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SPUSA Conference Focus in 2006: The 2006 Student Pugwash USA regional conferences will focus on providing students with a deeper understanding of the current issues facing the integrity of science. Learn more about scientific integrity in SPUSA's listserv emails.
The term ‘scientific integrity’ has been used for a number of years in required graduate school ethics courses. It’s appears in the title of text books, for example, “Scientific Integrity: Text and Cases in Responsible Conduct of Research.” This use of integrity often applies to laboratory research, focusing on the ethics of vivisection, use of human subjects, research misconduct, conflicts of interest, peer review, determination of authorship, etc. Science students are probably most familiar with this use of the term scientific integrity. These issues can become surprisingly complex, and senior scientists have found that students do not necessarily have an inborn sense regarding what is ethically appropriate in scientific research. Unfortunately this issue has dominated scientific news this year. Recent News: "South Korea revokes Hwang’s license on stem cell research" "Purdue Scientist Under Scrutiny" Resources: The American Association for the Advancement of Science Office of Research Integrity
Scientific Integrity in Public Policymaking You may have also heard the term ‘scientific integrity’ used this year in conjunction with public policy. Maybe you’ve heard mutterings about political appointees interfering with scientists’ work or unsound science being used to justify policy decisions. We’ve seen a number of instances in which objective scientific work is compromised by political or ideological motives. So what’s happening on Capitol Hill? Several scientists have come forward to protest political manipulation and censorship of their work. Most recently, James Hansen, a senior climate scientist at NASA, has been in the news. Unfortunately, he does not seem to be alone. You can read about James Hanson and others below. James Hanson- Climate Scientist at NASA "Lawyer Edits White House Documents on Climate Science" "Federal Biologist Quits over Politicization of Science" "NIH Whistleblower Protests Unethical Medical Problems in Legislation Several nonprofit organizations, a number of professional scientific societies, including the National Academies of Science, and several members of Congress have decided to tackle this issue. They are putting pressure on the government to work toward substantive reforms that protect the integrity of science. Senator Durbin’s Amendment to Health and Human Services (HHS) Appropriations Legislation In the end of 2005, Congress approved an amendment to the HHS Appropriations bill to prevent the use of political litmus tests for federal advisory committee members. The amendment will also prevent the deliberate dissemination of false or misleading information. This bill was signed into law in December 2005.
National Academies Report on Federal Advisory Committee Membership Learn More about the Durbin Amendment Durbin Amendment Press Release Restore Scientific Integrity in Federal Policy Making Act (H.R. 839) and (S. 1358) These bills, introduced by Representatives Waxman (D-CA) and Gordon (D-TN) and Senator Durbin (D-IL) would do the following.
Source: The Union of Concerned Scientists Scientific Integrity and Codes of Conduct It’s likely that if you’ve been involved with Student Pugwash USA very long, you’ve heard about codes of conduct, pledges, and oaths. Some experts feel that scientists should remain aware of the implications of their work and should take a pledge or oath to do no harm. Others feel that scientists are not directly responsible for how society uses their discoveries and should not be obligated to take a pledge. In the post- 9/11 world in which fears of biological warfare are becoming increasingly important, many see the need for a code of conduct for bioscientists. Brian Rappert, University of Exeter, will lead a workshop at the Purdue conference on this subject. You can read about his work at http://www.projects.ex.ac.uk/codesofconduct/. Student Pugwash USA initiated a pledge program in response to the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the Pugwash Conference on Science and World Affairs and Sir Joseph Rotblat in 1995. It can be found below. If you’d like to sign the pledge visit http://www.spusa.org/pledge/index.html.
Take the SPUSA Pledge Today! http://www.spusa.org/pledge/index.html In Your Own Lab: Is there a code of conduct in your department or in the lab you work in? If you’ve never heard of such a thing, check with your professors or the school administration. You might find that there are policies in place. They can range in scope from a poster hanging in your lab to a detailed and lengthy code of ethics published online. Some examples below: MIT Research Policies Online Codes of Ethics from Illinois Institute of Technology Purdue: Codes of Conduct for Psychologists Professional Societies Most professional societies now have codes of conduct. Visit their website for details. (You might also find that they have resources for students!) Resources: Brian Rappert’s Paper on Codes of Conduct (Includes extensive background on codes.) Student Pugwash USA Mindfull on Pledges, Oaths, and Scientists National Society of Engineers, Ethics and Creeds
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