Teaching Ethics to Researchers: Why and How? Beth A. Fischer, PhD University of Pittsburgh (USA)

Acknowledgments Michael Zigmond Shigang He Marty Saggese

Why Teach Ethics?

Why teach ethics? May be required Part of good research Not everything is intuitive Cultural differences –disciplinary –geographic

Not intuitive Authorship –intellectual contribution –understand & defend work –approved final version Submit manuscripts to 1 journal at a time Sharing reagents not just “a good pair of hands”

Why Teach Ethics?

Teaching Ethics in Context Two levels of instruction: –university wide –discipline specific

Requirements for success Background in subject matter Practical experience “Survival skills”

How are these skills usually learned? Trial and error Individual mentors Separate courses

“Survival Skills” & Ethics Workshops Being a graduate student or postdoc Writing research articles Making oral presentations Teaching Grant writing Job hunting Starting a faculty position Management skills

Ethics in survival skills Throughout lectures

Workshop: Writing Research Articles Topics 1. Why write? 2. Anatomy of a research article 3. Process of writing a paper 4. Developing tables and figures Example:

Workshop: Making Oral Presentations Topics 1. Objectives for presenting 2. Preparing a research seminar 3. Delivering a presentation 3. Visual aids 4. Other types of presentations Example:

Ethics in survival skills Throughout lectures “Ethics over lunch”

Ethics over lunch Group discussion of ethics case people Led by researcher Cases Writing: Sharing reagents Oral: Risks of presenting unpublished data

Faculty training Materials –guidelines for discussions –ethics case –discussion notes Faculty pre-discussion

Integrated instruction University-wide Discipline-level

Department level instruction Training in reasoning through cases* “Ethics in the core” *Moral Reasoning in Scientific Research: Cases for Teaching and Assessment (1995)

Heinz and the Drug* A classic dilemma * Kohlberg, 1963

Organization of “Ethics in the core” Two 1-hr discussions per course Division of topics Instruction of faculty Materials Evaluation

Ethical issues in core subjects molecular biology gene therapy clinical science informed consent neuroscience aggression genetic? pharmacology university-industry relations

Instruction by researchers Understand ethical issues Know norms of field Model interest in ethics Learn by teaching

Cautions Students become sensitized to issues Faculty may not!

Safeguards Differentiate for students between –absolutes (e.g., fabrication of data) –relatives (e.g., authorship)

Safeguards Also communicate with faculty –alert them to activities –educate them (if possible) Identify confidant for students

Teaching ethics by example Approach to teaching ethics Ethical behavior of faculty Mentoring & professional development

Summary Ethics is essential to good research Teach ethics as part of research –in context –by researchers