Developing, implementing, and transferring a faculty-led RCR training program

Responsible conduct of research (RCR) education became a requirement for conducting federally sponsored research in the 1980s. Goals of RCR training include developing and fostering a culture of integrity in science as well as informing researchers about regulations that govern research. As happens with many federal mandates, satisfaction of NIH's in-person RCR training requirement has become an exercise in check-the-box compliance training at many institutions. Completing RCR education to satisfy a regulatory requirement has subverted the more aspirational goals of RCR education. Virginia Tech's division of Scholarly Integrity and Research Compliance developed an innovative RCR education program that focused on RCR training goals like increasing knowledge of and sensitivity to ethical issues related to research. The Virginia Tech Investigator Series invites members of the research community to engage in conversations about ethical research and innovation. The faculty-led presentations inspire conversations that reach beyond research methods and materials. The purpose of this paper is to describe the process and administrative structure that enabled us to create a community-led RCR program that increased voluntary participation while satisfying regulatory RCR education requirements. We highlight the transferrable nature of the program by describing its implementation at another very-high-research-activity university.