Notable Scholars Promoting Innovative Research and Ethics Lecture Series
The Notable Scholars Promoting Innovative Research and Ethics (NSPIRE) lecture series offers training on ethical decision-making and the responsible conduct of research. Events are open to all Virginia Tech community members interested in research integrity and ethical scholarship. Sessions count toward the eight-hour, in-person Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training requirement for certain federal awards.
The series encompasses a peer-to-peer learning format where notable Virginia Tech scholars share their work and the ethical decisions they face in their research journey. The sessions are beneficial to attendees as they engage with scholars who demonstrate high-quality research practices, adhere to policies and regulations, and practice thoughtful, ethical decision-making.
Both presenters and attendees earn professional development credentials for attending NSPIRE events. Notable scholar presenters receive digital badges as recognition of their leadership in ethical and innovative research, and attendees earn digital badges as recognition for meeting RCR training requirements. NSPIRE badges offer a meaningful way to showcase one’s commitment to ongoing professional development and collaborative research. The badges can be shared on learners’ professional websites, digital portfolios, curriculum vitae, social media, and email signatures.
Upcoming NSPIRE Event
Spring 2026 Schedule
| Time | Speaker | Topic |
| 10 - 11 a.m. | Molly Klote | Compliance Supporting Research Integrity |
| 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. | Tiffany Drape | Using Case Studies for Tips and Tricks for Your Next Collaboration |
| 1 - 2 p.m. | Iris Jenkins | Fostering Integrity in Research |
| Time | Speaker | Topic |
| 10 - 11 a.m. | Iris Jenkins | Authorship Ethics |
| 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m | Jonathan Auguste | Ethical considerations of a virologist: Responsibly conducting research in virology and vaccinology |
| 1 - 2 p.m. | Anne Brown | Code and Data Reproducibility/Reliability in Model Building |
| Time | Speaker | Topic |
| 9:30 - 10:30 a.m. | Todd Lowe | Industry Research: Considering Ethics and Student Researchers |
| 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | Sophie H. Bogers | Horses, Hounds and Humans: Improving Ethics Through Naturally Occurring Veterinary Disease |
| 1 - 2 p.m. | Cynthia Devers | Integrity in Management Research; Editor-in-Chief work and Ph.D. Student Training |
| Time | Speaker | Topic |
| 9:30-10:30 a.m. | Julie Simpson | Protecting Data Integrity in Online Research Involving Human Participants |
| 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Zhen Yan | Authorship Reflects the Facts |
| 1 - 2 p.m. | Rockwell Clancy | How are Security Risks in Artificial Intelligence Research Different? |
Past Lectures
Recordings of NSPIRE lectures are available on the series playlist. Viewing recorded sessions does not count toward in-person RCR credit.
This lecture series replaces the Investigator Series, which ran from 2021 through mid-2025.