Responsible Conduct of Research

RCR Institute

The responsible and ethical conduct of research (RCR) is critical for excellence, as well as public trust, in organized research. Consequently, education in RCR is considered essential in the preparation of future scientists and engineers.  

Led by the UT Arlington RCR Workgroup, the RCR Institute offers educational programming and a certification program to support the efforts by departmental and individual faculty members to provide RCR training to graduate and undergraduate students involved in research.

RCR Workshops

The RCR workshop series includes three areas of programming: Core Instructional Areas Series, Emerging Issues Series, and the Online Training Modules.  

Core Instructional Areas Series

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Office of Research Integrity (ORI) describes nine RCR core instructional areas. The RCR Institute provides an ongoing workshop series highlighting various RCR topics and featuring expert faculty and researchers.  Topics for the core instructional areas are presented on a rotating basis each year.

Emerging Issues Series

Students and faculty can participate in the Emerging Issues workshop series that is designed to provoke philosophical discussions of ethical research.

Click here to view current RCR workshops.

Online Training Modules

The National Science Foundation (NSF) requires the host institution to provide a plan for training and oversight in the responsible conduct of research (RCR) for all postdoctoral researchers and students (undergraduate and graduate) who will be supported by a grant-funded project. RCR online training modules meet the current National Institutes of Health and NSF RCR training requirements. All students participating in research and/or attending any of the RCR workshops are highly encouraged to complete the online training.

Students pursuing the RCR certification must print and submit copies of the certificate of completion for each online training module completed. Completion of the “General Responsible Conduct in Research” training module is required for RCR certification.

RCR Certification

Individuals at UT Arlington are encouraged to participate in RCR activities in addition to the online training and may earn certification in the Responsible Conduct of Research. Participants will be recognized with a transcript notation once they have completed the following within two years:

  • Complete the “General RCR Training” module, and any other relevant modules, and print copies of the completion certificates.
  • Attend three RCR workshops offered by the RCR Institute. (Participants are responsible for keeping track of the workshops attended.)
  • Attend four other RCR activities. Departments and faculty mentors are expected to provide discipline-specific RCR mentoring to students to fulfill this requirement. (Examples of activities that fulfill this requirement include but are not limited to formal or informal courses or class meetings that focus on one or more core areas of RCR training, online training offered by academic units or the Office of Research, informal discussion with a mentor, lab meetings focused on a core area of RCR training, department sponsored events, or workshops focused on RCR training.) Submit copies of the RCR Additional Activities form to verify completion of additional training.

Submit a complete application packet (RCR Certification Application, RCR Activity Form)