Ethics and Professional Behavior for Chemistry Graduate Students : Ethics and Professional Behavior for Chemistry Graduate Students Fall, 2005
Alexander Scheeline
John Katzenellenbogan
Scientific Integrity : Scientific Integrity Science seeks to develop an internally consistent description of the physical world (limited by the Goedel Theorem)
Internal mechanisms (publication, review, repetition of published work) facilitate self-regulation
Is science the last honest profession?
Error and Fraud : Error and Fraud Error: unintentional, not according to a logical or accepted approach. Not to be confused with statistical error which is a fundamental part of the physical world.
Fraud: intentionally misrepresenting reality. Violating the link between observation and understanding.
More on Fraud : More on Fraud Selective reporting of data to “spin” a conclusion. “Cooking.”
Altering data to support a preconceived idea. “Trimming.”
Fabrication. “Dry labbing.” Elements 116 and 118
Single Molecule Transistors/Hendrik Schoen
White Collar Theft : White Collar Theft Plagiarism: “systematic, unacknowledged use of another’s work, whether or not intentional.”
Breach of copyright: using an expression of someone else beyond “fair use.”
Use of unlicensed software (including web content).
Reporting Misconduct : Reporting Misconduct Research advisor
Experience colleague
Department Head or School Director
Need for “due process”
In writing (signed or anonymous)
Safety as an Ethical Imperative : Safety as an Ethical Imperative Endangering others is inherently unethical
Endangering oneself is foolish
Endangering other creatures is regulated by University and PHS policies (more later)
Recordkeeping : Recordkeeping Records are owned by University
Student is entitled to copies of her/his own records
Records must be made available to those wishing to confirm how work was done
Ownership of data : Ownership of data Joint interest of funding agencies, University, faculty, student
Contrast with industry/work for hire
Intellectual property
Conflicts of Interest, Conflicts of Commitment : Conflicts of Interest, Conflicts of Commitment The commercialization of research results dilemma
Reasonable use of University facilities (phone, Internet)
Confidentiality, Collaboration : Confidentiality, Collaboration The University as an open information society
Patents, prior disclosure, public domain
Contrast with industry
Interpersonal Relationships : Interpersonal Relationships The US Ideal: Demography-independent society. Harassment is inherently discriminatory.
Dealing with Difficult People -- including Research Advisors.
Due Process.
Mentor/mentee relationships (Teacher, Supervisor, Friend, Advocate, …).
Papers and Reviewing : Papers and Reviewing Originality and Plagiarism Reviewed
Authorship, Credit (original idea, procurement of funds, collection of data, interpretation of data, writing and proofing of manuscript)
Internal Review
Editors, External Review, Confidentiality, Copyright
Cost as an Aspect of Publishing
What if your project could kill someone? : What if your project could kill someone? Changing viewpoints with time and circumstances
Personal conscience vs. job requirements
Current example: should humans be cloned?
NIH rules for humane treatment of animals: IACUC (Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee)
Experiments on Humans: Informed Consent : Experiments on Humans: Informed Consent The sordid history of the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment. See http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bhmtuskegee1.html
Controls, the Placebo Effect, and Ethics
Are there things we must not study or learn because of ethical considerations? Stem Cells
Biochemistry of Advanced Stage of Curable Disease
Pharmaceuticals : Pharmaceuticals The Media vs. Science
Vioxx “Doubled Risk of Heart Attack”
Average lifespan?
Quality of life?
Therapeutic alternatives?
Implicit costs of legal liability?
What Next? : What Next? On Being a Scientist
ACS Notice to Authors of Papers, JACS, 123(1), 7A-16A (2001).
PHS Policy on Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research, 12/1/2000 http://grants.nih.gov/training/responsibleconduct.htm
More References : More References F. L. Macrina, Scientific Integrity, ASM Press (Washington, D.C., 1995)
E. Erwin, S. Gendin, L. Kleinman (Eds.), Ethical Issues in Scientific Research: An Anthology, Garland Press (New York, 1994)
D. Beach, The Responsible Conduct of Research, VCH (New York, 1996)
UIUC Sources : UIUC Sources Code on Campus Affairs and Handbook of Policies http://www.oc.uiuc.edu/ver/A1/intro.html
Policy and Procedures on Academic Integrity in Research
Handbook for Graduate Students and Advisors (esp. Section XI, Problem Solving, Section XII, Academic Integrity)