Tallapragada Meghnaa, Eosco Gina M, McComas Katherine A
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA.
Eastern Research Group, Arlington, VA, 22201, USA.
Sci Eng Ethics. 2017 Feb;23(1):147-164. doi: 10.1007/s11948-016-9764-3. Epub 2016 Mar 15.
This study investigates the level of awareness about funding influences and potential conflicts of interests (COI) among early career researchers. The sample for this study included users of one or more of the 14 U.S. laboratories associated with the National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network. To be eligible, respondents must have been either still completing graduate work or <5 years since graduation. In total, 713 early career researchers completed the web survey, with about half still in graduate school. Results indicate that although respondents were aware of potential funding and COI influences on their work, they remained largely ignorant of their role in addressing or managing these issues. Respondents often attributed the responsibility of addressing these issues to their supervisors. Respondents who had received some training around these issues, however, were more likely to assume more personal responsibility. Overall, this study points out that ignorance among early career researchers is less about awareness of funding and COI issues and more about taking personal responsibility for addressing these issues.
本研究调查了早期职业研究人员对资金影响和潜在利益冲突（COI）的认知水平。本研究的样本包括与国家纳米技术基础设施网络相关的14个美国实验室中一个或多个实验室的用户。符合条件的受访者必须仍在完成研究生学业或毕业不满5年。共有713名早期职业研究人员完成了网络调查，其中约一半仍在读研究生。结果表明，尽管受访者意识到潜在的资金和利益冲突对其工作的影响，但他们在很大程度上仍不清楚自己在解决或管理这些问题中所扮演的角色。受访者通常将解决这些问题的责任归咎于他们的导师。然而，接受过这些问题相关培训的受访者更有可能承担更多个人责任。总体而言，本研究指出，早期职业研究人员的无知与其说是对资金和利益冲突问题的认知，不如说是对解决这些问题承担个人责任。
