Workshop Focuses on Ethics and Research

Graduate-training session part of NSF-funded project
7/24/2012

• Announcement

SUNY-ESF's Department of Environmental Studies will host a three-day graduate training workshop on "Ethics, Culture and Community-based Environmental Research," Aug. 15 to 17.

Part of the National Science Foundation-funded, Northeast Ethics Education Partnership with Brown University's Center for Environmental Studies, the session will be led by Drs. Dianne Quigley and David A. Sonnenfeld.

The workshop is intended for graduate students in environmental science, environmental engineering, environmental studies and related fields in upstate New York. It is relevant for students who plan to conduct field-based environmental research or who desire training on protection of human subjects and face Institutional Review Board (IRB) review of their research plans.

Participants will:

- Learn new research models, including community-based participatory research. Graduate students interested in carrying out research that is adapted to community needs and sensitive to cultural diversity will be provided a review of case studies with new approaches to research design, methods and outcomes, reflecting various ethical approaches to research.

- Receive training in IRB application procedures. Graduate students planning to conduct field-based environmental research for dissertation or thesis work that involves working with individual human subjects or communities will receive guidance and preparatory training for submission of research proposals for IRB review.

- Gain insights into the value of awareness and sensitivity to cultural diversity. Field research approaches will be assessed to ensure that exploitation, community stigma harms and culturally inappropriate practices can be prevented. Guidance from ethical theories and international experiences and recommendations will be reviewed for use in research design.

- Have the opportunity to receive a Certificate of Completion. Upon completing 15 hours of training, participants will receive a Certificate of Completion for Research Ethics and Cultural Competence/ Diversity Training. This can be included on CVs to indicate the gaining of much-needed professional skills and expertise that can be shared with others.

The session includes 12 hours of classroom training and three hours of follow-up online training. A few seats remain available. For further information, please contact Sonnenfeld at (315) 470-4931 or dsonn@esf.edu.