Bay Area Science and Engineering Fair BASEF Bay Area Science and Engineering Fair http://basef.mcmaster.ca Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation Ethics, Safety and the Law: Developing Awareness, Understanding & Compliance Tom Crawford BASEF 2003 Judge in Chief Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Contents Background Rules & Reasons Changes Results to Date Why This is Difficult What Works Next Steps Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

BASEF Background Regional Science Fair for Hamilton & Halton a 4 day event; rotate among 3 Host sites 43 consecutive years of operation A non-profit charitable association Participation ~ 450 students, 300+ projects Annual Budget $100,000 (60% for awards) Honourary Co-Chairs Mayor Wade, Chairman Savoline; Title Sponsor; many others Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Speaker Experience Active with BASEF Regional Science Fair since 1995 Delegate or Alternate to CWSF 2000, 2003 Chaperone to Team Canada at IISEF 2001, 2002 Involved as judge, Secretary, Chair, Judge-in-Chief BASEF J-in-C has Safety Responsibilities (SRC, Display) Electrical / automation engineer, Dofasco Inc. Many technical and management assignments Health & Safety is a top priority at Dofasco Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Background RSFs are required to ensure compliance of projects with a number of rules and regulations: YSF Rules (2001 Policy Manual) Provincial & National Legislation Generally accepted standards (Tri-Council Policy) IISEF Rules Wanted to get out of the mode of “Backwards Compliance”, and surprises Wanted to offer an educational opportunity Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

What Rules? Human Research (ingestion, psychological risk, physical activities) Hazardous Materials, Apparatus (chemicals, medicines, lasers, microbiologicals) Vertebrate animals (inhumane treatment) Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Why Bother? Safety (participants, experimenters, others) Ethics (risk vs benefit; humane treatment; equality issues) Law (injury, damage, civil or criminal actions) Public Relations (participation, sponsorship, volunteers) Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Introduce Scientific Review Form Requirements Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

How to Implement Changes Document Rules Compliance (Forms) Change in Registration Process Initial Review by RSF Judge in Chief Scientific Review (SRC) Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

HS Registration & SRC Forms Forms required for ALL HS participants: BASEF Parent / School Approval and Release Form Checklist for Adult Sponsor / Safety Assessment Form (Form 1) Research Plan and Research Plan Attachment (Form 1A) ISEF Approval Form (Form 1B) Other forms: Registered Research Institutional/Industrial Setting Form ( 1C) Qualified Scientist Form (Form 2) Designated Supervisor Form (Form 3) Human Subjects / *Informed Consent Forms (Form 4A / B) Non-human Vertebrate Animal Form (Form 5) Human and Animal Tissue Form (Form 6) Continuation Project (Form 7) Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Grades 7 & 8 Forms BASEF Forms for ALL Grades 7 & 8: Other forms: Parent / School Approval and Release Form Project Abstract Other forms: Contribution from a Recognized Institution (YSF1; App. L) Designated Supervisor Form (YSF3; App K, Pg 4-12) Application for Review of Research with Human Participants (YSF4A; App J, Pg 4-17) Informed Consent Form (YSF4B; Pg 4-18) Non-Human Vertebrate Animal Form (YSF5; Pg 4-18) Continuation Projects Form (YSF7; Pg 4-4) Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Registration Changes Timing: Before Experiment With Registration In Notebook YSF1 --  YSF3 YSF4A YSF4B YSF5 YSF7 Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Initial Review Activity 4 Weeks Note expected & missing forms. 3 Weeks Timing B4 Fair Activity 4 Weeks Note expected & missing forms. 3 Weeks Note missing forms in Project Acknowledgements. 2 Weeks Follow-up calls & updates. Select projects for SRC review. 1 Week SRC Review; Recommendations. Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Scientific Review Team A group of adults knowledgeable about regulations concerning experimentation in restricted areas. not an IRB or school level Ethics Review Committee Members: Ethics Consultant; ERB experience Veterinarian High School Science Teacher 2 Elementary School Principals BASEF Judge in Chief Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Scientific Review Process Inputs: All Project abstracts, SRC form expectations Initial Review results from J in C Recommended projects to review, with full SRC paperwork (all animal; HR with risk; microbiologicals, etc.) May request material on other projects Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Scientific Review Process Results: Advice on OK / OK with Warning / Reject Use email, phone discussions extensively Judge in Chief communicates exceptions to Teachers, Parents Generally effective; not a priority for improvement. Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Results – High School 2002 Percent 100% 2003 100% Expect Final HR 4 Consent (4) Hazard 8 Animal 1 Total 13 13 (of 11) Percent 100% 2003 Expect Final 7 6 (1) 1 -- 8 7 (of 7) 100% Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

HS Rules Progress After 4 years, is almost routine. Still needs some follow-up calls on details. Small drop-out rate. Minor differences with YSF Rules (e.g. drugs). ISEF Rule set is very prescriptive. Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Results – Grades 7 & 8 2002 Percent 63% 2003 74% Expect Final HR 28 18 (of 26) Consent (12) (8) Hazard 19 9 Animal 5 4 (of 4) Total 52 31 (of 49) Percent 63% 2003 Expect Final 69 53 (12) (13) 29 13 3 102 69 (of 93) 74% Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Grade 7 & 8 Rules Progress Very promising progress. Teachers becoming comfortable with need and process. Boards getting actively involved. Quality of documents acceptable; lots of variation. Hazards very acceptable to professionals; less so to others. Lack of awareness & understanding of rules still common. Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Why This is Difficult Awareness Understanding Credibility (Are You Serious?) Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Awareness Communicate in many forms: Post on Website (Rules, etc.) Articles in Newsletters Include in Teachers SF Manual Include in Presentations Judges Compliments (Many people don’t read the Rules) Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Understanding Rules & Details New, Complex: YSF: 2001 Policy Tri-Council Policy: ~1998 Not an issue in the classroom or with the school board. Not an issue at home. (Not easy for Me either). Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Credibility What happens if you don’t do it? Current state: Phone Calls, emails, notes, “nuisance” Opportunity to further communicate Must be prepared for progressive re-enforcement as part of managing this change. (This is not fun). Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

What Works? Our SRC team and process. Good practical advice. Recognize as change management, continuous process. Lots of communications. Support, advice from within School Boards Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Best Advice Find an Ethics professional. Proportionate Review. Consistent. lots of explanations, discussion; Know Why. Must be prepared to enforce rules. Involve School Boards. Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Communications Website (Rules, News) Teachers manuals Newsletters phone calls, emails Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Board Support Science curriculum advisors Research Officers School Ethics Review Committees Principal + Teacher(s) Board Research Officer as Resource Supportive teachers, Principals Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Next Steps Must communicate rules to teachers and parents far more effectively and proactively, what the rules (really) are, and what we expect of them. Communicate results of past fair to targets (teachers, parents, students). find a reward mechanism. Need to clarify our own safety decisions (e.g. microbiologicals), as we try to manage the beliefs and experiences of our “target audience”. Less Paper! Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

More on Rules… YSF Rules are a good starting point Some confusing parts, omissions, poor wording… We clarified, structured, rewrote, and added some rules. get prescriptive; look to ISEF model. Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation

Is Safety Important? Bay Area Science & Engineering Fair Sponsored by The Ontario Trillium Foundation