Welcome to another installment of our featured member interviews where we introduce you to our members—individuals who work to advance ethical research on a daily basis. Please read on to learn more about their professional experiences, how membership helps connect them to a larger community, and what goes on behind-the-scenes in their lives!

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisandra V. González, MPH, an HRPP integrity and education specialist at Baystate Health Medical Center in Springfield, MA.

When and why did you join the field?

I was first exposed to the IRB while working as a research coordinator at my previous job. They added a third IRB panel and asked me to join. I accepted and was impressed with panel’s hard work and dedication to protecting human subjects. It gave me the foundation I needed, and when it was time to move on, it seemed logical to pursue a career in human subjects protections.

What is your favorite part of your job?

When I was working on my master’s thesis and needed to do a submission to the IRB, I had no one to guide me through the process. In my current position, I love guiding medical residents and investigators through the IRB submission process. Most people don’t speak “IRB” and they find the submission process difficult. Since I was once “lost,” it gives me great pleasure to help others.

What are you reading?

I am currently reading Institutional Review Board: Management and Function by Bankert and Amdur and Protecting Study Volunteers in Research: A Manual for Investigative Sites by McGuire, Dunn and Chadwick. I am hoping to sit for the CIP® exam this fall.

What’s your after-hours guilty pleasure?

I love to watch old episodes of StarTrek and Stargate.

What is your favorite member benefit?

My favorite member benefit is access to educational materials and webinars (especially the free ones!), and of course, I love the yearly Advancing Ethical Research Conference!!

What would you say to someone who is considering PRIM&R membership?

Don’t think twice. PRIM&R is on top of changes taking place in the regulatory world—just recently they ran a webinar informing members of all the proposed regulatory changes in the ANPRM. The education and support is invaluable.

If you were planning our next conference, who would you select as a keynote speaker?

I would invite Mindy Fullilove, MD, professor of clinical psychiatry and public health at Columbia University.

What motivates you to maintain your commitment to advancing ethical research?

I believe that research and the advancement of knowledge is absolutely necessary for progress. However, that progress cannot come at the expense of ethical research. I believe in the Belmont Principles and when these are upheld, we can se the benefits in our communities.

Thank you for being part of the membership community and sharing your story, Lisandra. Good luck studying for the CIP exam! If you are studying for the CIP exam like Lisandra, please join our CIP Study group on Facebook!

If you’d like to learn more about becoming a member, please visit our website today.