiting scholars program, and compliance requirements related to international affiliations in research.

 

April 23rd at 2 p.m. CST

 

Animal Research and Biosafety

This workshop will provide an overview of UNT's IACUC program and how it relates to biosafety.   This training will focus on the overlaps between the IACUC and Biosafety programs at UNT and how to prepare for an Animal Research submission. 

 

Fall 2023 Workshops

September 19th at 2 p.m. CST

View Zoom Recording

View PowerPoint Slides

IRB- Human Subjects Research

This workshop will provide information on how to prepare a human subjects application for submission and will help prepare you to get your research protocol approved.

September 26th at 2 p.m. CST

View Zoom Recording

View PowerPoint Slides

COI - Conflict of Interest

This workshop will provide an overview of the UNT COI program. Training will focus on determining the difference between research conflicts of interest (RCOI) and institutional conflicts of interests (ICOI). We will also cover special considerations for competitive small business funding programs such as Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR).

October 17th at 2 p.m. CST

View Zoom Recording

View PowerPoint Slides

International Affiliations in Research

This workshop will provide an overview on how to navigate international affiliations in research. This training will focus on the international affiliations disclosure process, visiting scholars program, and compliance requirements related to international affiliations in research.

 

November 14th at 2 p.m. CST

View Zoom Recording

View PowerPoint Slides

Biosafety

This workshop will provide an overview of UNT's biosafety program. We will focus on lab safety and provide guidance on biological safety and risk assessment for work involving biological agents and genetically modified organisms.