Ethics Policy
- Honesty - Strive for honesty in all communications. Be honest and accurate in representing the Center’s mission, goals, objectives and progress. Be accurate in reporting data, results, methods and procedures, and publication status. Do not fabricate, falsify, or misrepresent data. Do not deceive colleagues, granting agencies/entities, or the public.
- Objectivity - Avoid or minimize bias or self-deception. Strive to avoid bias in experimental design, data analysis, data interpretation, peer review, personnel decisions, grant writing, expert testimony, and other aspects of research where objectivity is expected or required. Make decisions on priority setting and funding allocation based on intellectual merit and impact to the Center’s mission and goals. Avoid conflicts of interest. Disclose personal or financial interests that may affect research and any other conduct of the Center’s activities.
- Integrity - Keep your promises and agreements; act with sincerity; strive for consistency of thought and action. Adhere to the highest standards of intellectual honesty and integrity in research. Abide by fair business practices.
- Openness - Create and support an environment that promotes and encourages high standards and integrity for research, education, knowledge transfer and operational activities. Share data, results, ideas, tools, resources. Be open to criticism and new ideas. Value diversity, and enable the Center to benefit from contributions of personnel with diverse backgrounds.
- Carefulness - Avoid careless errors and negligence; carefully and critically examine your own work and the work of your peers. Keep good records of research activities, such as data collection, research design, and correspondence with agencies or journals.
- Respect for colleagues - Respect your colleagues and treat them fairly
- Fair Treatment - Subscribe to zero tolerance, in both words and actions, for harassment or discrimination against colleagues, students, staff and other participants on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, physical or mental disability, ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship or other factors that are not related to their scientific and professional competence and integrity.
- Responsible Mentoring - Help to educate, mentor, and advise students and those for whom you have formal and informal supervisory responsibility. Encourage their growth. Allow them to make their own decisions. Promote their welfare.
- Financial Accounting & Cost Reporting Compliance - Comply with all appropriate and applicable policies and procedures in support of the operational health of the Center, including, but not limited to, the standards imposed by the National Science Foundation, applicable funders, the “home” institutions and the Center Director. Use the Center’s funds and resources solely in support of the Center’s goals and objectives. Document and account for all Center related costs according to agreed-upon reporting format.
- Respect for Intellectual Property - Honor patents, copyrights, and other forms of intellectual property. Do not use unpublished data, methods, or results without permission. Identify source where credit is due. Give proper acknowledgement or credit for all contributions to research and other achievements. Never plagiarize.
- Confidentiality - Protect confidential communications, such as papers or grants submitted for publication, personnel records, and trade secrets. Share information within the limitations of non-disclosure agreements.
- Responsible Publication - Publish in order to advance research and scholarship, not to advance just your own career. Avoid wasteful and duplicative publication. Allocate authorship credit fairly.
- Social Responsibility - Strive to promote social good and prevent or mitigate social harms through research, public education, and advocacy.
- Competence - Maintain and improve your own professional competence and expertise through lifelong education and learning; take steps to promote competence in science and education as a whole.
- Legality - Know and obey relevant laws and institutional and governmental policies.