1. Research Integrity at TU Delft: Embedding Integrity
Dr. ir. Behnam Taebi
Section of Ethics & Philosophy of Technology
Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management
NRIN Symposium Research Integrity in Education
27 May 2019, Amsterdam

2. Structure of the presentation
Integrity (& ethics) subject to teach
BSc , MSc courses on ethics (& integrity)
PhD courses, specifically on RI
Integrity as a guiding value in the organization
That must be institutionally embedded and safeguarded
The Integrity Roadmap

3. Part I: Integrity (& ethics) as subject to teach

4. Teaching Ethics at TU Delft
Since ca 20 years provided by the Ethics and Philosophy of Technology Section (TPM) at TU Delft.
Tailor-made courses (per program), containing lectures, tutorials, essay and written exams.

5. Ethics education 2.0
Purpose: TU Delft would like to educate engineers with a broad, ‘comprehensive’ perspective
For this reason, TU Delft would like to see to it that all students are offered training in ethics.

6. New setup for teaching Ethics
BSc: Basic competencies in ethics (and philosophy of science, scientific integrity and diversity) preferably through teaching lines, possibly by stand-alone course.
MSc: Specialized master course for students of all Faculties, not necessarily organized by program, but instead create a palette of more thematic courses,

7. Thematic ethics courses
Geoengineering and Space ethics
Climate ethics
Water ethics
Energy ethics
Risk and safety ethics
Computer ethics
Robotics/AI and ethics
Science ethics
Biotechnology and ethics
Health technology and ethics
(Urban) design ethics
Ethics of transportation technology and logistics
Environmental ethics
Responsible Innovation and Value Sensitive Design
Engineering Ethics (general)

8. Teaching Ethics & Philosophy to PhD students
A number courses including
Engineering Ethics
Creative and Critical Thinking in Engineering
Research Design
Research Integrity (mandatory)

9. Scientific Integrity courses
Seminar 1: Scientific misconduct
What are the characteristics of good science?
What are the consequences of scientific misconduct?
Seminar 2: Scientific integrity
What are the scientific virtues?
How can we facilitate and incentivize honesty?
Seminar 3: Practical research skills
E.g. how can we detect and avoid plagiarism, self-plagiarism, etc.?

10. Aims of RI courses To raise awareness
To help identify situations involving integrity (and a breach thereof)
To deal with such situations
When they accrue to you, or someone in your surrounding

11. Topics discussed Plagiarism Data fabrication Falsification
Not in the Popperian sense
Reproducibility, replication etc.
Data protection versus open data
Human Research Ethics
Authorship
Conflicts of interest 
Code of Ethics of TU Delft

12. Examples of cases discussed
Data fabrication
The Dark secret of Hendrik Schön - The Horizon Documentary (2004)
The Trial of Professor Hall - ABC Documentary (2003)
Problems associated with peer-reviews
The Black Box of peer-review
Scientific Integrity & policy-making
“An investigation into Bush Administration’s Misuse of Science” (Union of Concerned Scientists)
Salami Science and ethics of publication
The Cost of salami slicing (Nature Materials 2005)

13. Part II: Integrity as guiding value in the organization

14. DIVERSITY INTEGRITY RESPECT ENGAGEMENT COURAGE TRUST
Our values: DIRECT
DIVERSITY
INTEGRITY
RESPECT
ENGAGEMENT
COURAGE
TRUST

15. Three pillars of Integrity at TU Delft
Academic Integrity
Research Ethics
Research Integrity
Educational Integrity
Responsible research cooperation
Research Data management
Open Science
Social Integrity
(un)desirable Behavior
Diversity& Inclusion
Work pressure
Interactions between staff and/or students
Organizational Integrity
Managerial Integrity
Responsible cooperation
Ancillary activities
Responsible operational management
Fair treatment/ assessment of students and staff members
Data management

16. Aims of Integrity sessions for new employees
To raise awareness
To help identify situations involving integrity (and a breach thereof)
To deal with such situations
When they accrue to you, or someone in your surrounding

17. E.g. dilemmas of peer-review
You receive a request to review an article from a peer. You know this colleague; you worked together last year on a project and will regularly discuss this project during the coming time. But there is no other scientist with the same expertise to review this article.
What do you do?

18. E.g. dilemma of funding
You get invited to comment in the media on a recently published scientific report to which someone from your group has contributed. Continuation of the funding for this research partially depends on how well the preliminary results published in this report will be received.
What do you do?

20. Human Research Ethics Committee
Researchers consider the following questions
Are subjects subjected to a greater than acceptable risk given the potential benefits?
Have subjects or participants been adequately informed and given free consent? Can they withdraw without any implications? 
Are vulnerable populations targeted and have special precautions been taken to protect them?
Is the study properly expressed scientifically and does it clearly state its potential harms and benefits?
Is the equipment safe?
How will personal data be protected?

21. What can help you? How to recognize an integrity issue
Tips to help you determine a possible integrity issue:
Ask yourself: could I explain this to society?
And: What if everyone were to do this?
Golden Rule: treating others as you would wish to be treated
Critically reflect on your conduct, also by using moral emotions such as imagination, compassion, sympathy, feelings of responsibility

22. To conclude… Integrity as an institutionally embedded principle
A focus on integrity for new employees
Facilitating discussions about integrity (breaches)
Website TU Delft over integrity:
Research integrity is emphasized by
Institutional embedding and arrangements
(Mandatory) courses for PhD candidates
Website about teaching ethics at TU Delft: