Review of Federal Agency Policies on Scientific Integrity

December, 2016
IDA document: D-8305
FFRDC: Science and Technology Policy Institute
Type: Documents
Authors:
Authors
Rashida Nek, Anita R. Eisenstadt See more authors
STPI conducted interviews and reviewed policies on scientific integrity in Federal research that 24 Federal agencies have produced and published since December 2010, when the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) issued a memorandum instructing agencies to develop such policies that (1) establish a foundation for scientific integrity; (2) develop public communication policies that promote openness and transparency; (3) use a transparent process to select individuals with scientific and technological expertise to serve on Federal Advisory Committees and afford them autonomy in their findings and reports; and (4) promote professional development of agency scientists and engineers. STPI also facilitate in an OSTP-sponsored workshop that brought representatives from 21 agencies to discuss potential good practices and emerging issues identified during the review of agency policies and interviews. Workshop participants identified four follow-up items for collective action: (1) sharing both tools and resources; (2) holding periodic interagency meetings to share good practices, challenges, and solutions, (3) continuing emphasis on the importance of scientific integrity; and (4) collectively considering what constitutes scientific integrity.