Research has been conducted throughout history, often with the best intentions in mind, but not always without a harmful impact to those being studied. Throughout the 21st Century some of the greatest minds from around the world have met to grapple with the ethics of research and continue to consistently meet to review the ethical considerations that guide the research enterprise. In 1979, the Belmont Report was issued with guiding principals for ethics in research. The Belmont Report outlines three core fundamental principles for the protection of human subjects of research: Respect for Persons, Beneficence, and Justice.
As a TRIO McNair Scholar you will become certified to conduct ethical research under the guide of your mentor and through the CITI Training program. You will be guided through the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process where your research proposal will be reviewed by members of the Institutional Review Board to verify that your research meets the guidelines put in place by the Belmont Report. Throughout your time in the program you will learn about the historical context of ethics in research, the Belmont Report, and many additional aspects of ethical data collection, storage, analysis, and reporting of data.