Achievement

IGERT faculty member Dr. Keith Criddle is teaching the 2013 spring semester offering of the Responsible Conduct in Research course. IGERT trainee Brandon Hassett reports that the course has been very helpful towards learning to navigate researcher interactions with the public and policymakers. The discussion of controversial case studies has helped to establish an important understanding of societal and moral concerns in modern science. Guest speakers working in fields with challenging ethical components – for example, bioprospecters in indigenous communities – have shared valuable insights about balancing the interests of natural science, commercial companies, local communities and the special interest policy groups representing each of these stakeholders. These case studies and personal professional experiences provide an understanding of how the interests of various stakeholders can shape science and influence the integrity of the researcher.