Responsible Conduct of Research Training
While Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) training is recommended for all researchers, the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Institutes of Health require faculty, undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and any staff participating in the research project to receive training in the responsible and ethical conduct of research.
Principal investigators and senior/key personnel must review their awards’ terms and conditions to ensure that they follow RCR requirements. Some solicitations will state that proof of training is required prior to the award issuance from the sponsor.
In-Person Training
In-person RCR training can be completed via the lecture series Notable Scholars Promoting Innovative Research and Ethics (NSPIRE), formerly known as the Investigator Series.
In some instances, RCR credit may be earned by completing relevant coursework. Contact the Research Integrity and Consultation Program with questions: integrity@vt.edu.
Online Training
Online RCR training can be completed through the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI) Program. Review instructions for accessing responsible conduct of research training in CITI.
View more information about required research trainings.
Graduate Student Scholarly Ethics and Integrity Education
All graduate students are expected to uphold the Virginia Tech Principles of Community and the Graduate School’s Expectations for Graduate Education as well as the scholarly integrity and research ethics standards of their disciplines. Graduate students must complete degree program requirements for learning about four required scholarly ethics and integrity topics plus additional topics relevant to the discipline as follows.