Hopefully the pandemic is not here to stay, but even when it's gone, I suspect work from home for research administrators will stay in one form or another for many people. Because in the end, it's not just the HRPPs going virtual: the entire research administrative enterprise is in this virtual world with them. Read more
The digitization of everyday life has led to an interesting phenomenon for research administrators; the ethical concerns that arise from secondary uses of large and open data now pose a greater challenge for the ethical management of research data than do the conventional challenges of primary data acquisition. As debates over consent forms give way to discussions of differential privacy, it is hard to ignore the new reality that the highest levels of risk and benefit to human participants in research may now arise from secondary data uses. What should research administrators and IRB members do to understand and manage the risks and benefits? Read more
Greetings from the Big Easy! While New Orleans was apparently bestowed this moniker for its laid-back nature, in reality it’s just the opposite. This city is teeming with life and vibrancy.It seems like the perfect backdrop for PRIM&R’s 2017 IACUC Conference and my pre-conference workshop, IACUC101TM: The Basics. Like New Orleans, this day-long workshop had much to offer. One could say it was like drinking from a fire hose—there was an overflow of information, materials, and perspectivesin the best possible way. Read more
Hello from the other side… No, I’m not reciting Adele lyrics (although I have been known to do so). I’m literally saying “hello” from the other side—the other side of research administration! Read more
After five and a half years in research administration, I felt it was time for a tune-up. I have observed that the day-to-day grind of the job can be taxing and strain even the seasoned administrator. There is also a need to remain vigilant against the casual drift towards complacency in protecting human subjects. So, I was delighted to learn that PRIM&R’s IRB Administrator 201 was coming to a city near me. Read more
