This non-mandatory course fulfills the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health requirements for formal Responsible Conduct of Research instruction. (See bit.ly/RCRGuidance for agency-specific guidance).
Available free of charge to any Harvard-affiliated individuals, RCR is a highly recommended “best practices” course for those desiring to deepen their knowledge of ethical research and responsible conduct. It is also an excellent professional opportunity for anyone interested in furthering a career in research. RCR (Chemistry 305qc) is a quarter course with Sat/Unsat grading. The course uses pre-work and interactive discussions to examine basic ethical and regulatory requirements for conducting research. Topics covered include: research and professional conduct; responsible authorship and publication; mentor-mentee relationships; conflicts of interest; peer review; grant writing and budgeting; intellectual property; data acquisition and management; ownership of data and biological samples; and research involving human and animal subjects. Course requirements include attendance at all lectures, participation in class discussions, and completion of final assessment. Course credit will be given to graduate students only. However, non-credit course auditors are welcome! A certificate will be issued to all participants upon successful course completion.